Gene Hackman’s youngest daughter has spoken out about her father’s health in the months leading up to his death.
Leslie Anne Hackman, 58, revealed on Thursday that she “hadn’t talked” to the Oscar-winner and her stepmother, Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa, in a “couple of months” before their passings, but said the “Unforgiven” star was “in very good physical condition” up until the end.
Hackman, Arakawa and one of their three dogs were found dead at their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home on Wednesday after a maintenance worker was unable to get in touch with the couple and grew concerned.
Hackman was 95. He married Arakawa, his second wife, in 1991. The classical pianist was 65.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Leslie said that she and the rest of her family are still processing the news and awaiting updates on the cause of death for both Hackman and Arakawa.
Leslie and her older sister, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, 63, speculate that their dad and stepmom may have died from a carbon monoxide leak.
Leslie, who described herself as having a “close” relationship with her dad, also said, “There was no indication that there was any problem” with his health before his passing.
“Despite his age, he was in very good physical condition,” she told the outlet, adding that the “French Connection” star hadn’t undergone any major surgeries in the past few months.
“He liked to do Pilates and yoga, and he was continuing to do that several times a week,” Leslie shared. “So he was in good health,” she continued while sharing that Hackman’s death was “not terribly shocking because he was 95.”
The youngest of Hackman’s three children, whom he shared with his ex-wife, Faye Maltese, Leslie explained that she hadn’t seen the actor or Arakawa in a “few months” as she lives hundreds of miles away from New Mexico in California.
“We were close,” Leslie shared before admitting, “I hadn’t talked to them for a couple months, but everything was normal and everything was good.”
Of her father’s relationship with Arakawa, Leslie said, “They had a wonderful marriage. And I give credit to his wife, Betsy, for keeping him alive.”
“[Betsy] took very, very good care of him and was always looking out for his health,” she continued. “So I am appreciative to her for that, and I’m very saddened by her passing.”
Leslie plans to head to New Mexico once she speaks to cops in Santa Fe.
“We need to wait and find out whatever information from the police,” she explained. “We weren’t expecting to have to go out there and go through the house and all that.”
The “Birdcage” star’s daughter went on, “So we have some work cut out for us. But yeah, we’ll be going out to New Mexico.”
Earlier on Thursday, Leslie, Elizabeth and Hackman’s granddaughter, Annie, confirmed the news of his and Arakawa’s deaths in a statement to The Post.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy,” they shared.
“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,” the statement continued. “We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”
In a press release issued Thursday, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that there “were no apparent signs of foul play” at the home where Hackman and Arakawa were found.
However, according to a police affidavit, law enforcement noted that the deaths were “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.”
The affidavit also revealed that the door to the couple’s multimillion house was “unsecured and opened” and that there was no sign of forced entry or theft when police arrived.
Law enforcement stated in the document that an open orange prescription pill bottle and pills were scattered around the room where Arakawa and the deceased dog were found.
An autopsy was performed on both Arakawa and Hackman, according to the sheriff’s press release, and carbon monoxide and toxicology tests were requested for both individuals.
There were no signs of external trauma to either of the deceased, per the release, which added that the official results of the autopsy and toxicology reports are pending, and the investigation remains open.
