Dustin Hoffman shared some memories of Gene Hackman’s early acting days in a sweet tribute shared with Parade in the wake of Hackman’s death at 95.
Hoffman, 87, recalled first meeting the two-time Academy Award winner when they were both attending an acting school in Southern California—though, as Hoffman explained, Hackman’s time at the school was cut short.
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“I met Gene in acting school, at the Pasadena Playhouse, when he was 27 and I was 19,” Hoffman’s tribute began. “We used to play congas together on the roof, trying to be like our hero Marlon Brando.
“And Gene was like Brando, in that he brought something unprecedented to our craft, something people didn’t immediately understand as genius: He was expelled from our school after three months for ‘not having talent,’” Hoffman’s tribute continued. “It was the first time they ever did that. He was that good. Powerful, subtle, brilliant. A giant among actors. I miss him already.”
Related: Gene Hackman’s Daughter Reveals What She Believes Led to Father’s Unexpected Death
Hoffman is one of several celebrities who paid tribute to Hackman after law enforcement officials announced on Thursday, Feb. 27, that The French Connection star and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their New Mexico home. Authorities with the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said during a Thursday press briefing that they suspected Hackman and Arakawa had been dead “for quite a while” before their bodies were discovered on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
No cause of death was immediately determined for Hackman or his wife. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told reporters during the Thursday briefing that while “there was no immediate sign of foul play,” authorities had not “ruled that out yet.”
“This is an investigation, so we’re keeping everything on the table,” Mendoza said. The sheriff emphasized that his office was “still in the preliminary steps” of its investigation.
Next: Gene Hackman and Wife Betsy Arakawa Seen During Final Public Appearance Year Before Death
