Grief for Gene Hackman: The superstar who didn’t want to be anyone

Film fans around the globe get the news from the United States like a blow to the stomach. Gene Hackman is dead. So many questions that apparently simultaneously raise the simultaneous death of the character mime and his wife Betsy Arakawa, one thing is undisputed: the dream factory has lost one of its greatest figureheads. Not although, but precisely because Hackman never wanted to be a star throughout his work.

: “I was trained as an actor, not to the star. I was trained to play roles, not to deal with fame, agents, lawyers and the press.” Hackman has literally disgusted the customary PR machinery around its passion. In his opinion, the person cult of all people, who inevitably goes with success in Hollywood, robbed you of the ability to be a convincing actor.

“When I start to be a star, I lose contact with the normal guys I play best,” Hackman was certain. Maybe due to the conviction that it preferred to put his light under instead of on the bushel, it took a little longer with the breakthrough. Only after years in the show business, with over 40 and despite two Oscar nominations for “Bonnie and Clyde” in 1968 and for “No song for my father” in 1971, he managed the international breakthrough late – and how.

In 1972, Hackman received the Academy Award in the “Best main actor” category in 1972 for the film “The French Connection” (“The French Connection”). In 1993, the second gold boy for Hackman followed for the revenge western “Merciless” by and with Clint Eastwood (94).

Until his acting pension in 2004, countless iconic roles should still wait for him. As a super villain Lex Luthor, he merged with Christopher Reeves (1952-2004) Superman several times. In “Wyatt Earp” he slipped into the role of the father of the famous revolver, represented by Kevin Costner (70). In the thriller, he once again put on “absolute power” with Clint Eastwood. He gave Will Smith (56) in “State enemy No. 1” tutoring in conspiracy theories. And embodied family chief Royal Tenenbaum in Wes Anderson (55) of cult tragic comedy.

He had his last role over 20 years ago – in Donald Petries (70) Comedy “Welcome to Mooseport”. “It really costs me emotionally a lot to see myself on the canvas” ,. He could hardly bear it to see “this old man with the bulging chin and the tired eyes” and realize that he was himself.

However, the step into retirement in 2004 does not seem to have been very voluntary. At the time, he spoke about the fact that he would no longer flutter into the house and his career would have ended. He should be right.

Since then it had become very quiet about the star who never wanted to be a star. From April of last year, which showed the then 94-year-old on the open street. Supported by Betsy Arakawa, with whom he has been a spouse since 1991 as a spouse – and now also left it with her at his side.

Gene Hackman leaves three children. They all come from his first marriage to Faye Maltese, with whom he was married for 30 years and until 1986. She died in 2017.