Gene Hackman death: Daughter reveals Hoosiers, The Replacements star had 'no indication' of health issues

Two-time Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman is in the headlines after news of his death and there is now a new twist. Hackman appeared to be in relatively good health prior to his mysterious death, his daughter, Leslie Anne Hackman, told the Daily Mail according to TMZ.

Hackman’s daughter told the Daily Mail “there was no indication that there was any problem” before the 95-year-old Hackman was discovered dead along with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and one of the couple’s three dogs late Wednesday. Two other dogs were found alive on the property, according to police.

Hackman, the star of legendary sports movies such as Hoosiers and The Replacements, was found dead Wednesday afternoon after neighbor called police for a welfare check, though police had ruled out foul play as cause of death.

His daughter revealed Hackman was in good physical condition and participated in activities like Pilates and yoga several times a week. Hackman did so alongside his wife, who reportedly played an important role in Hackman’s healthy lifestyle, per TMZ.

Betsy Arakawa was a classical pianist. The couple had been married for 34 years. She was Hackman’s second wife, after he was previously being married to Faye Maltese.

Hackman is a legend in Hollywood. The star of more than 75 movies in his career, before considering his television and theater appearances, he was nominated for five Academy Awards and won two of them. Those were for The French Connection and Unforgiven, for which he won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor respectively. Beyond the Oscars, Hackman won two BAFTAs awards, four Golden Globes, a SAG award, and the Cecil B. DeMille Award.

Sports fans, however, will best remember Hackman for his roles in Hoosiers and The Replacements. In Hoosiers, he played high school basketball coach Norman Dale who led a small school team to an Indiana State Championship. Then, The Replacements is one of his later career roles. Loosely based on the 1987 NFL strike, that movie sees Hackman play the head coach who coaches replacement players.

Other notable roles for Gene Hackman came in Bonnie and Clyde, The Poseidon Adventure, Young Frankenstein, Superman, Mississippi Burning, The Royal Tenenbaums, and I Never Sang for My Father.

A California native who would briefly live in Iowa following his parents’ separation, Hackman knew he wanted to be an actor from a young age. Before he had the opportunity to pursue that dream, however, he left home at the age of 16 to join the Marines. He’d eventually be discharged in 1951. A few years later, in 1956, he began his acting career by joining the Pasadena Playhouse. There, he became close with Dustin Hoffman before both broke into TV and films. It would then be in the 1960s when his career took off and he’d quickly become a household name for movie fans.

On3’s Dan Morrison contributed to this report.