Gene Hackman’s friend says getting old ‘bothered him’

Gene Hackman enjoyed a lengthy life and was happily married to his wife, Betsy Arakawa, for more than three decades. Recently, a friend of the actor disclosed new information regarding his later years, suggesting that he was troubled by his advancing age.

In late February, authorities discovered the bodies of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa, at their residence in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This discovery followed a 911 call made by an individual who identified himself as a caretaker, just before 2 PM, as reported by law enforcement.

In a statement to People Magazine, Hackman’s daughters, Elizabeth and Leslie, along with granddaughter Annie, expressed their profound sorrow over the loss.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman, and his wife, Betsy. He was cherished and respected by millions globally for his exceptional acting career, but to us, he was simply Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him dearly and are heartbroken by this loss,” the Hackman family shared with People Magazine.

The sheriff’s office indicated that carbon monoxide and toxicology tests were necessary for both Hackman and Arakawa.

“There were no apparent signs or indications of foul play,” stated Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza at that time.

He further noted that there were no signs of a struggle or any missing items from the couple’s home. Mendoza also mentioned that Hackman and Arakawa had been deceased for some time.

CNN acquired the audio from the 911 call. According to the affidavit, maintenance workers discovered the couple’s bodies. The caller appeared emotional while speaking with the dispatcher, stating that they could not enter the residence but observed two unconscious individuals through the window.

“No, dude, they’re not moving. Just send somebody out here really quick,” the caretaker urged the dispatcher.

Initially, the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Hackman and his wife were somewhat enigmatic. Various theories circulated in the media, and the actor’s daughter, Leslie, informed the Daily Mail thatStephen Marshall, an FBI agent who had formed a connection with Gene Hackman and his wife through a community outreach initiative, remarked that the actor expressed concern about the passage of time and his advancing age.

“He was not fond of growing old, and seeing his image on screen troubled him, as he recognized that he no longer resembled that person,” Marshall stated, noting that health issues prevented the couple from attending the screening of Hackman’s film, Night Moves.

“Betsy mentioned that Gene became visibly anxious when she brought it up; he simply wanted to distance himself from it. I made an effort to honor his feelings,” Marshall elaborated.

“When we went out together, he preferred not to draw attention to his identity. I recall our first outing in Santa Fe, where I noticed people recognizing him. I asked, ‘Do you become accustomed to people saying, Hey, that’s Gene Hackman?’ He replied, ‘Yes, but now they also say, ‘And he has aged so much.’ I thought he appeared much younger and looked great, but he was troubled by the signs of aging, which affected him.”

Marshall observed that he was seeing Hackman and Arakawa less frequently, as they were going out less often.

Hackman had a strong passion for golf, and his instructor, Mike Putnam, noted that the star of The French Connection was “determined” to improve his skills.

“I believe he always anticipated performing better than he was,” Putnam shared with Fox. “However, I was able to guide him in managing his expectations, allowing him to enjoy the game without the pressure of high standards.

“When Betsy began playing, it added to his frustration, as she was more athletic and adapted to the game more quickly, perhaps not overthinking it as much. You could see Gene was really focused, but they were both such a joy to be around,” the golf instructor remarked.

Rest in peace, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa. Please share this.