Gene Hackman, the French Connection star, along with his wife Betsy Arakawa and his dog breathed their last leaving a huge void in the Hollywood industry.
While world is mourning the loss of a legendary actor who had a career spanning around four decades, his children whom he shared with his ex-wife Faya Maltese are trying to cope with their father’s sudden demise.
On Thursday a statement was released by Elizabeth, Lesli and Hackman’s granddaughter Annie confirming his passing.
Let’s take a look at his three children:
Christopher Allen Hackman
The Unforgiven star’s eldest child is a son named Christopher Allen Hackman whom he welcomed in 1960.
The Oscar winner was proud for his strong bonding with his son with whom he would share hugs instead of handshakes.
The classical pianist’s late partner told the journalist Leta Powell during an interview from 1984, “We still hug to this day, and I thank God that we are able to do that. I don’t think we’ll ever have a point where we have to shake hands.”
Though 95-year-old admitted to not being able to give advice to his son.
“I lost touch with my son in terms of advice early on,” the star revealed.
Elizabeth Jean Hackman
The legendary actor’s second child was a daughter.
Elizabeth had made quite a few appearances with her father over the years specifically to the premieres and screening of his famous father’s movies including 1978’s screening of Superman and 1996’s premiere of “The Chamber”.
Leslie Anne Hackman
The youngest of the three, Leslie was born in October 1966.
Following the precedence of her other two siblings, she also was never in the spotlight.
Though just like her elder sister, Leslie also accompanied his father to a few premieres including that of the 1990’s “The Godfather Part III” and “Class Action” in 1984.
Hackman shared candidly in an interview with the Irish Independent in 2000 that it was not easy to be his children owing to his successes.
“Living in California, they’ve had my success always hanging over their heads,” the star shared.
