Gene Hackman’s Life After Hollywood: A Quiet Retreat with His Wife & Passion for Ranch Work

Gene Hackman, 95, who stopped acting almost 20 years ago, surprised fans with his new look. In his later years, he chose a peaceful life, working on his ranch and spending time with his wife, Betsy Arakawa.

Hackman and Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home, according to authorities. Their passing marked the end of a legacy built through a long career and a quiet retirement together.

Born in San Bernardino, California, on January 30, 1930, Hackman had an impressive career that lasted over 60 years. He was nominated for 39 awards and won 33, including two Academy Awards, two BAFTAs, four Golden Globes, a Silver Bear, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Some of his most famous roles were in The French Connection (1971), Unforgiven (1992), Bonnie and Clyde (1967), The Conversation (1974), Superman (1978), and French Connection II (1975).

Hackman’s father, Eugene, was a skilled pressman but left the family when Hackman was 13. This led him to move in with relatives in Danville, Illinois. Due to financial struggles, his father couldn’t afford a home, so they lived with Hackman’s grandmother.

Hackman and Arakawa, who married in 1991, faced criticism because of their 31-year age gap.

His maternal grandmother, Beatrice Grey, was a strong woman who believed his father was weak because he couldn’t handle the harsh Canadian winters. This influenced his mother, Lyda, a talented artist, who saw her marriage as unbalanced.

Hackman recalls a key moment in his childhood when he was playing at a friend’s house. His father usually spent Saturdays with him, but that day, he simply waved and kept walking. Hackman felt that his father would never return.

Rushing home, he asked his mother for an explanation. That wave, he later understood, was his father silently telling him, “It’s all yours now. You’re on your own.”

Despite these experiences, Hackman enrolled at the University of Illinois to study journalism but left after six months.

By 21, he had moved to New York, determined to become an actor.

His breakthrough role was in Bonnie and Clyde, earning his first Academy Award nomination in 1967. He had three children with his first wife, Faye Maltese: Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie.

As his acting career flourished, his personal life suffered. He met Maltese at a Y.M.C.A. dance in New York in 1955, but over time, their marriage started to break down.

They first lived in a small Manhattan apartment while she worked as a bank secretary at Rockefeller Center. After several separations, they divorced in 1986 after 30 years of marriage.

Looking back on his Hollywood years, Hackman admitted that actors often became arrogant after gaining fame.

After struggling for recognition for years, it was hard to turn down roles that required long absences from family. He took many opportunities, sometimes at the expense of his children.

His Hollywood career strained his relationship with his son, Christopher.

In a 2011 interview, Hackman admitted that he missed many important moments in his son’s life because he was often away. However, later in life, he embraced being a grandfather and reconnected with his children.

Before making it big in Hollywood, Hackman spent about eight years struggling.

In New York, he worked as a truck driver, a leather furniture polisher, and a women’s shoe salesman. In 1962, he faced a personal tragedy when his mother died in a house fire, reportedly caused by a cigarette while she was asleep.

Hackman understood that fame made it difficult to have privacy. He believed actors often seemed distant, not out of rudeness, but to protect their personal space.

In the 1980s, he found happiness again when he met Betsy Arakawa.

At the time, she was working part-time at a Los Angeles gym. By 1984, she had moved into his Santa Fe, New Mexico, home.

By 1989, Hackman and Arakawa had settled into a quieter life, focusing on painting, drawing, and driving his pickup trucks. One of his children worked in software development, while the other two were in college.

He considered Arakawa a life-changing presence.

Though advised to keep his options open for future roles, Hackman officially announced his retirement in 2008. He said he had no desire to return to acting. While he missed performing, he was tired of the business side of Hollywood.

After a stress test revealed heart issues, he made his final decision. Doctors warned him to avoid unnecessary strain, convincing him it was time to retire. Unlike some actors, Hackman never sought fame—he simply loved acting.

After retiring in 2004, he embraced a quiet life in New Mexico.

An insider shared that he stayed healthy into old age, enjoying activities like biking, yard work, and small home repairs. Even though he withdrew from public life, he remained close to his children and grandchildren.

Though he valued privacy, Hackman and his wife enjoyed simple joys like watching Eddie Izzard’s comedy, low-budget films, and stand-up specials. He also found peace in fishing and drawing.

In March 2023, Hackman was seen doing yard work outside his Santa Fe home.

At 93, he appeared fit and healthy, continuing to ride his bike. Earlier that day, he was spotted getting a chicken sandwich at a Wendy’s drive-thru before stopping at a gas station.

Fans reacted with surprise when photos surfaced online.

Some reflected on his legendary career, while others noted how unrecognizable he looked.

One person admitted they had to look up his name online, while another commented, “I wouldn’t have recognized him. He was an incredibly talented and handsome actor in his day.”

Even though he stayed out of the spotlight, Hackman lived a happy life and cherished his time with Arakawa.

His journey from Hollywood fame to a peaceful retirement showed a man who valued both his career and personal happiness.