Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman made a candid and heartfelt confession about death more than two decades before he and his wife were found unresponsive at their New Mexico home.

Gene, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, were both found dead along with their dog at their Santa Fe home on Wednesday (February 26).

No cause of death has yet been confirmed for the couple, though a statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff has confirmed that there does not appear to be any foul play involved.

“This is an active investigation,” the sheriff’s office added.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa married in 1991 (Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Tributes for Gene and Betsy have been pouring in in the wake of the news, and now, an interview Gene conducted in 2004 has resurfaced due to the actor’s comments about the end of life.

Gene shared his thoughts on death in an interview with Larry King, when the interviewer asked the Unforgiven star what he ‘fears’.

“Do you worry about your health?,” King asked.

Gene then responded: “I try to take care of myself. I don’t have a lot of fears.”

See a clip from the interview below:

However, he then went on to open up about death, saying: “I have the normal fear of passing away, I guess we all think about that, especially [as] you get to be a certain age.”

Gene made a candid reference to Betsy as he said he wanted his wife and family to be ‘taken care of’, adding: “Other than that I don’t have a lot of fears.”

The actor’s comments came just a few years before Gene told Reuters in 2008 that he was ‘not going to act any longer’.

Gene explained at the time he simply didn’t ‘want to do it any longer’.

Prior to his retirement, Gene firmly established himself as a Hollywood star thanks to his performances in titles like The Conversation, Superman and The French Connection, the latter of which earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor.

Gene Hackman won two Oscars for his work (Evening Standard/Getty Images)

The actor married Betsy in 1991, following a previous 30-year relationship with his first wife, Faye Maltese.

Sharing the news of Gene and Betsy’s death, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office said: “On 26 February, 2025, at approximately 1:45pm, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an address on Old Sunset Trail in Hyde Park where Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and a dog were found deceased.”

Gene has been remembered by fans as ‘one of the greatest actors of his, or anyone’s generation’.

One tribute reads: “He was a powerhouse, as adept at comedy as he was drama. Today is a very sad day, we’ve lost a legend. Gene was a giant of cinema. R.I.P Gene Hackman.”

Hollywood veteran Gene Hackman’s daughter has shared her thoughts on the cause of death of her father and stepmom Betsy Arakawa, after the pair were found dead at home.

The bodies of the 95-year-old and his classical pianist partner were discovered at their home in the Santa Fe Summit community northeast of the city, in New Mexico, yesterday evening (26 February), with officials stating there is no indication of foul play.

Now, Elizabeth Jean Hackman has told TMZ that she is not sure how the pair died but believes it could be related to toxic fumes, suspecting the cause of death to be carbon monoxide poisoning.

The publication also reported how Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told the outlet that their corpses were discovered after officers visited their home to perform a welfare check, with a gas company and the fire department also attending, after a neighbor flagged concerns.

Actor Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa pose for a portrait in 1986 in Los Angeles, California (Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Sky News has reported that ‘a gas company has said it is assisting in the investigation into the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’.

Mendoza also confirmed the deaths of Hackman, the 63-year-old and their pet dog during a statement yesterday.

“All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant,” he said.

“I want to assure the community and neighbourhood that there’s no immediate danger to anyone.”

Hackman grips an Oscar at the 1993 Academy Awards (Avalon/Getty Images)

Mendoza did not comment on how or when the couple died.

Hackman was known as a legend in Hollywood, most fondly remembered for his role as Lex Luthor in the Superman along with roles in Unforgiven and The French Connection.

Hackman announced in 2004 that he was retiring from acting, opting to leave Los Angeles and moved to New Mexico.

Betsy and Hackman pictured together in 1992 (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

He told the press: “I haven’t held a press conference to announce retirement, but yes, I’m not going to act any longer. I really don’t want to do it any longer.”

He concluded his acting career with over 100 acting roles, with his decision to retire linked to stress and health concerns.

Their tragic passing comes just under a year since Hackman and Betsy were last spotted in public on March 28, 2024, for a dinner date at Pappadeaux’s Seafood Kitchen in Santa Fe.

Police in Detroit have shared details of a tragic incident in which two young children died after spending the night in a van amid freezing temperatures.

Interim Detroit Police Chief Todd A. Bettison shared details of the situation in a press conference on Tuesday (February 11), one day after the children’s mother realized the two-year-old girl and the nine-year-old boy had stopped breathing while sleeping in the van in a parking garage.

