Gene Hackman was honored at the Oscars 2025 by friend Morgan Freeman, four days after he and wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead at their New Mexico home

Freeman, whose friendship with Hackman spans decades, called the late actor a “giant” of the film industry in his homage.

"Gene always said, 'I don't think about legacy. I just hope people remember me as someone who tried to do good work,'" Freeman said of his 'Unforgiven' and 'Under Suspicion' co-star.