Fans are saddened after hearing Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s passing on Feb. 26 in their home in Santa Fe. An autopsy determined that Hackman died of heart disease and also suffered from advanced Alzheimer's. Authorities revealed that the actor died a week after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from hantavirus. This has marked the end of an era, leaving behind a cinematic legacy that will endure for generations.
But artists never truly leave. In the wake of Hackman’s demise, one could perhaps look up to the marvel of work he has left behind. Across five decades, Hackman carved a legacy defined by raw talent, unshakable presence and an uncanny ability to inhabit characters who felt as real as the world around us.
Here are some of the best of his works from every decade to celebrate the legendary Hollywood star!
1960s: “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967)
Bonnie (Faye Dunaway) and Clyde (Warren Beatty) introduced Hackman to the world. Playing Buck Barrow, the doomed older brother of Clyde, Hackman brought a rugged humanity to the screen. In a film known for its revolutionary style and violent beauty, Hackman’s performance grounded the story in a deeply personal tragedy, showing a man swept up in forces beyond his control. It was the beginning of something extraordinary.
1970s: “The French Connection” (1971)
“The French Connection: was the crowning achievement of Hackman’s early career. Hackman’s role as Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle—a cop investigating a heroin deal—won Hackman anAcademy Award for Best Actor, and critics immediately recognized his star quality. The film’s iconic car chase remains one of the greatest sequences in film history. Hackman didn’t just play characters—he embodied them.
1980s: “Hoosiers” (1986)
The 1980s saw a shaft in the roles Hackman undertook. Hoosiers is set in the heartland of Indiana and Hackman stars in the role of Norman Dale—a high school basketball coach with a troubled past and a shot at redemption. “Hoosiers” remains one of the greatest sports films ever made, in large part because Hackman made us believe in the power of perseverance and redemption.
1990s: “Crimson Tide” (1995)
This 1995 action/thriller revolves around a submarine war trope between Russia and the United States after the cold war. In Crimson Tide, Gene Hackman plays the role of submarine captain Frank Ramsey, and squares off against Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington) in a battle of wills aboard a nuclear submarine. Hackman’s character chooses his instincts over protocol—creating an electric on-screen conflict that keeps audiences on edge.
2000s: “The Royal Tenenbaums” (2001)
One of his last movies, The Royal Tenenbaums is a spectacular comedy with the joint forces of Wes Anderson and Gene Hackman. Hackman stars as the deeply flawed yet strangely endearing patriarch Royal Tenenbaum—a disbarred lawyer who tries to reconcile with his eccentric children. Hackman delivered a performance that was simultaneously funny, tragic, and undeniably captivating—a fitting finale to a career that spanned genres and decades.
