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Morgan Freeman gives heartbreaking tribute to Gene Hackman in emotional Oscars speech

Home> Film & TV> News

Updated 03:17 3 Mar 2025 GMTPublished 02:50 3 Mar 2025 GMT

Morgan Freeman gives heartbreaking tribute to Gene Hackman in emotional Oscars speech

Morgan Freeman has paid tribute to his friend Gene Hackman

Callum Jones

Callum Jones

Morgan Freeman produced a touching tribute to Gene Hackman in an emotional speech at the 97th Academy Awards.

The 97th Academy Awards paid tribute to Gene Hackman, who, alongside his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, was found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home on Wednesday (February 26).

Details from the search warrant into their deaths claim investigators are treating the deaths as 'suspicious enough' to investigate further.

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While the sheriff's office said it did not suspect foul play, having found no signs of 'external trauma' on their bodies, they haven't yet completely ruled it out.

It was Morgan Freeman who headed up the tributes at the Oscars, with the pair starring together in the 1992 classic Unforgiven.

Freeman and Hackman joined forces once more on the 2000 flick Under Suspicion, marking one of the latter’s final roles in Hollywood before retiring.

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As per Variety, Freeman began his speech: "This week, our community lost a giant. And I lost a dear friend, Gene Hackman. I had the pleasure of working alongside Gene on two films, Unforgiven and Under Suspicion. Like everyone who ever shared a scene with him, I learned he was a generous performer and a man whose gifts elevated everyone’s work.

"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."

Hackman’s daughters, Elizabeth and Leslie, and his granddaughter, Annie, have released a statement in recent days following the actor's death.

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Hackman was found dead earlier this week (Evan Agostini/Getty Images)
Hackman was found dead earlier this week (Evan Agostini/Getty Images)

Speaking to the New York Post, they said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman, and his wife, Betsy.

“He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa.

“We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”

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As part of the investigation into the deaths, Santa Fe City Fire department have seemingly ruled out carbon monoxide leak or poisoning as they found no signs of this at the home.

The New Mexico Gas Company also found no signs of this after carrying out tests on the gas line and around the residence.


Oscars 2025 results: the nominees and winners announced so far

Best supporting actor

Yura Borisov - Anora

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Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain - WINNER

Edward Norton - A Complete Unknown

Guy Pearce - The Brutalist

Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice

Best animated feature

Flow - WINNER

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Inside Out 2

Memoir of a Snail

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

The Wild Robot

Best costume design

Wicked - WINNER

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Nosferatu

A Complete Unknown

Conclave

Gladiator II

Best original screenplay

Anora - Sean Baker - WINNER

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The Brutalist - Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold

A Real Pain - Jesse Eisenberg

September 5 - Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David

The Substance - Coralie Fargeat

Best adapted screenplay

A Complete Unknown - Jay Cocks and James Mangold

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Conclave - Peter Straughan - WINNER

Emilia Pérez - Jacques Audiard

Nickel Boys - RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes

Sing Sing - Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar

Best make-up and hairstyling

A Different Man

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Emilia Pérez

Nosferatu

The Substance - WINNER

Wicked

Best film editing

Anora - WINNER

The Brutalist

Conclave

Emilia Pérez

Wicked

Best supporting actress

Monica Barbaro - A Complete Unknown

Ariana Grande - Wicked

Felicity Jones - The Brutalist

Isabella Rossellini - Conclave

Zoe Saldaña - Emilia Pérez - WINNER

Best production design

Wicked - WINNER

The Brutalist

Dune: Part Two

Nosferatu

Conclave

Best original song

'Never Too Late' - Elton John: Never Too Late

'El Mal' - Emilia Pérez - WINNER

'Mi Camino' - Emilia Pérez

'Like A Bird' - Sing Sing

'The Journey' - The Six Triple Eight

Best sound

A Complete Unknown

Dune: Part Two - WINNER

Emilia Pérez

Wicked

The Wild Robot

Best visual effects

Alien: Romulus

Better Man

Dune: Part Two - WINNER

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Wicked

Best cinematography

The Brutalist - WINNER

Dune: Part Two

Emilia Pérez

Maria

Nosferatu

Best original score

The Brutalist

Conclave

Emilia Pérez

Wicked

The Wild Robot

Best international feature

I'm Still Here - Brazil

The Girl with the Needle - Denmark

Emilia Pérez - France

The Seed of the Sacred Fig - Germany

Flow - Latvia

Best actor

Adrien Brody - The Brutalist

Timothée Chalamet - A Complete Unknown

Colman Domingo - Sing Sing

Ralph Fiennes - Conclave

Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice

Best director

Jacques Audiard - Emilia Pérez

Sean Baker - Anora

Brady Corbet - The Brutalist

Coralie Fargeat - The Substance

James Mangold - A Complete Unknown

Best actress

Cynthia Erivo - Wicked

Karla Sofía Gascón - Emilia Pérez

Mikey Madison - Anora

Demi Moore - The Substance

Fernanda Torres - I'm Still Here

Best picture

Anora

The Brutalist

A Complete Unknown

Conclave

Dune: Part Two

Emilia Pérez

I'm Still Here

Nickel Boys

The Substance

Wicked



Featured Image Credit: ABC

Topics: Oscars, Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman

Callum Jones
Callum Jones

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  • Gene Hackman made heartbreaking confession about 'death fears' shortly after retiring and walking away from the spotlight
  • Everything we know as police release heartbreaking handwritten notes along with Google search history from Gene Hackman and wife Betsy's home
  • Gene Hackman's daughter makes heartbreaking request to cops after his death in newly released bodycam footage
  • Touching detail Gene Hackman revealed about marriage to Betsy Arakawa before being found dead together at their home

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