Morgan Freeman paid homage to the late Gene Hackman during the Oscars ceremony.
Just four days after Hackman was discovered dead, Freeman honored the two-time Academy Award-winning actor.
“This week, our industry lost a legend, and I lost a cherished friend, Gene Hackman,” Freeman remarked ahead of the In Memoriam segment. “He won two Oscars, but more importantly, he captured the hearts of movie lovers worldwide.”
Freeman and Hackman had previously shared the screen in Clint Eastwood’s 1992 Western Unforgiven, the film that secured Hackman his second Oscar. They also co-starred in Under Suspicion (2000).
“Rest in peace, my friend,” Freeman concluded.
Following his tribute, Freeman introduced the In Memoriam section, honoring those in the entertainment industry who had passed away over the past year.
Among those remembered were Gena Rowlands, Maggie Smith, filmmaker Jeff Baena, Bob Newhart, Kris Kristofferson, Teri Garr, Cheng Pei-Pei, John Amos, Bill Cobbs, Joan Plowright, Anouk Aimée, Donald Sutherland, Art Evans, songwriter Richard M. Sherman, Louis Gossett Jr., producer Jon Landau, Shelley Duvall, director David Lynch, and James Earl Jones.
Hollywood Mourns the Loss of Gene Hackman
Celebrities across the industry have been expressing their condolences and paying tribute to the celebrated actor following his passing at age 95.
Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, alongside their pet dog, according to authorities.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office reported that officers discovered the couple on Wednesday during a welfare check.
Although no immediate cause of death was apparent, investigators found the circumstances surrounding their deaths unusual, prompting a more in-depth examination of the scene, as outlined in a search warrant affidavit.
While the exact cause of their passing remains undetermined, officials confirmed that toxicology tests ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning.