Gene Hackman Steps Out With Wife Betsy in 1st Public Outing Together in More Than 20 Years

Gene Hackman made a rare public appearance with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, for the first time in more than two decades. The couple was seen enjoying a date together on Thursday, March 28, while grabbing dinner at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

In photos obtained by Page Six, Gene, 94, walked with a cane, and grabbed onto the arm of Betsy, 62. He wore a plaid shirt with a gray vest and green cargo pants, along with a baseball hat and sneakers. He was also spotted out during another rare appearance earlier in the day while grabbing a coffee.

This outing marks the first time the pair, who wed in 1991, have been photographed in public together since they walked the red carpet at the Golden Globe Awards in 2003. At the time of the ceremony, he was celebrated by Hollywood as he received the Cecil B. DeMille Award with his supportive wife in attendance.

The pair do not share any children together, however, Gene is a dad to kids Leslie, Elizabeth and Christopher from his marriage to ex-wife Faye Maltese.

Gene has not made an acting appearance since 2004's Welcome to Mooseport. Since then, fans have wondered if the star will ever return to the big screen or if he is permanently retired.

“I haven’t held a press conference to announce retirement, but yes, I’m not going to act any longer,” he said of taking a step back from Hollywood in a June 2008 interview with Reuters. “I’ve been told not to say that over the last few years, in case some real wonderful part comes up, but I really don’t want to do it any longer.”

He ended up giving another rare interview years later in honor of the 50th anniversary of The French Connection.

“Filmmaking has always been risky — both physically and emotionally — but I do choose to consider that film a moment in a checkered career of hits and misses,” he told The New York Post in October 2021.

In the years since making the rare comment about his career, Gene has continued to live his life away from the public eye.

“His health is good, he still bicycles, does yard work and he’s a great handyman,” an insider once told Closer. “After all the drama of Gene’s career, he loves the peaceful life he shares with the lovely Betsy.”