What makes a legendary actor?
At 13, Gene Hackman was playing with friends when his father drove past, waved goodbye, and disappeared for good.
By 16, he was a high school dropout turned Marine. Then he became the #1 actor among his peers.
He takes the stage to answer.
Gene Hackman on his Father Leaving (Inside the Actors Studio)
Full Interview
Here’s a backup of the full interview on DailyMotion: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3gkiu8
Ratings:
- My Rating: 92/100
- IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: na
Release Date: June 25, 2001
Highlights of “Gene Hackman Inside the Actors Studio”
The Setup
James Lipton’s Inside the Actors Studio was already a hit when it reached its 100th episode.
To celebrate, they brought in Gene Hackman, a two-time Oscar winner with over 80 movies to his name.
Lipton takes Hackman through his life—from a tough childhood in Illinois to starring in movies like “The French Connection”, “Unforgiven”, and “The Conversation”.
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- Hackman’s dad left when he was 13. His last memory? Seeing him wave from a car while playing with friends — his dad just drove away.
- While at acting school, Hackman and Dustin Hoffman were voted “least likely to succeed.”
- Hackman auditioned for The Actors Studio several times but was turned down each time. Eventually, actress Ellen Burstyn, who was already a member, helped him gain entry.
More Highlights from the Doc
- He ran away at 16, joined the Marines, and ended up working in China before he even finished high school.
- When asked his favorite curse word, he picked: “Motherf***er.”
- Hackman always doubted himself. He didn’t think he looked like a leading man.
- He trained under acting coach George Morrison for eight years and still used those lessons later.
- He almost starred in “The Graduate”, but they replaced him. Then he got “Bonnie and Clyde”, which changed everything.
- Warren Beatty recommended Hackman for “Bonnie and Clyde” after seeing him in “Lilith”.
- Before filming “The French Connection”, he rode with real New York cops to prepare for the role.
- He hated watching himself on screen. The only performances he liked were a couple of scenes in “Target” and “Bite the Bullet”.
Cameos
- Arthur Penn (director of “Bonnie and Clyde”) was in the audience and talked about Hackman’s talent.
- Sonny Grosso, the real detective who inspired “The French Connection”, described how Hackman nailed the role.
- His wife Betsy Arakawa is in the audience and is introduced late in the interview.
“The sound of my wife’s voice”.
— Gene Hackman (when asked what his favorite sound is)
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- Despite playing tough guys, Hackman said he was actually shy.
- He wanted to be a painter before becoming an actor. He still painted, but he joked that his art wasn’t great.
- Before each role, he asked himself two things: “How am I like this character? How am I different?”
- He didn’t like too much direction. He preferred when directors let actors figure things out.
- He never watched dailies and barely watched his own movies.
Wrap Up
Hackman’s episode of Inside the Actors Studio is full of great stories. He talks about his struggles, his doubts, and how he became one of Hollywood’s greatest actors. Lipton, as always, guides the conversation perfectly. If you love Hackman or acting, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc