On Sunday, the Academy Awards ceremony paid tribute to Gene Hackman through the esteemed voice of Morgan Freeman, who kicked off the night's "In Memoriam" segment by mourning the film industry's loss of a "giant." Last week, the tragic news emerged that Hackman, aged 95, and his beloved wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, had passed away together in their New Mexico home. In the days that followed, the question haunting Hollywood and perplexing the close-knit Santa Fe community was how these two souls had departed this world.
Freeman, who shared the screen with Hackman in the 1992 western masterpiece "Unforgiven" — which garnered Hackman his second Academy Award — and the 2000 thriller "Under Suspicion," delivered a heartfelt eulogy. He remembered Hackman as a "dear friend" and a generous actor whose talent elevated everyone around him. "As someone who shared scenes with him, I learned that he was not concerned with his legacy but rather hoped to be remembered as someone who strived for excellence in his work," Freeman reflected. "I believe I speak for all of us when I say, Gene, you will indeed be cherished for that and so much more," he added poignantly.
With mere days to plan, the producers of the Awards telecast faced the daunting task of honoring one of cinema's legends. On Wednesday, authorities discovered Hackman's body in the mudroom of his Santa Fe home, his cane and sunglasses by his side. Nearby, in a bathroom, lay Arakawa's body, an open prescription bottle and scattered pills hinting at a possible cause. According to the Santa Fe County sheriff, an examination of Hackman's pacemaker revealed that he had passed away on February 17th. A detective's affidavit noted that Arakawa's body exhibited signs of decomposition, while Hackman's displayed "similar and consistent" indicators of death.
As investigators meticulously piece together the timeline of events, interviewing the couple's acquaintances and awaiting toxicology results and autopsy reports, it may take weeks, if not longer, to uncover the full story behind this double tragedy.
