The sheriff also confirmed at a Feb. 28 press conference, “At the time of death, they were negative for carbon monoxide, which means to me that is possibly ruled out” as a cause of death.
Amid the investigation, Morgan Freeman—who costarred alongside Hackman in Unforgiven and Under Suspicion—honored his contributions to the film industry at the 2025 Oscars, describing him as “a generous performer.”
“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 during the March 2 ceremony. “So I think I speak for us all when I say, Gene, you will be remembered for that and for so much more. Rest in peace, my friend.”
Keep reading to look back on Hackman’s life…
