Gene Hackman was an American actor who rose to fame following his role in 1967’s Bonnie and Clyde, which earned him his first Academy Award nomination. After more than 40 years in the business and filling up his resume with 100 roles, plus two Academy Awards, Gene unofficially retired from the business in 2004. “I haven’t held a press conference to announce retirement, but yes, I’m not going to act any longer,” he told Reuters in 2008. “I’ve been told not to say that over the last few years, in case some real wonderful part comes up, but I really don’t want to do it any longer.”
However, following his Irish exit, he dove into another art: writing novels. “I like the loneliness of it, actually. It’s similar in some ways to acting, but it’s more private and I feel like I have more control over what I’m trying to say and do,” he explained. “There’s always a compromise in acting and in film, you work with so many people and everyone has an opinion. … I don’t know that I like it better than acting, it’s just different. I find it relaxing and comforting.”
Although he appreciated the “loneliness” of writing, Gene was far from alone. He enjoyed a 30+ year union with his wife, Betsy Arakawa. However, their lives were cut short in February 2025 when the spouses, and their dog, were found dead in their New Mexico home.
Read on to learn all there is to know about their relationship, as well as Gene’s previous marriage to his first wife, Faye Maltese.
Who Is Betsy Arakawa?
Betsy Arakawa was a retired classical pianist. She was born in Hawaii and was 63 when she died, per the AP.
Gene and Betsy were rarely seen in public, and according to a person close to the sweet couple, they enjoyed their low-key life away from the spotlight in their Santa Fe, N.M. home. “His health is good, he still bicycles, does yard work and he’s a great handyman,” the insider told Closer Weekly in 2020. “After all the drama of Gene’s career, he loves the peaceful life he shares with the lovely Betsy.”
How Did Gene And Betsy Meet?
The Golden Globe Award-winning actor and the musician met at a fitness center in Los Angeles where Betsy was working as a part-time employee, per Closer Weekly. Gene’s divorce from his first wife, Faye Maltese, was still pending when they met. Their marriage lasted from 1956 to 1986. Gene and Betsy reportedly began dating in 1984 and walked down the aisle in 1991.
Gene told Empire in 2020 that he and Betsy liked to watch DVDs together. “We like simple stories that some of the little low-budget films manage to produce,” he said. “Friday night is set aside for a Comedy Channel marathon, with particular attention paid to Eddie Izzard. “he speed of thought is amazing,”
Do Gene And Betsy Have Kids?
Gene and Betsy don’t have biological children together, but Gene had three kids with Faye: Leslie Anne, Elizabeth Jean, and Christopher Allen. He previously admitted he was not always a present parent due to his job. “I lost touch with my son in terms of advice early on,” he told GQ magazine in 2011. “Maybe it had to do with being gone so much, doing location films when he was at an age where he needed support and guidance. It was very tough for me to be gone for three months and then come home and start bossing him around.”
Gene’s Ex-Wife Faye Maltese
Gene was married to his first wife from 1956 to 1986. Gene told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in 1985 that he didn’t “leave” Faye for Betsy. “By the way, I did not leave my real-life wife for a younger woman. We just drifted apart,” the actor said. “We lost sight of each other. When you work in this business, marriage takes a great deal of work and love.”
As previously mentioned, Gene and Faye had three children together before they divorced. Faye sadly passed away on April 26, 2017 at the age of 88.
How Did Gene & Betsy Die?
A cause of death for Gene and Betsy has finally been revealed. According to multiple outlets, Betsy’s cause of death was ruled as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. A press conference on March 7, 2025, stated that surveillance footage suggests she died on February 11.
As for Gene, he is believed to have passed away on February 18 from hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Additionally, Alzheimer’s was listed as a contributing factor. According to a medical investigator, the illness was advanced, making it “quite possible that he was not aware that [Betsy] was deceased.”
