Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

The extreme measures Gene Hackman took to ensure his privacy before death

Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa died of unconnected natural causes, medical examiner reveals
  • Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were “horrified” at media attention and fiercely protective of their privacy before their deaths, a court has heard.
  • The former Hollywood actor’s publicist, Susan Madore, testified in a hearing regarding the release of photos and videos taken during the investigation into their deaths.
  • The judge ruled to release redacted police body camera footage and documents, excluding images of the couple's bodies.
  • Madore shared anecdotes highlighting Hackman's desire for privacy, such as buying land next to a garbage dump so that he could ride his bike undisturbed.
  • Hackman and Arakawa's family argued against the release of the footage, citing their right to grieve in peace.
In full

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in