Inside Gene Hackman's family life from first wife to children
27 February 2025, 14:56 | Updated: 27 February 2025, 15:27
Everything you need to know about the late Gene Hackman's family life, from his first wife Faye Maltese to his three children and wife Betsy Arakawa.
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Following the shocking news that US actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe home on Wednesday, February 26, fans have been left researching the Hollywood icon's family life.
Gene, who was 95-years-old when he died, was married twice during his life and is the father of three children who he shares with his first wife, Faye Maltese. His second wife of 34-years, Betsy, was also found dead alongside her husband and their family dog.
At the moment, Gene's daughter Elizabeth is the only member of the three children to have broken her silence on her father and step-mother's deaths. She told TMZ that while they are not sure of the couple's cause of death, they think it could be due to inhaling toxic fumes.
As the film industry continues to mourn the death of Gene Hackman, here's a look into his personal life, from his first marriage to his children and relationship with Betsy.
Who is Gene Hackman's wife?
Gene Hackman's wife is pianist Betsy Arakawa, a 63-year-old who married to actor in 1991. The pair reportedly met in the 80s at a gym in California where she was working part-time while pursuing a career in music.
The pair had been married for 34 years when they were both found dead in their Santa Fe home in New Mexico, with their pet dog also found deceased at the scene on Wednesday, February 26.
They moved to their Santa Fe home in 1990 and lived a quiet life out of the spotlight in their final years together, with the actor retiring from acting in 2004 at the age of 74-years-old.
Who was Gene Hackman's first wife?
Gene Hackman's first wife was Faye Maltese, a bank clerk who died in 2017, who he shares three children with; Christopher Allen Hackman, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, Leslie Anne Hackman.
The pair first met in 1955, when Gene was only 25-years-old and at the start of the career, at a Y.M.C.A. dance in New York City.
In 1989, he opened up to the New York Times Magazine about how the success of his career impacted his life with wife, Faye, and their three children. He said: "You spend so many years wanting desperately to be recognised as having the talent and then when you're starting to be offered these parts, it's very tough to turn anything down.
"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."
Does Gene Hackman have any children?
Gene Hackman has three children who he shares with first wife Faye Maltese; Christopher Allen Hackman, 65, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, 63, and Leslie Anne Hackman, 57.
Christopher was Gene and Faye's first child, born in 1960, followed by Elizabeth who was welcomed in August 1962, and finally Leslie who was born in October 1966.
Speaking about his relationship with son, Christopher, in a 2011 interview with GQ, Gene admitted: "I lost touch with my son in terms of advice early on. 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.”
His son showed an interest in a career in acting, however, it did not come to fruition. Gene told Empire Magazine in January 2020: “My son thought he wanted to be an actor at one time and was in New York and I wrote him a couple of little monologues. I guess that’s where I started. I really enjoyed it. Ideas would just pop into my head and I would write them down.”
Like Christopher, there's not a lot known about Gene's daughters, with the actor's children living private lives out of the spotlight.
