“We Have Lost One Of The True Giants”: Gene Hackman’s Passing Has Hollywood In Mourning As Tributes Pour In From Actors & Directors

Hollywood is mourning Gene Hackman on social media. The actor, who retired in 2004, is known for a wide variety of roles, including his Oscar-winning performances in the 1971 William Friedkin movieThe French Connection and Clint Eastwood's 1992 Western Unforgiven. On Wednesday, Hackman was found dead at the age of 95 in his home in Santa Fe, along with his 63-year-old wife Betsy Arakawa and their dog. Their deaths are still under investigation.

Tributes for Gene Hackman have come pouring in from across social media from fans, co-stars, and Hollywood stars who did not work with him but simply admire his body of work. See select tributes from various platforms below:

Legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, who directed Hackman in 1974's The Conversation, said that the star was "inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity."

Star Trek's George Takei celebrated Hackman's life, saying that the actor "could play anyone, and you could feel a whole life behind it."

Oscar nominee Antonio Banderas said it was a "very sad day for the cinema's family."

Emmy winner Michael Chiklis lamented Hackman's death, saying that it "hurts when your heroes pass." ​​​​​​​

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Michael Rosenbaum, who played young Lex Luthor in Smallville, honored Hackman playing the same role opposite Christopher Reeve in three of his four Superman movies by calling him "my favorite Lex Luthor."

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Mia Farrow, who starred opposite Hackman in 1988's Another Woman, said he was "the very best."

Hackman's Under Suspicion and Unforgiven co-star Morgan Freeman ​​​​​said that co-starring in the former title was "one of the personal highlights of my career."

DC Studios co-CEO and Superman (2025) director James Gunn called Hackman "truly one of the greatest screen actors of all time" and listed some of his memorable titles, including Superman (1978), Mississippi Burning, and Night Moves.

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The Princess Bride star Cary Elwes, who was a production assistant on 1978's Superman, lamented that "we have lost a true legend."

Gene Hackman's Career On Screen

He Starred In More Than 100 Projects

These tributes have highlighted Gene Hackman's career in multiple important ways. One way is the fact that the co-stars who have celebrated him are of various ages and are known for starring in a wide variety of genres and mediums, even though he has not performed onscreen since his final role in the 2004 comedy Welcome to Mooseport. The other is the sheer breadth of titles that have been brought to the fore in the tributes, ranging from the Superman movies to his Oscar-nominated roles and beyond.

This showcases the fact that his body of work has a huge breadth that is nearly impossible to contain. In fact, he has starred in even more notable titles than the ones mentioned in the selected tributes. This includes projects that range from the beginning of his career in shows including Hawk, I Spy, The Defenders, Route 66, and Brenner to his late-career movies such as the John Grisham adaptationRunaway Jury, Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums, and the Sigourney Weaver comedy Heartbreakers.

Gene Hackman's Legacy Lives On

He Maintains His Reputation As A Cinema Icon

This outpouring of grief more than 20 years after the release of his last project reveals how much Gene Hackmanhas helped shape every corner of Hollywood over the course of more than four decades in the industry. His legacy will live on thanks to his body of work, which stands as a testament to his contributions to the art form of acting as well as the lives of his co-stars, family, and fans.

Source: Various (see above)