Actor Gene Hackman and wife found dead alongside their dog

Two-time Oscar winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have been found dead in their home in New Mexico, US.

The Sherriff’s office in Santa Fe told news outlets that ‘The French Connection’ star, 95 and his classical pianist wife, 64, were discovered dead at their home on Wednesday, February 26. Also found dead was their dog.

"On 26 February, 2025, at approximately 1:45pm, Santa Fe County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to an address on Old Sunset Trail in Hyde Park where Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and a dog were found deceased," BBC reported The Santa Fe County Sheriff's office as saying.

News outlets and agencies, including BBC and Reuters, reported that authorities said foul play was not suspected but that it remained an active investigation.

His death comes only days to the 2025 Oscars ceremony scheduled for March 3, 3am (EAT). This will be March 2 at 7pm (ET) in Hollywood, where the awards will be held.

Hackman won two Oscars for his roles in his career making ‘The French Connection’ (1972) and ‘Unforgiven’ (1993). He had five Oscar nominations in his career.

In his lifetime, he also got five Bafta nominations, winning two in 1973 and 1992 for the same two movies he won Academy awards with. He had nine Globe nominations, winning four times.

He was active in film, theatre and TV from the late 1950s to 2017 in a career spanning more than 60 years.

In his career defining role in ‘The French Connection’, an action thriller film, Hackman played the role of Detective Jimmy ‘Popeye’ Doyle, a rough around the edges policeman who had no qualms about cutting a few corners to get the criminals he was after.

Born in 1930, Hackman was married twice and had three children with his first wife, the late Faye Maltese.