Bettison said the mother had already called a close relative for help when the van ran out of gas, after which she realized her son, who was one of five children in the van, wasn’t breathing.

The mom was with her five children in the parking garage (Fox 2 Detroit)

The mom then called 911, and the friend used their own car to take the nine-year-old to the Children’s Hospital of Michigan.

According to Bettison, the mom then proceeded to check on the remaining four children who were in the van, at which time she realized the two-year-old also wasn’t breathing.

The ‘entire family’ then got into the car and went to the hospital, where the two- and nine-year-old children were ‘pronounced deceased’.

Detroit Police Capt. Nathan Duda told NBC News that early indications suggested the children ‘froze to death’.

Temperatures had fallen below 32 degrees Fahrenheit while the kids were in the van, police said, indicating the deaths had been the result of ‘exposure to hypothermia’.

The cause of deaths will ultimately be confirmed by the medical examiner.

The children were taken to hospital after the mom realized they weren’t breathing (Fox 2 Detroit)

The other three children, aged four, eight and 13, were determined to be in a stable condition after they were treated in the hospital. They are now with other family members.

Meanwhile, the mom was detained and provided a statement before being released.

Authorities have confirmed that officers will conduct an investigation into the deaths to determine if charges are necessary.

Duda told NBC: “It has to be [investigated]. I don’t think anyone really wants to think about that at the moment with the two children passed, but the reality is that the circumstances do have to be examined.

“We have to figure out how to go forward.”

Temperatures were below freezing (WXYZ-TV Detroit Channel 7)

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan revealed during the press conference that the family involved had previously reached out to the city’s ‘homeless response team’ on multiple occasions, most recently on November 25.

While there was ‘no resolution reached’ in that conversation, Duggan said the family ‘never called back again’, but neither had anyone ‘proactively’ reached out to the family.

Noting ‘there were family shelter beds available just a few miles away’, he added: “[It] brings home the point that having services available doesn’t mean very much if the residents who need them don’t know how to access them.

“We have to make sure that we do everything possible to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star The Vivienne passed away at the age of 32 and a police spokesperson has confirmed that there are ‘no suspicious circumstances’.

The Vivienne – real name James Lee Williams – won the first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, adopting the drag name as a result of wearing clothing designed by Vivienne Westwood.

On Sunday evening (January 5), their publicist announced the news of their passing.

The Vivienne passed away at the age of 32 (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

In a post to Instagram, publicist Simon Jones wrote: “It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams – The Vivienne, has passed this weekend.

“Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother and uncle. They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career.

“We please ask that James’s family are given the time and privacy they now need to process and grieve.”

Fans of the drag performer were quick to flock to social media, noting what a ‘shock’ the news was and issuing tributes to the reality TV star.

And now, a spokesperson for Cheshire Police has since addressed the star’s passing.

The Vivienne rose to fame after appearing on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK ( Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

A statement reads: “Police attended, investigated the circumstances of the death of the 32-year-old man and concluded there were no suspicious circumstances. A file will be prepared for the coroner.”

The statement follows multiple friends and fans of The Vivienne sharing tributes to social media.

Wicked star Ariana Grande took to her Instagram story to re-share a post originally shared by The Vivienne’s All Stars co-star Jinkx Monsoon.

Monsoon shared three photographs of The Vivienne alongside the caption: “I don’t entirely have words… She has made her mark in our hearts and on her stages.

“It’s too soon for a curtain call but I know it’s a standing ovation. I love you Viv.”

Grande added three hearts and an infinity sign to her story of the original post.

Fiona Campbell, Controller, Youth Audience for BBC iPlayer & BBC Three – the channel which airs RuPaul’s Drag Race UK – said in a statement shared via BBC press office’s Instagram account: “We are currently processing the deeply sad news of the passing of James Lee Williams, known to many as The Vivienne.

“We are fiercely proud of The Vivienne’s achievements, including winning the first ever series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. “Right now our thoughts are with their family and friends, the Drag Race sisterhood and their many fans.”

Sahir House – the oldest LGBTQ+ charity in the Liverpool City Region in the UK, which also supports people living with HIV – said in a social media post that it’s ‘here’ for anyone who needs support following the news of Williams’ passing.