The Tragic Timeline Of Gene Hackman's Second Marriage

In February 2025, Gene Hackman, best known for his versatile acting chops, "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman, and his wife, Betsy," his family shared in a statement with People. "He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss."

While Hackman enjoyed a successful and long-lasting career in Hollywood, the actor did not have as much luck in his personal life. In 1956, he married Faye Maltese, his first wife, with whom he welcomed three children: Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie. Sadly, after thirty years together, Hackman and Maltese's marriage ended, largely because of the demands of the actor's career. "Even though I had a family, I took jobs that would separate us for three or four months at a time. The temptations in that, the money and recognition, it was too much for the poor boy in me. I wasn't able to handle that," he admitted in an interview with The New York Times.

Fortunately, Hackman got a second chance at love with his second wife, Betsy Arakawa, with whom he enjoyed 34 years of bliss and companionship. Despite their legacy of love, Hackman and Arakawa's marriage came to an end in the most tragic way.

Though it is unclear when exactly they met, a 1989 article by The New York Times reported that Gene Hackman first met Betsy Arakawa at a fitness center in California, where she worked part-time. When the article was published, the couple had been living together for five years. While little is known about the early stages of their relationship, Hackman and Arakawa's love story possibly began while he was legally married to his first wife, Faye Maltese.

Despite this overlap, the "Bonnie and Clyde" actor clarified his relationship with Arakawa began after his separation from Maltese. In a 1985 interview with the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Hackman opened up about his divorce from Maltese, asserting the marriage fell apart naturally. "I did not leave my real-life wife for a younger woman," he explained. "We just drifted apart. We lost sight of each other. When you work in this business, marriage takes a great deal of work and love."

Luckily, the second time was the charm for Hackman as his love story with Arakawa, a trained classical pianist, stood the test of time. Reflecting on their relationship in a 2020 interview with Empire, the veteran actor gave a glimpse into his quiet yet blissful life, which included weekly Friday date nights. On other days, the couple simply enjoyed watching rented DVDs. "We like simple stories that some of the little low-budget films manage to produce," he added.

During their earliest years together, Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa moved into their Santa Fe, New Mexico, mansion. Before this, the actor lived with his ex-wife, Faye Maltese, in a Mediterranean-style Montecito home, which he described as "very formal." With Arakawa, however, Hackman built a new home for himself in Santa Fe. And while the property wasn't particularly impressive, the "Runaway Jury" star could not resist the location. "The house was horrible," Stephen Samuelson, a local Santa Fe architect, recalled to Architectural Digest. "It was a 1950s block building that had sat empty and had deteriorated. But it was a great site, and the foundation had been well placed on the land."

After moving in, Hackman and Arakawa transformed the house, employing the help of Samuelson and another local architect, Harry Daple. While the two architects handled the reconstruction of the home, Hackman carefully oversaw every detail of the project. "He's a deeply involved client—very artistic, very keen on details," Samuelson explained. "We had to call him and send sketches constantly. If we didn't, we'd get a call in a few days: 'Hello, this is Gene Hackman. Do you remember me?'"

Arakawa, who was also hands-on during the renovation, played a bigger role, working closely with Hackman to bring a personal touch to the house. "We bought a few things in Santa Fe. Other things came from auctions in New York, an antiques shop in Germany that Betsy and I found, and from Los Angeles," Hackman recounted, highlighting the couple's joint effort.

After seven years together, Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa tied the knot in 1991. Eight years later, they expanded their family by adopting a new dog. According to The Baltimore Sun, the couple took interest in the dog after it wandered onto the set of "The Replacements," the 2000 comedy film starring Hackman as Coach Jimmy McGinty. The pooch was subsequently taken to an animal rescue shelter, where it was named Gene. 

Before finalizing their decision to adopt, however, Hackman and Arakawa, who were already proud parents to two German Shepherds back in New Mexico, introduced their existing pets to Gene, ensuring that the three dogs got along well. And despite their celebrity status, the couple insisted on following the standard adoption process. "They went through the steps for adoption just like everyone else," Phil Staelens, who worked at the shelter, told The Baltimore Sun, adding that, "[Gene Hackman] kept thanking us and apologizing for taking up our time."

Hackman and Arakawa would remain devoted to Gene and their two other dogs until the end. "Betsy and Gene loved their dogs to the moon and back," Dr. Sherry Gaber, the couple's animal chiropractor, explained to The Daily Mail, adding that the couple "always wanted to do the right things for their animals."

In 2008, Gene Hackman confirmed he officially retired from Hollywood. "I haven't held a press conference to announce retirement, but yes, I'm not going to act any longer," he shared with Reuters. "I miss the actual acting part of it, as it's what I did for almost 60 years, and I really loved that," Hackman shared, before admitting he had found showbiz stressful in recent years. But while Hackman turned away from acting, he turned towards writing.

His first novel, "Wake of the Perdido Star," was published in 1999, but it was not until the 2000s that Hackman fully embraced his passion for storytelling. His second novel, "Justice for None," was published in 2004, followed by "Escape from Andersonville, released four years later. In total, Hackman published five books during his years-long stint as a fiction author. 

