At 93 years old, Gene Hackman is still alive and well (knock on wood). But where has he been for the last 20 years? The famous actor’s last movie role was in 2004’s Welcome to Mooseport, which starred Ray Romano. Since then, he’s been out of the public eye for almost twenty years. A long time for anyone, let alone an actor who has won multiple awards, so what has Gene been doing?
The short answer is to take it easy. Give the man a break, he’s 93 years old and has been working since he joined the army at 16. Hackman gave up acting for good in 2004, so it was clear that Welcome to Mooseport would be his last movie. Not much of a strong ending, but when you’re as good as Hackman, is there much point?
Off to War and Into Acting
In 1946, when Gene Hackman was 16 years old, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps as a radio operator. Hackman loved acting and wanted to do it since he was ten, so he dove right in. He went to a famous acting school called Pasadena Playhouse and made friends with actors Dustin Hoffman and Robert Duvall.
When I was researching Gene Hackman to write this, I found out that we both lived and worked harder out of spite. His acting teachers, military officers, and other people were always putting him down. They would call him a loser and tell him over and over again that he wouldn’t amount to anything. People are mean for no reason, man.
At this point, it’s safe to say that Gene Hackman had the last laugh. He worked his way up through small parts in sitcoms and commercials and off-Broadway shows in New York City. Hackman and his friends Hoffman and Duvall all got their big breaks in Hollywood at about the same time.
Just Getting Started
He eventually got small parts in movies and TV shows before being nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his work in Bonnie and Clyde in 1967. Gene Hackman was now well-known and respected. He was even offered the part of Mike Brady on The Brady Bunch, so he could only go up.
He also went pretty high up. In 1971, he won the Best Actor award for The French Connection. This made him famous all over the world, gave him star power, and gave him a crazy schedule for the next twenty years or so. Gene Hackman made ten movies in three years, which is a lot. Man is a tool.
Success From the Spite
Not to say that he didn’t have any stinkers, though. As Christopher Reeve’s Superman movies went on, they got worse and worse. Then there was Antz, which is a different bag of… ants. But the good times are what matter, right?
In the thirty years after Superman, The Birdcage, and The Royal Tenenbaums did well, he became a legend and also got tired of acting. In the middle of 2004, Gene Hackman said that he was going to stop acting because his health couldn’t keep up with the busy schedules of filming. Since then, he has done a few voiceovers for documentaries, but he hasn’t been in any other movies or TV shows.
Time To Retire
He didn’t just sit around after he retired, though. He started writing novels in 1999, and his second book came out in 2004. He now has five books under his belt.
He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his wife Betsy Arakawa. Hackman’s first marriage, to Faye Maltese, ended in 1986. From that marriage, he has three grown children. Gene Hackman has been married to classical pianist Betsy Arakawa since 1991. They have been in the news a few times over the years.
In 2012, Hackman made headlines in Santa Fe because he beat up a homeless man who he said was trying to hurt him and his wife. Witnesses say that the man was threatening the couple and making fun of his wife. So Lex Luthor hit him in the face. That’s a great story to tell your grandchildren.
I’m Not Dead!
Other than that, he hasn’t said much. He spends his time going to local events or riding his e-bikes around Santa Fe’s many paths. He will sometimes release a behind-the-scenes photo for the anniversary of a movie or just to let people know he’s still alive.
Yes, Hackman has been in the always-present danger for aging celebrities many times in the past. There are rumors of his death almost every year at this point, with the most recent being at the end of January 2023, because why wouldn’t that happen at this point? So far, 2023 has been cruel. Gene Hackman once again proved them false though, with reps confirming he is still, in fact, alive.
Gene Hackman still says he doesn’t want to act again. He’s happy to spend the rest of his life with his wife. Gene Hackman won’t be forgotten any time soon. He is 93 years old, has won many awards and honors, and has been praised by both critics and fans for his work (Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is a real gem). So, let the man enjoy his golden years and take it easy. He deserves it.
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