“I have a hard time giving directions because I’m hesitant to delegate authority!”
“Gene Hackman was never going to be the dream star that Robert Redford or Paul Newman were.”
As a young actor Gene Hackman did not have the striking blue eyes, muscular jaw or blonde hair that were often found in the bigger stars. He was never the exciting personality of Harrison Ford or Al Pacino, whose presence was not just on screen but also in their unique charm.
But while other actors made headlines with their flamboyant roles, Gene’s path was different. He was not in the race to become a Hollywood legend, but made his mark as a ‘character actor’. His magic was in his craft, and he had the unique ability to show both ferocity and sympathy in the same role. If you wanted an actor who was formidable, and brought both restraint and depth to his performance, Gene Hackman was the name to call.
I adored Barry Norman (Film '72 – Film '98)
— The Sting (@TheStingisBack) January 22, 2025
No matter how huge the movie star was, Barry always treated them as perfectly normal people just doing a job, because they are. Eastwood, Costner, Willis, DeNiro, Spielberg, it really didn't matter. And they all loved him for it. pic.twitter.com/jrawIzyp5C
Lawmen Barely in Control
Gene Hackman made his mark in Hollywood with his powerful performances in tough, experienced roles. During the prime of his career, he won two Oscars before retiring from acting in 2004.
When Gene Hackman became Popeye Doyle – a force more dangerous than a cop!
In 1972, Gene Hackman won the Best Actor Oscar for The French Connection (1971). His portrayal of Popeye Doyle, an angry, racist police officer, sent audiences into a frenzy.
This gritty crime thriller was shot to have a documentary-like realistic feel, with no complex camera movements—everything was focused on natural reactions. But the real blast was Hackman in the role! Breaking down bars, dragging suspects, and one of the most sensational car chases in cinema history—all of which made Doyle a raw and dangerous force, more than just a simple cop.
When Gene Hackman Played More on His Own Terms Than the Law
In 1993, Gene Hackman won an Oscar again, this time for Clint Eastwood’s powerful Western Unforgiven (1992). He played Sheriff “Little Bill” Daggett—a tough, ruthless man obsessed with the sound of his own voice. The film breaks the moral boundaries of traditional Westerns, where the distinction between hero and villain is blurred. Daggett was an upholder of the law, but when it came to delivering justice with his own hands, he would say, “Haven’t you seen enough bloodshed?” and then beat up the accused mercilessly.
In 1988’s Mississippi Burning, Hackman played a jaded FBI agent who was ultimately on the right side of justice but a far cry from his idealistic boss Willem Dafoe. When “bookish law” just didn’t cut it, Dafoe learned to do things the “Hackman way”—break the rules and get by.
When Hackman shined more with his “badass style” than his badge
If a character had a badge, a strong last name, and a lawless attitude, Hackman was going to set the screen on fire! What made these roles so memorable? 🔥
The Slog to Success
When the journey from uniform to theater became Hackman’s identity!
Gene Hackman had seen discipline and action not only in films, but also in real life. At the age of 16, he left home and lied about his age to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. He became a field radio operator and served for four years in China, Japan and Hawaii.
The turn from action to acting came when he enrolled in the Pasadena Playhouse at the age of 20. But interestingly? He and his roommate Dustin Hoffman were awarded the title of “least likely to succeed”!
Ironically, years later, in 1989, Hackman was nominated for an Oscar, but the win went to Hoffman, who played the lead role in Rain Man! This is the film industry—where “least likely” sometimes make history!
Hackman’s Struggle: From Small Roles to Oscar Nomination!
The early part of Gene Hackman’s career was full of struggle. He did small roles along with his roommate Dustin Hoffman and friend Robert Duvall, but success was far from him. The first big ‘nominated’ role in his career was Lilith in 1964, a drama based on the relationship between a mentally disturbed woman and her therapist. He was 34 years old then, and his recognition was only within the industry, not among the American audiences.
But his fortunes soon changed. In 1968, Hackman was shortlisted for his first Oscar nomination. He played Warren Beatty’s older brother in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), and it was another tough, gun-toting role of his. From here onwards his journey towards becoming a star began!
The Birth of the “Sensational Actor”: Hackman’s Struggle and Success
A turning point in Gene Hackman’s life came when he took on a very different role in the 1970 film I Never Sang for My Father. It was the story of a middle-aged college professor trying to step out of the shadow of his strict, aging father. The film was a deeply moving father-son relationship story caught in a web of recrimination and abandonment. Far from action scenes like a shootout, it climaxed in a struggle of blame between the two men.