Though acting was his first love, writing soon became Hackman's way to express himself. "It's my way of staying relevant," he admitted during a 2014 interview with Writer's Bone. The "Prime Cut" star also credited his wife for serving as his editor and invariably helping him hone his writing skills, noting that "If in fact I have a style, it came from repeated edits, friends' suggestions, and my wife's unwavering, specific read-throughs." According to Barbara Lenihan, a close friend of the couple, Arakawa often helped her husband type his handwritten manuscript. "She was very involved with what he did. She made it very possible for him to do it," Lenihan added while speaking to The New York Times.

Following his retirement, Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa fully retreated to their Santa Fe home, leading a reclusive life. As he got older, the veteran actor, who enjoyed a successful career spanning forty years, savored the simple things of life. "He was a pretty low-key individual even though he was someone who had amazing stories to tell about Hollywood and other celebrities. He was just a regular guy," Stuart Ashman, a longtime friend of Hackman, told The Los Angeles Times. 

Though they maintained a cordial, friendly relationship with members of the Santa Fe community, Hackman and Arakawa were rarely seen in public. "They have a gate, and we have a gate, and we just have never even seen each other," a next-door neighbor told The Mirror of his nonexistent relationship with the late couple. But, of course, there is no doubt that the couple found comfort in their enduring love for each other. Aaron, a friend of the couple, described Hackman and Arakawa as "one of the tightest couples I've seen," telling People, they "seemed like real life partners."

But while Hackman and Arakawa found peace in their solitary lifestyle, it could have contributed to the actor's struggle with Alzheimer's disease in his final years. According to Dr. Tim Beanland of The Alzheimer's Society, social isolation reduces brain stimulation, which in turn increases the risk of degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia.

Given the demands of his acting career, Gene Hackman was not fully present in his children's lives as they grew up. Admittedly, Hackman's fame made life even more difficult for his three children: Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie. "It's tough being the son or daughter of a celebrity. I couldn't always be home with them when they were growing up," he admitted to the Irish Independent, adding that his success as an actor was "always hanging over their heads."

Unsurprisingly, over the years, Hackman's relationship with his kids became non-existent. In 2011, the "Wyatt Earp" star opened up about his strained bond with his son Christopher, admitting that it would be hard to offer him advice because he had "lost touch" with him a long time ago. "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," Hackman reflected in an interview with GQ. Despite reportedly maintaining a good relationship, Hackman's youngest daughter, Leslie, later revealed they had not spoken in months when he died.

In the months leading up to her tragic death, Betsy Arakawa also seemingly went no contact with her aged mother, Yoshie Feaster, who is reportedly suffering from dementia.  "Betsy hadn't called her mother in months. She usually called every one or two months. Last time she called was October. We were thinking, what happened?" Feaster's housekeeper shared The Daily Mail.

As Gene Hackman's health declined over the years, Betsy Arakawa gave herself entirely to him, stepping into the role of full-time caregiver. Arakawa was very protective of her husband's well-being, as confirmed by those close to the couple. "Betsy was a wonderful wife. They were very close, and she was a good cook and really, really took good care of him," Barbara Lenihan told CNN. 

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Arakawa reportedly became more committed to supporting her husband's well-being, implementing a strict diet and regularly encouraging him to engage in physical activities. "He liked to do Pilates and yoga, and he was continuing to do that several times a week," his youngest daughter, Leslie, told Daily Mail. She also acknowledged Arakawa's tireless efforts, adding, "I am appreciative to her for that, and I'm very saddened by her passing."

Before his death, Hackman, too, was reportedly aware of his wife's unwavering care and commitment to his health. Speaking to The New York Times, Tom Allin, a longtime friend of the actor, revealed Hackman believed he wouldn't have lived as long without Arakawa by his side.

On February 26, Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa were found dead at their New Mexico home. The couple's bodies were discovered in different parts of the house. Hackman found in the mudroom near the kitchen and Arakawa was in the bathroom. Zinna, one of the couple's three dogs, was dead in a closed kennel. When Hackman and Arakawa's bodies were found, they were partially mummified.

Later investigation revealed Arakawa died around February 11 from hantavirus infection, a rare fatal disease spread by rodents. Hackman is believed to have died seven days later, on February 18, according to data retrieved from his pacemaker. An autopsy confirmed he died of heart disease and complications from Alzheimer's disease. Given Hackman's condition at the time of his death, authorities believe it was "quite possible that he was not aware that she [his wife] was deceased," per CNN.

After news of the couple's tragic death broke, fans and colleagues of the late actor took to social media, paying their tributes. "Extremely saddened by the passing of Gene Hackman, He will be deeply missed ..." Clint Eastwood, who directed "Unforgiven," for which Hackman won Best Supporting Actor at the 1992 Oscars, wrote on X. Morgan Freeman, who co-starred with Hackman in "Unforgiven," and "Under Suspicion," took to Instagram to pen a tribute. "One of the personal highlights of my career was bringing the French Film Gardé a Vue (Under Suspicion) to life with the incredibly gifted Gene Hackman. And of course... Unforgiven. Rest in peace, my friend," he wrote.