Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa's Friends Reflect On 33-Year Marriage
Originally appeared on E! Online
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa's romance was made for the movies.
Weeks after the Unforgiven star and his wife of 33 years were found dead in their New Mexico home Feb. 26, their friends shared a glimpse into their loving marriage.
"He was a gentle giant, very calm,' Kevin Bobolosky said of Gene in the March 18 documentary Last Days of Gene Hackman: ABC News Special. 'Betsy, I think, mostly did all the cooking and cleaning on this big estate out of love. She just adored him. So they had everything they wanted."
The real estate agent emphasized that their love was as strong as ever, adding that while visiting their home, 'She would sit on the couch and she would just jump into him.'
While Betsy—who was a classically trained pianist and skilled musician—was Gene's biggest supporter, the feelings were mutual, according to their pal Stephan Marshall.
'Betsy was just a lovely and charming woman,' he recalled. 'She had been with Gene since she was pretty young. He was very proud of her accomplishments. She had played with the Honolulu Philharmonic Orchestra.'
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Betsy's official cause of death was from hantavirus—a pulmonary syndrome, a severe respiratory illness caused by a family of viruses that are transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents—Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza said in a March 7 press conference.
One week after her death at age 65, the 95-year-old's death was ruled as hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with Alzheimer's disease being a significant contributing factor.
The couple's friends speculated that Betsy, who was Gene's caretaker, likely didn't know how sick she was since hantavirus is so rare. (Only 122 cases have been reported in New Mexico from 1993 to 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection.)
'I'm sure if Betsy knew how sick she was, she would've had some backup help,' Stephen said. 'She probably thought she was going to get better. She wasn't worried about herself. She was worried about taking care of Gene.'
In fact, all of their friends emphasized how much the French Connection actor relied on his wife, whom he married in 1991.
'She was very protective of him,' Tim Allin told The New York Times March 8, noting that Gene often said that without Betsy, he likely would've died 'long ago.'
As he put it, 'She just really looked after him.'
For more details about Gene and Betsy's tragic deaths, read on.
Gene Hackman and Wife Betsy Arakawa Found Dead Feb. 26, 2025Gene Hackman Death Deemed "Suspicious Enough" to Conduct InvestigationItems of Interest Found in Gene Hackman's HomeA Timeline Slowly Comes Into FocusGene Hackman's Family Speaks OutInside Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa's Private Life in Santa FeCarbon Monoxide Poisoning, Gas Leak Ruled OutCause of Death Determined for Gene Hackman, Betsy ArakawaHeartbreaking Death Timeline RevealedWhy Gene Hackman Couldn't Live Without His Wife
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