Two-time Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, his classical pianist wife Betsy Arakawa, and the couple's dog were found deceased in their longtime home in Sante Fe February 26, according to local authorities. Information on the trio's cause of death is forthcoming.

Mr. Hackman was a resolute actor on both the stage and the screen, known for his steady dependability and effortless charm. His endearing naïvety as Buck Barrow in 1967's Bonnie and Clyde brought in his first Oscar nomination, preceding his wins for The French Connection and Unforgiven. In all, his screen work brought him five Oscar nominations, seven BAFTA nominations (with two wins), eight Golden Globe nominations (with three wins), and two Screen Actors Guild nominations, with a win for his performance as the conservative Senator Kevin Keeley in The Birdcage.

Before his screen stardom, however, Mr. Hackman cut his teeth on the stage. In 1956, he joined the Pasadena Playhouse in California, becoming good friends with his fellow actor Dustin Hoffman. The pair, who were considered outsiders by their classmates, were voted "The Least Likely To Succeed" from their class, and Mr. Hackman was given the lowest score the Playhouse had given a student up to that point in their history. Ever determined, Mr. Hackman and Mr. Hoffman moved to New York, sharing an apartment with their mutual friend Robert Duvall as they struggled to find their feet in the industry. In time, all three would reach the peak of their respective disciplines, and Mr. Hackman spoke at length throughout the latter half of his career on how his initial rejection from the theatre community fueled his passion for his career by activating his competitive instinct.

On Broadway, Mr. Hackman originated in six plays: Children From Their Games, A Rainy Day in Newark, Any Wednesday, Poor Richard, The Natural Look, and Death and the Maiden. Off-Broadway, he appeared in The Premise, Come to the Palace of Sin, and Fragments / The Basement.

In 2004, Mr. Hackman retired from acting due to stress concerns. In his retirement, he focused on his novel-writing side career, which included four historical fiction novels: Wake of the Perdido Star, Justice for None, Escape from Andersonville, and Payback at Morning Peak. His final novel, the crime thriller Pursuit, was published in 2013. His final two credits came as narrator for two Marine Corps documentaries, as he had served in the Marine Corps for four and a half years in the aftermath of World War II.

Information on the circumstances of Mr. Hackman and Ms. Arakawa's death will be released following an investigation. Mr. Hackman is survived by three children from his previous marriage: Christopher Allen, Elizabeth Jean, and Leslie Anne Hackman.