Off The Record
In An Emotional Oscars Address, Morgan Freeman Pays A Devastating Tribute To Gene Hackman
Morgan Freeman’s heartfelt address at the 97th Academy Awards was a heartfelt homage to Gene Hackman.
The 97th Academy Awards honored Gene Hackman, who was discovered dead in his Santa Fe, New Mexico, home on Wednesday (February 26) along with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 63.
Investigators are treating the deaths as “suspicious enough” to look into further, according to details from the search warrant investigating their deaths.
The sheriff’s office has not yet ruled out foul play, even though they stated they did not think it because they did not find any evidence of “external trauma” on their bodies.
The Oscar tributes were led by Morgan Freeman, who costarred with him in the iconic 1992 film Unforgiven.
Freeman and Hackman collaborated again on the 2000 film Under Suspicion, which was one of the latter’s last Hollywood performances before he retired.
As per Variety, Freeman began his speech: “This week, our community lost a giant. And I lost a dear friend, Gene Hackman. I had the pleasure of working alongside Gene on two films, Unforgiven and Under Suspicion. Like everyone who ever shared a scene with him, I learned he was a generous performer and a man whose gifts elevated everyone’s work.”
“Gene always said, ‘I don’t think about legacy. I just hope people remember me as someone who tried to do good work.”
“I think I speak for us all when I say, ‘Gene, you will be remembered for that, and so much more.’ Rest in peace, my friend.”
In the days since the actor’s passing, Hackman’s granddaughter Annie and his daughters Elizabeth and Leslie have issued a statement.
Speaking to the New York Post, they said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman, and his wife, Betsy.”
“He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa.”
“We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”
The Santa Fe City Fire Department appears to have ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning or leakage as part of the inquiry into the deaths because they did not find any evidence of either at the residence.
After testing the gas line and the area around the house, the New Mexico Gas Company also discovered no evidence of this.
Results of the 2025 Oscars: the candidates and wins thus far
Top supporting actor
Anora Yura Borisov
The winner is Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain.”
Edward Norton: An Absolute Mystery
Guy Pearce, the ruthless one
The Apprentice, played by Jeremy Strong
The best animated film
Flow: WINNER
Inside Out 2
A Snail’s Memoir
Gromit & Wallace: The Most Vengeful Bird
The Crazy Robot
The best costume design
Wicked is the winner.
Nosferatu
A Total Mystery
The Conclave
Gladiator II
The best original screenplay
Sean Baker’s Anora is the winner.
Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold, The Brutalist
A Genuine Anguish by Jesse Eisenberg
Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, and Alex David on September 5
The Substance: Fargeat, Coralie
The best screenplay adaptation
James Mangold and Jay Cocks: An Absolute Unknown
Peter Straughan won the Conclave.
Pérez Emilia – Audiard Jacques
Joslyn Barnes and RaMell Ross of the Nickel Boys
Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar’s “Sing Sing”
The best hairstyles and makeup
An Other Man
Emilia Pérez
Nosferatu
The Content: WINNER
The Wicked
Top-notch film editing
The winner is Anora.
The Brutalist
The Conclave
Emilia Pérez
The Wicked
Top supporting actress
Monica Barbaro: An Absolute Mystery
Wicked by Ariana Grande.
Felicity Jones: The Crusader
Conclave’s Isabella Rossellini
Emilia Pérez and Zoe Saldaña are the winners.
The best design for production
Wicked is the winner.
The Brutalist
Part Two of Dune
Nosferatu
The Conclave
The best song that was originally written
Elton John’s “Never Too Late”: Never Too Late
Emilia Pérez’s “El Mal” is the winner.
Emilia Pérez’s “Mi Camino”
Sing Sing’s “Like A Bird”
The Six Triple Eight with “The Journey”
The best sound
A Total Mystery
WINNER of Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
The Wicked
The Crazy Robot
The best visual effects
Romulus, an alien
A Better Man
WINNER of Dune: Part Two
Planet of the Apes: Kingdom
The Wicked
The best cinematography
WINNER: The Brutalist
Part Two of Dune
Emilia Pérez
Maria
Nosferatu
Top original score
The Brutalist
The Conclave
Emilia Pérez
The Wicked
The Crazy Robot
Top international feature
Brazil: I’m Still Here
Denmark’s The Girl with the Needle
Pérez Emilia, France
Germany: The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Flow: Latvia
The best actor
Brody, Adrien, The Brutalist
Timothée Chalamet: An Absolute Mystery
“Sing Sing” by Colman Domingo
Fiennes Ralph, Conclave
The Apprentice’s Sebastian Stan
The best director
Jean Audiard and Emilia Pérez
Anora, Sean Baker
Corbet Brady: The Brutalist
Coralie Fargeat: The Real Deal
James Mangold: An Absolute Mystery
The best actress
Wicked, Cynthia Erivo
Gascón, Karla Sofía; Pérez, Emilia
Anora by Mikey Madison
Demi Moore: The Real Deal
Fernanda Torres: I’ve Not Left
The best image
Anora
The Brutalist
A Total Mystery
The Conclave
Part Two of Dune
Emilia Pérez
I remain here.
The Nickel Boys
The Material
The Wicked
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