Gene Hackman & His Wife Lived Their Romance Out of the Spotlight

The sudden and unexpected passing of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, has led to many questions about the reclusive two-time Oscar winner and equally private partner of four decades. The couple lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico — far from the glamour and drama of Hollywood. “Where we live, in Santa Fe,” he remarked to the Irish Independent, “you can lead your own life and not be bothered by the latest gossip.” While we know little about the pair’s love story, the fact that it lasted almost half a century speaks to their devotion.

He Met Her at a Fitness Center

Like many relationship stories, love came to Gene Hackman when he wasn’t looking for it. He met Arakawa when his marriage to his first wife, Faye Maltese, was crumbling. According to The New York Times, he met Arakawa at a fitness center in California where the classical pianist worked part-time. By the time he finalized his divorce in 1986, Hackman, then 56, was living with the 25-year-old.

Despite the close timeline, he swore the end of his marriage had nothing to do with Arakawa. “By the way, I did not leave my real-life wife for a younger woman,” he told the South Florida Sun Sentinel during an interview about his film, “Twice in a Lifetime.” In it, he played a character who left his kids and wife of 30 years for another woman, and he wanted to be clear that art was not imitating life. We lost sight of each other,” he admitted. “When you work in this business, marriage takes a great deal of work and love.”

Four years later, Hackman and Arakawa officially wed. While she became stepmother to his three kids, the couple never had any of their own. But they shared a love of dogs, and brought home many over the years.

His Wife Helped Him Hone His Writing Skills

After “Welcome to Mooseport” in 2004, Hackman retired to the 12-acre home he and Arakawa had painstakingly designed and furnished themselves. “I wanted a big room with a great-hall feeling, with other rooms opening off it, not closed off with a lot of walls,” he told Architectural Digest. It was there that he continued his second career — as a writer.

Between 1999 and 2008, Hackman wrote five historical fiction novels. When asked about his writing style, he claimed on the Winter’s Bone Podcast that “it came from repeated edits, friends’ suggestions, and my wife’s unwavering, specific read-throughs.”

Arakawa traveled with Hackman frequently while making films, and attended awards ceremonies and movie premieres with him. After retiring, Hackman told Empire that one of his favorite things is watching “DVDs that my wife rents; we like simple stories that some of the little low-budget films manage to produce.” The two also cherished their Friday night Comedy Channel marathons. If one thing could be said about the couple, they treasured their quiet life together.