Pet Dog Also Found Dead
Key Actor in "American New Wave Cinema"
Won Two Academy Awards for Acting
Actor Gene Hackman (95), a two-time Oscar winner for acting, was found dead on the 26th (local time) at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, along with his wife Betsy Arakawa (63). At the scene, the couple's pet dog was also found dead. Adan Mendoza, sheriff of Santa Fe County, announced the death on the same day, stating, "There are no signs of a crime, but the exact cause of death is under investigation."
Hackman was an actor known for playing distinctive male characters in Hollywood. From the 1960s, he appeared in over 100 films across various genres including action, crime, thriller, historical, and comedy. In Korea, he first became known for playing Buck, the brother of Clyde (Warren Beatty), the protagonist in the film "Bonnie and Clyde (1967)," which was based on the true story of bank-robbing lovers.
He is considered one of the key actors in the "American New Wave Cinema," a term referring to films directed by a new generation of American directors from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. Notably, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his passionate portrayal of Detective Doyle in "The French Connection (1971)," which depicts the struggles of two detectives tracking a drug supplier.
In the 1978 film "Superman," he impressively portrayed the villain Lex Luthor, gaining attention comparable to Christopher Reeve, who played Superman. In "Unforgiven" (1992), he delivered a complex performance as the rough and violent sheriff Daggett, earning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Before debuting as an actor, Hackman enlisted in the Marine Corps and served in Hawaii, China, and Japan. After retiring from the film industry in 2004, he worked as an author, writing books on war and maritime exploration.
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