Who was Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy, 63, who died alongside actor, 95?

Gene Hackman was found dead February 26 at the age of 95 at his home in New Mexico. 

Alongside him was his 63-year-old wife, Betsy Arakawa, and their dog.

The Superman legend retired from acting more than two decades ago and lived a reclusive life away from the spotlight with his partner. 

But who was Gene’s leading lady in real life? Here’s what we know about Betsy Arakawa. 

Gene’s first marriage

© Dave Lewis/Shutterstock

Before meeting Betsy, Gene was married to Faye Maltese and the pair had three children, Christopher, Elizabeth and Leslie together. 

They divorced in 1986 after several trial separations. During their three-decade marriage, Gene was often away on location making movies and this may have contributed to the demise of their marriage. 

Who was Betsy?

At 63, Betsy was 32-years Gene’s junior. She was a classical pianist and former fitness trainer and met her husband-to-be at a gym in California.

People reported that Betsy was born in Hawaii in the early 1960s.

© Getty Images

Gene and Betsy tied the knot in 1991, but didn’t have any children together. 

When quizzed as to whether he left his first wife for Betsy, Gene strongly denied the suggestion. 

“By the way, I did not leave my real-life wife for a younger woman,” he said. “We just drifted apart. We lost sight of each other. When you work in this business, marriage takes a great deal of work and love.”

Their beloved home

© Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Gene loved their life away from Hollywood and told the Irish Independent: “Where we live, in Santa Fe, you can lead your own life and not be bothered by the latest gossip.”

Betsy and Gene bought a formerly abandoned building to transform into their home and she played a huge part in the design. 

The property featured in Architectural Digest in 1990 and Gene told the publication he loved the remodelling process. 

“I think it’s like being an actor,” he said. “I interpret what’s already there.”

Their last public sighting 

© WireImage

Gene and Betsy were an involved part of their local community, but living in Santa Fe meant they avoided photographers and red carpet events. They were reportedly photographed in public for the first time in two decades in May 2024 when they were seen heading out of a restaurant in New Mexico. 

Betsy did not have social media and had never given an interview to the press. 

Their deaths

© Getty Images

The Santa Fe County Sheriff released a statement confirming their deaths which read: “We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail.

“This is an active investigation-however, at this time we do not believe that foul play was a factor.”

Their dog was also found dead. It was previously reported that Gene and Betsy owned two German Shepherds.