Gene Hackman: a life in pictures

The Guardian

27-02-2025

Eugene Allen Hackman was born on 30 January 1930 in San Bernardino, California. This portrait is from 2001 Photograph: Matt Baron/REX Shutterstock
Hackman's early career consisted of a succession of TV bit parts and off-Broadway plays. Here he is with George C Scott in the TV series in December 1963 Photograph: Everett/REX Shutterstock
The Hollywood new wave classic was Hackman's breakthrough performance, for which he was nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar. Here he is with Estelle Parsons, Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway and Michael J Pollard Photograph: Warner Bros/Allstar
Hackman starred alongside Estelle Parsons again in this drama and once again he was nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar. Photograph: Everett/REX Shutterstock
A year later Hackman hit the jackpot, winning the Academy Award, the Golden Globe and the Bafta for best actor for his role as NYPD detective 'Popeye' Doyle Photograph: 20thHackman arrives at the Oscars with his first wife, Faye Maltese Photograph: Richard Markell/Everett/Shutterstock
Hackman holds his award alongside Jane Fonda, left, who won best actress for Klute, and Cloris Leachman, who won best supporting actress for The Last Picture Show Photograph: REX Shutterstock
Gene Hackman and Shelley Winters in the disaster movie, which was set on a luxury cruise ship on its final voyage from New York to Athens Photograph: 20 Century Fox/Sportsphoto/Allstar
Hackman appeared opposite Al Pacino, as an ex-con heading for Pittsburgh, in Jerry Schatzberg's road drama that won the grand prix (equivalent to the Palme d'Or at the Cannes film festival Photograph: Ronald Grant Archive
Hackman was married twice and had three children; they are pictured here in January 1974 enjoying the snow in Sun Valley, Idaho Photograph: Tony Korody/Sygma/Corbis
Hackman was nominated for a Golden Globe and a Bafta for his role as a surveillance expert in Francis Ford Coppola's paranoia thriller Photograph: Paramount/Allstar
He reprised his role as Popeye Doyle, and was again nominated for best actor at the Golden Globes and Baftas. Photograph: 20th Century Fox/Allstar
Hackman played ex-athlete turned private eye Harry Moseby in Arthur Penn's influential neo-noir thriller. Photograph: WARNER BROS
Hackman played Lex Luthor in the groundbreaking superhero movie in 1978. This shot, with henchman Ned Beatty, is from the sequel Photograph: Alamy
Hackman starred opposite Nick Nolte in a movie about the Nicaraguan revolution, playing a journalist murdered by the Somoza regime Photograph: Orion/Allstar
Hackman and Betsy Arakawa, who married in 1991 Photograph: Donaldson Collection/MichaelAnother Oscar nomination for best actor followed Hackman's role alongside Willem Dafoe as FBI agents investigating the murder of civil rights activists Photograph: Orion/Allstar
The movie that reinvigorated the western genre found Hackman playing brutal sheriff Little Bill Daggett, here with Frances Fisher playing Strawberry Alice, and won Hackman the best supporting actor Oscar Photograph: Warner Bros/Allstar
Hackman at the Academy Awards ceremony in LA in 1993, with Clint Eastwood, who won best picture and best director for Unforgiven Photograph: Everett/REX Shutterstock
Hackman with Will Smith in the conspiracy thriller directed by Tony Scott Photograph: Touchstone/Allstar
Hackman published five books, three co-written with long-time friend Daniel Lenihan. Here they discuss their new book, Wake of the Perdido Star, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1999, in the same cafe where they first dreamed up their adventure story Photograph: Sarah Martone/AP
Hackman played eccentric patriarch Royal Tenenbaum in Wes Anderson's quirky comedy. Here he is with (from left) Ben Stiller, Grant Rosenmeyer, Jonah Meyerson and Gwyneth Paltrow Photograph: Touchstone/Allstar
Gene Hackman and Danny De Vito in the 2001 crime film Photograph: Everett Collection Inc/Alamy
Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa arrive at the awards ceremony Photograph: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage
Hackman collected the Cecil B deMille award at the Golden Globes in 2003 for his 'outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment' Photograph: Getty Images
Hackman's final film role was in the 2004 comedy with Wayne Robson and Ray Romano
Photograph: RGR Collection/Alamy