Gene Hackman will be honored during The Oscars on Sunday night … and it seems an old friend will be speaking about the legend.
A Hackman relative tells TMZ … the family has been told that Morgan Freeman will speak about Gene — which will be an extension of the in memoriam segment.
Gene and Morgan of course starred together in the Clint Eastwood classic “Unforgiven” … for which Gene scored his second Oscar. Morgan wasn’t nominated for the flick, but took home his own Academy Award in 2005 for “Million Dollar Baby.”
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Morgan and Gene later worked together in the 2000 thriller “Under Suspicion” … one of Gene’s last credits before he retired from acting in 2004.
We’re told Gene’s family will not be in attendance for the show.
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As TMZ previously reported … Gene and his wife Betsy were found dead in their home Wednesday, along with 1 of their 3 dogs — and an investigation into just what happened is ongoing.
Santa Fe authorities said on Friday Gene’s pacemaker showed its last event was on February 17 … making investigators believe that’s when he died.
2/28/25Santa Fe County Sheriff
Toxicology reports are pending, but both individuals tested negative for carbon monoxide, according to the medical examiner.
We’ve reached out to the Academy for comment … so far, no word back.
