Death of actor Gene Hackman sends shockwaves through local arts community

The sudden death of two-time Academy Award-winning actor and longtime Santa Fe resident Gene Hackman and his wife, the classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, sent shockwaves through the local arts community. Hackman and Arakawa, who moved to New Mexico in the 1980s, established themselves as generous and beloved patrons of the arts.

Their deaths, which are the subject of an ongoing investigation, were announced Thursday.

Film commissioner Jennifer LaBar-Tapia of the Santa Fe Film Office said Hackman “fell in love with Santa Fe” while shooting on location there. Hackman starred in the Westerns “Bite the Bullet” (1975) and “Wyatt Earp” (1994), which were both filmed in northern New Mexico.

“One of his famous quotes was, ‘Villains are the best roles,’ but he couldn’t be further from that,” LaBar-Tapia said. “One of the nicest guys you’d hope to meet, we just saw him as a beloved member of our community.”

“He was definitely a man about town, a gentleman, and someone who loved the dining and arts scene of Santa Fe,” she said.

Hackman’s passion for fine cuisine led him to invest in local restaurants, becoming a co-owner of Jinja Bar and Bistro and Café Escalera.

Jacques Paisner, the artistic director of the Santa Fe International Film Festival, once worked at Café Escalera, which is where he first met Hackman.

“He was a true Santa Fean, frequenting the restaurants he owned, and really ‘our’ movie star, along with Shirley MacLaine and Robert Redford,” Paisner said.

Paisner singled out Hackman’s performances in “The French Connection” and “Mississippi Burning” as particularly “powerful.”

“I can also tell you Mr. Hackman loved my dog,” he added.

Hackman was also instrumental in helping to establish the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, which opened in 1997. The museum issued a statement expressing that it was “deeply saddened” by the passing of Hackman and Arakawa.

“From 1997 to 2004, Gene served on the museum’s board of trustees, playing a vital role in shaping the museum’s early years,” the statement read.

“Beyond his role as a trustee, Gene contributed to the museum in meaningful ways, notably as the narrator of the Perry Miller Adato film, ‘Georgia O’Keeffe: A Life in Art.’ The museum is grateful for his commitment to sharing Georgia O’Keeffe’s legacy and for their deep support of the arts and cultural initiatives.”

On Thursday afternoon, the New Mexico Senate honored Hackman with a moment of silence.

Sen. Joseph Cervantes, D–Las Cruces, characterized Hackman as a humble, down-to-earth presence who never “acted Hollywood” around legislators who saw him around town.

“We were privileged to call him a New Mexican,” Cervantes said. “It’s a sad loss to us, but a remarkable career, and I think we ought to recognize that.”