Francis Ford Coppola Leads Tributes To “Inspiring & Magnificent” Gene Hackman: “I Mourn His Loss, And Celebrate His Existence”

The news that actor Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa have been found dead at their home in Santa Fe has shocked the industry and led to widespread tributes for “one of the true greats” of cinema.

The 95-year-old Hollywood legend won Oscars for The French Connection (1971) and Unforgiven (1992), and was also Oscar-nominated for roles in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), I Never Sang for My Father (1970), and Mississippi Burning (1988).

Francis Ford Coppola, who directed Hackman in 1970s classic 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.”

Actor George Takei called Hackman “one of the true giants”: “We have lost one of the true giants of the screen. Gene Hackman could play anyone, and you could feel a whole life behind it. He could be everyone and no one, a towering presence or an everyday Joe. That’s how powerful an actor he was. He will be missed, but his work will live on forever.”

Baby Driver director Edgar Wright simply described Hackman as “the greatest…” in a post to X.

European film and TV studio Studiocanal wrote on social media: “What a colossal loss for cinema today. Hugely saddened by the passing of one of the true greats – Gene Hackman. We send our deepest condolences.”

Presenter Piers Morgan said on social media: “Gene Hackman was one of the all-time great actors and brilliant in everything he ever did from French Connection and Unforgiven to Mississippi Burning, The Conversation and Superman. We’ve lost a giant of the big screen.”

In a post on X, BAFTA said it was “saddened” to hear of the death of the three-time BAFTA winner and noted his “illustrious” career.

Irish comedian and TV presenter Dara Ó Briain posted to X: “Ah, Gene Hackman. The finest screen actor ever, I think. Not a single duff performance, in a long, long career. And the best delivery ever of a single word: when he says “Cigars!” In Young Frankenstein.”

More reactions as we have them…