Morgan Freeman delivered a heartfelt tribute to Gene Hackman at the 2025 Oscars, just days after the legendary French Connection actor and his wife were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home. The actor and his wife's death are under investigation and police are yet to determine the cause of their deaths.
The 87-year-old Freeman took the stage at the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday night to honor his late friend, extending the show's In Memoriam segment before an audience of Hollywood's biggest stars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Freeman and Hackman, a two-time Oscar winner, shared the screen in Unforgiven (1992) and Under Suspicion (2000).
Tribute to a Longtime Friend
"This week, our community lost a giant, and I lost a dear friend, Gene Hackman," Freeman shared. "I had the pleasure of working alongside Gene in two films: 'Unforgiven' and 'Under Suspicion,' and like anyone who's ever shared a scene with him, I learned he was a generous performer, a man whose gifts elevated everyone's work. He received two Oscars, but more importantly, he won the hearts of film lovers all over the world.
"Gene always said, 'I don't think about legacy. I just hope people remember me as someone who tried to do good work.'
"I think I speak for us all when I say, Gene, you will be remembered for that, and so much more. Rest in peace, my friend."
Freeman and Hackman shared the screen in the 1992 classic, which earned Hackman his second Academy Award. Eight years later, they reunited for the 2000 thriller "Under Suspicion"—one of Hackman's final films before retiring from Hollywood in 2004.
The tribute also honored David Lynch, Maggie Smith, Donald Sutherland, Shelley Duvall, Gena Rowlands, James Earl Jones, Dick Pope, Jeff Baena, Bob Newhart, Kris Kristofferson, M. Emmet Walsh, Robert Towne, Joan Plowright, and Teri Garr.
However, Michelle Trachtenberg, who died last week, aged 39, following a liver transplant, was noticeably absent from the segment, sparking widespread outrage online.
Deaths Still Under Investigation
The bodies of the actor and his wife were found with facial bloating and early signs of mummification in their limbs, with pills scattered nearby. One of their three dogs, a German Shepherd, was also found dead, while the other two were seen roaming the property.
According to an official search warrant, "the death of the two deceased individuals to be suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation."
On Friday, Santa Fe authorities revealed that data from Hackman's pacemaker showed its last recorded activity on February 17, leading investigators to believe that was the date of his passing.
While toxicology results are still pending, the medical examiner confirmed that neither individual had carbon monoxide exposure. The local Sheriff's Department stated they do not suspect foul play.
"The French Connection" star, who had an estimated net worth of $80 million, had spent the past two decades away from the public eye. After retiring from acting in 2004, he left Hollywood behind in favor of a quiet life in New Mexico, where he resided until his death.