This was the role that made producer Philip D’Antoni see in Hackman what he considered to be a ‘sensational actor’. However, not everyone agreed with Hackman’s casting. The French Connection director William Friedkin and the real police officer who inspired the film both considered Hackman unsuitable for the role. But what was it that made Hackman so well suited for the role? Something out of the ordinary, and that was the opportunity that brought him global recognition.
Hackman’s struggle and unforgettable transformation of ‘Popeye’ Doyle
For Gene Hackman, playing the role in ‘The French Connection’ was a challenge. Initially, he hated his role. In particular, the character’s casual racism and nihilism bothered him. He also had objections to the attitude of NYPD police officer Eddie Egan, on whom the role was based. Egan would frequently come on set and argue and throw tantrums. Hackman wanted the racist language in his role to be toned down, but director William Friedkin overruled him.
Meanwhile, Hackman’s co-star Roy Scheider revealed that Hackman’s real goal was to humanize Doyle. He wanted Doyle to grow out of a horrible stereotype into a fully developed and complex character. It was this opportunity that Friedkin allowed him to improvise dialogue, and Hackman embraced it fully.
Gradually, Hackman embraced Doyle, and his ‘Popeye’ Doyle emerged as an unpredictable, foul-mouthed, but interesting character. It was this role that won him an Oscar and made The French Connection a landmark film.
Excuse me, son, is this Transylvania Station?” – Hackman’s deep impression of acting
Hackman’s career was far beyond that of any ordinary actor. The diversity and multifaceted talent hidden behind his big-figured characters shows the true strength of this actor. Hackman did not just play serious roles, but he also proved with his diversity of acting that he was a master of every genre.
His prowess in comedy is also not hidden from anyone. His comic acting in Mel Brooks’s Young Frankenstein (1974) added a new color to the film. Then, his quirky style of his famous villain ‘Lex Luthor’ in Superman (1978) with his bald head and clumsy henchmen gave him a new identity as a villain in superhero movies.
Hackman’s natural sense of humor and bringing freshness to the villain was also unique. His confrontational Lex Luthor in Superman proved to be a very different challenge to Christopher Reeve’s heroic and upright Superman.
His last great role was in Wes Anderson’s ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ (2001), where he played the grumpy patriarch. The role won him several awards, including a Golden Globe, and became one of the most memorable and influential moments of his career.
Hackman’s career will forever be remembered not just as an actor, but as a consummate actor.
Blind Hermits and Eavesdropping Spooks
In 1974, Hackman played a blind, cigar-smoking hermit in Young Frankenstein, while in The Conversation that same year he played Harry Caul, a techie caught up in a murder plot. The two roles were completely different from each other. On the one hand he was a comical character, while on the other, he was also playing a serious character struggling with deep guilt.
Hackman’s acting approach: A message against violence
Hackman’s special influence in acting lay in his dark approach to characters. Struggling with the dark side of Popeye Doyle, he had initially turned down the role of the sheriff in Unforgiven. Hackman was personally against gun violence, and he was against roles that promoted violence. He believed such roles would send the wrong message to his daughters.
Then, Clint Eastwood called him and told him about the role. He explained to Hackman that the film did not glorify heroic gunfighters, but rather exposed the brutality and darkness of the time. It was a message against violence rather than a glorification of it. Hackman thought deeply about it and eventually accepted it, because the message of the film felt right to him.
The Man of Broken Dreams: Hackman’s Amazing Journey
Hackman had a unique relationship with his greatest characters. He never liked their “badass” or “tough” side. He was not interested in machismo, but rather he was always interested in the root of his characters’ anger. Understanding how they came to be on the paths they took. And that was the most special thing about his acting – he showed a deep sense of empathy and intelligence inside his characters that made them memorable.
Hackman never considered himself a movie star. He was an actor, and his career was based more on a deep understanding of characters and the truth of acting than stardom. He always kept a distance from public publicity and expressed himself only in his films. After 80 films, he retired from acting in 2004, because his doctor told him his heart could no longer take the strain.
Another interesting turn in his career was when, in the late 80s, Hackman bought the rights to a crime novel and thought of turning it into a film. He wanted to direct it, and maybe even play the lead role. But when he talked to his family about it, they advised him not to do it. That was why Hackman gave it up, and that novel later came out as The Silence of the Lambs (1991). What Hackman would have put into this idea would have probably been completely different, and we will never know what contribution he would have made to the character of Hannibal Lecter.
Gene Hackman’s legendary career, marked by two Oscars and iconic roles, cemented his status as one of Hollywood’s toughest and most memorable actors. For more on popular shows, check out this list of must-watch Vox Machina fan shows for 2024.
