Gene Hackman had a legendary career before his death at age 95.
The actor had a catalog of iconic roles, which earned him five Academy Awards nominations and two wins. Hackman took home his first Oscar for “The French Connection” in 1972 and his second in 1993 for “Unforgiven.”
In 1999, the fallen star opened up about the one regret he had during his decades-long career.
“Yes, I wish that maybe in the ‘80s, late ‘70s and early ‘80s that I had moved back to New York and kept more in touch with the theater so that I could have maybe expanded my craft and kept more in touch with what acting means to me,” Hackman told journalist Charlie Rose.
“I’d have to be comfortable,” he said of returning to his roots on the stage. “I’ve lived a soft life too long to camp out.”
Hackman started his career in the theater in the ’60s, appearing in a slew of Broadway plays like “Any Wednesday,” “A Rainy Day in Newark,” “The Natural Look,” and “Poor Richard.”
At the 2003 Golden Globes, Hackman received the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement award.
He said at the time, “I never wanted to be anything but an actor.”
In 1986, while promoting his sports film “Hoosiers,” Hackman got candid on what it takes to be a “good” actor.
The film star said the key was confidence.
“You have to have some sense of ego about yourself to be in this business,” explained Hackman. “I have a degree of confidence about myself as an actor. That doesn’t mean that I think I’m king of the hill, or anything else, but I think you have to have that. That sense that when you walk on stage and you take stage — and I mean that in film also — that there’s a sense of command about what you do. Not that you want to push out other actors but you want that to be right.”
Hackman’s career in Hollywood came to a halt in 2008 when he retired due to his heart.
“The straw that broke the camel’s back was actually a stress test that I took in New York,” he revealed to Empire in a 2009 interview.
“The doctor advised me that my heart wasn’t in the kind of shape that I should be putting it under any stress,” shared Hackman.
His last role was in the 2004 rom-com “Welcome to Mooseport.” Hackman played a retired US president who retreated to a sleepy Maine town, only to be asked to run for mayor against his rival, Handy Harrison, played by Ray Romano.
During a July 2004 appearance on “Larry King Live,” Hackman hinted at stepping back from the industry. Four years later, he made it official.
“I haven’t held a press conference to announce retirement, but yes, I’m not going to act any longer. I’ve been told not to say that over the last few years, in case some real wonderful part comes up, but I really don’t want to do it any longer,” Hackman told Reuters in 2008.
Hackman, his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 63, and their dog were found dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Wednesday.
The police noted in the affidavit that their deaths are being investigated as “suspicious.”
Authorities said that the door to the couple’s home was “unsecured and opened,” and two of the couple’s other dogs were found alive.
Despite the family’s concern that Hackman and Arakawa may have passed away from carbon monoxide poisoning, authorities said there was “no obvious sign of a gas leak” and the deaths were “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.
Per the affidavit, a prescription pill bottle and pills were scattered around the room where Hackman’s wife died. Hackman was allegedly found in what authorities are calling a mudroom, with police stating it appeared he had “suddenly fallen.”
Many stars have since taken to social media to share tributes to the fallen actor.
A rep for the family also confirmed Hackman’s death to The Post.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy,” they said in a statement. “He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss. – Elizabeth, Leslie and Annie Hackman.”
