Gene Hackman turns 93! Acting legend is retired to a peaceful life with younger wife Betsy Arakawa
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO: Hollywood acting legend Gene Hackman rang in his 93rd birthday on Monday, January 30. The acclaimed thespian, whose real name is Eugene Allen Hackman, is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors of his generation. Known for his versatility, Hackman carved a niche for himself with his marvelous acting performances in blockbusters including 'Hoosier', 'The French Connection', and 'Unforgiven'.
Growing up in Illinois, the two-time Oscar winner was born to a waitress and a pressman for the local newspaper. Hackman's early life wasn't always as pleasant as it is now. His family was sadly abandoned by his father when he was just thirteen, Amomama reported. The 'Bonnie and Clyde' star always supported his family and entered the Marines at 16, where he lied about his age. Soon he got discharged from his role and decided to move to New York. During his time in NY, he worked in a number of menial jobs, according to IMDB.
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Hackman then enrolled himself at the University of Illinois to pursue a degree in journalism and television production. He would be over 30 years old when he finally decided to take his chance at acting by enrolling at the Pasadena Playhouse in California, where he met Dustin Hoffman. It is said that Hackman and Hoffman were voted "least likely to succeed" by their classmates. The pair soon moved back to New York and met up with a mutual friend of theirs, actor Robert Duvall.
After years of struggle, Hackman finally got his big break in 1967, when he starred as Buck Barrow in 'Bonnie and Clyde'. With this one role, Gene saw his career reaching new heights. Hackman has always credited his unimaginable success to his beloved mother, who died before seeing him shine. By 2004, the actor decided to retire from acting.
How Gene Hackman met his loving Wife of 22 Years
While Hackman has had a stellar career in Hollywood, he has also maintained a beautiful marriage with Betsy Arakawa, who is 31 years younger than him. Arakawa, a classical pianist, is Hackman's second wife. Before her, Hackman was married to Faye Maltese. The former couple tied the knot in 1956 before ending it in 1986.
As per reports, Hackman and Arakawa first met in the 1980s while working out in Los Angeles. Arakawa was working at the fitness center, where Hackman used to work out daily. The pair soon felt the connection and began dating in 1984, when Hackman was still married to Maltese. After his divorce, Arakawa moved in with him into his Santa Fe apartment. The couple tied the knot in 1991 after seven long years of happy dating. While Hackman and Arakawa have no children of their own, she shares a healthy relationship with his children from a previous marriage.
When Gene Hackman protected his wife from a homeless man
It is said that Hackman is a really shy and quiet person in real-life but he can surely exchange some hits and fists for his loved ones. The acting legend showed his moves in 2012 when his wife was attacked by a homeless man. The couple was casually leaving a Santa Fe restaurant one day when a homeless man approached the couple. As per Amomama, things soon got heated up and the man attempted to threaten them.
The man, identified as Bruce Becker, swore at Arakawa and Hackman gave him a tight slap for that. Becker reported the incident to the police but officers took no action against Hackman as they determined that Hackman acted in self-defense. Many publications tried to reach Hackman and Arakawa after the incident for comment, but they could not be contacted. The headlines were up for a while, but nothing further happened about the incident.
Now, the couple is living a real quiet life, away from the chaos of the Hollywood industry. A source close to Hackman said he was in good health and still enjoyed hobbies like handiwork, riding his bicycle, and gardening. Pursuing his passion for writing, Hackman has also released a number of books after his retirement. Talking about his feeling about retirement, Hackman once said, "I haven't held a press conference to announce my retirement, but yes, I'm not going to act any longer. I miss the actual acting part of it, as it's what I did for almost 60 years, and I really loved that. But the business for me is very stressful."