Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, has kept him on a strict diet for years to ensure his health, according to a close friend and business partner.
According to Doug Lanham, a longtime friend of the actor, Arakawa prioritized keeping Hackman healthy.
Despite co-owning a restaurant with the Oscar-winning actor, he respected his wife’s dietary restrictions.
Lanham was aware of Hackman’s habit of throwing odd parties while playing golf with friends.
“Betsy was really strict about what he ate,” Lanham told TMZ. “Whenever we were out golfing, that was his chance to have a little cheat meal.”
After retiring from film, Hackman developed a passion for the restaurant industry and founded Jinja Bar & Bistro with partner Lanham. Despite a change in ownership, he remained a regular guest, opting for healthier options like halibut or rice-paper salmon instead of heavier dishes.
“Even in retirement, he loved coming around,” Lanham recalled. “He would pay the bill for customers and all of the artwork in the restaurant? “That was his.”
Emotional Discovery Revealed During 911 Call
The deaths of 95-year-old Hackman and 63-year-old Arakawa are under investigation. Authorities responded to a 911 call from a caretaker who discovered an unresponsive person at their home in Santa Fe.
According to TMZ, the 911 recording shows the person pleading with responders to act quickly. Both were visibly upset.
An anonymous caller reported finding one or two dead bodies. He could not speculate on the ages or genders of the two people, but noted that neither moved.
“The caller was outside, looking in through a window,” a law enforcement source explained. “They had no way to get inside.”
Police declared Hackman and Arakawa dead. Detectives obtained a search warrant to investigate unusual pieces of evidence.
After the discovery, an autopsy revealed no external trauma to the body. Hackman and Arakawa were mostly decomposed, but Arakawa’s hands and feet had started to mummify.
“There was no trauma found on either individual,” the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office stated. “The cause and manner of death are pending further toxicology reports.”
Although no foul play is suspected in either death, authorities are still investigating possible causes.
A maintenance crew discovered the pair after not seeing them for weeks.
Investigators are looking into environmental factors, such as carbon monoxide exposure, which may not always cause visible symptoms.