The news was confirmed by Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza, who added that no signs of foul play have been found.
“We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail,” he said. “This is an active investigation – however, at this time we do not believe that foul play was a factor.”
Authorities are yet to confirm a cause of death.
Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have been found dead at their home (Vera Anderson/WireImage)
Hackman had enjoyed a glittering career in Hollywood which spanned over six decades and saw him win numerous awards, including Oscars, BAFTAs and Golden Globe awards.
Born in 1930, Hackman started his acting career during the late 1950s and 60s before getting his breakout role in 1967’s Bonnie and Clyde, which earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards. He would go on to win awards for his roles in The French Connection (1972), Unforgiven (1992) and The Royal Tenenbaums (2002).
He is also known for playing the role of Lex Luthor in various Superman films, Hackman retired from acting in 2004, citing stress on his heart as the reason.
“The straw that broke the camel’s back was actually a stress test that I took in New York,” he told Empire in 2009.
“The doctor advised me that my heart wasn’t in the kind of shape that I should be putting it under any stress.”
Arakawa was a retired pianist and Hackman’s second wife, he was previously married Faye Maltese, with the former couple sharing three children Christopher Allen, Elizabeth Jean, and Leslie Anne Hackman.
Hackman and Arakawa tied the knot in 1991 (Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Tributes to Hackman have since begun to pour in online, as fans paid their respects to the couple.
“Ah, Gene Hackman. The finest screen actor ever, I think. Not a single duff performance, in a long, long career. And the best delivery ever of a single word: when he says ‘Cigars!’ In Young Frankenstein,” wrote comedian Dara Ó Briain on X.
“Gene was one of the greatest actors of his, or anyone’s generation. He was a powerhouse, as adept at comedy as he was drama. Today is a very sad day, we’ve lost a legend. Gene was a giant of cinema,” a second person penned, while a third added: “RIP Gene Hackman. One of the all-time greats. Never gave less than his all in everything.”
