Movie Greats Pay Tribute to Gene Hackman Following His ‘Suspicious’ Death

Some of Hollywood’s most legendary names have paid tribute to an equally as iconic actor in the past few weeks. Gene Hackman was one of the biggest names in movies for over 60 years. After Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead last month, Tinseltown has continued to mourn one of its most famous faces.

Mel Brooks, the writer/director of classic comedies like Blazing Saddles and The Producers, posted on Twitter/X about his experience working with Hackman.

“I was privileged to know Gene Hackman because he played tennis with another Gene—Gene Wilder,” he wrote. “And that Gene told him about a little role called The Blind Hermit in our movie YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. He said, “Do you think Mel would let me play it? I’ve always wanted to do a comedy.” Needless to say, I was over the moon and he was perfect.”

Young Frankenstein was a comedic adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and also featured Peter Boyle and Teri Garr. It received two Academy Award nominations.

Dustin Hoffman, who starred with Hoffman in Runaway Jury, made a statement to Deadline about the loss of his longtime friend.

“I met Gene in acting school, at the Pasadena Playhouse, when he was 27 and I was 19. We used to play congas together on the roof, trying to be like our hero Marlon Brando,” he said. “And Gene was like Brando, in that he brought something unprecedented to our craft, something people didn’t immediately understand as genius. He was expelled from our school after three months for ‘not having talent.’ It was the first time they ever did that. He was that good. Powerful, subtle, brilliant. A giant among actors. I miss him already.”

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A post shared by Tom Hanks (@tomhanks)

Tom Hanks wrote on his Instagram page, “There has never been a “Gene Hackman Type.” There has only been Gene Hackman.”

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Francis Ford Coppola, director of the Hackman-starring 1974 classic thriller The Conversation, posted on Instagram: “The loss of a great artist, always cause for both mourning and celebration: Gene Hackman a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity. I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution.”

There is still no cause of death for Hackman and Arakawa, although authorities have completed their autopsies as of last night. Initially, the deaths were marked as “suspicious.”

Hackman is survived by his three children, and retired from acting in 2004.