Faye Maltese: First Wife of Oscar Winner Gene Hackman

Faye Maltese was the first wife of two-time Academy Award winner Gene Hackman. The couple married in 1956, years before Hackman became one of Hollywood’s most respected actors, and stayed together for roughly three decades before divorcing in the mid-1980s. Faye passed away on April 26, 2017, at the age of 88. Gene Hackman himself died on February 25, 2025, at 95.

While Gene Hackman’s name became synonymous with gritty, powerful performances in films like The French Connection and Unforgiven, Faye Maltese lived almost entirely out of the spotlight. She didn’t seek fame. Her story, instead, is one of a woman who stood beside an ambitious young man during the hardest years of his life — and then stepped away quietly when the marriage ran its course.

Early Life

What do we know about Faye Maltese before she met Gene Hackman?

Very little has been publicly documented about Faye Maltese’s early life. She was born on January 1, 1928, though her exact birthplace hasn’t been confirmed in public records. By the mid-1950s, she was living in New York City and working as a secretary at Rockefeller Center. She wasn’t connected to the entertainment industry at all — she had a regular office job in midtown Manhattan.

That ordinariness is part of what makes her story interesting. She wasn’t an actress, a model, or someone chasing the spotlight. She was a working woman in 1950s New York who happened to meet a man with enormous ambitions and almost no money.

Meeting Gene Hackman

How did Faye Maltese and Gene Hackman meet?

Faye and Gene Hackman met in 1955 at a YMCA dance in New York City. Hackman was 25 years old at the time, a former Marine who’d recently moved to New York to pursue acting. He had no credits, no connections, and very little money. He was studying at various acting schools and picking up odd jobs to pay rent.

Faye was working steadily at Rockefeller Center, which gave the couple at least some financial stability during those early days. The two hit it off quickly. Within about a year of meeting, they were married.

Marriage and Family Life

What was life like for Faye and Gene Hackman in the early years?

Faye and Gene married in 1956, and the first several years weren’t glamorous. They lived in a cold-water walk-up apartment in New York — no hot water, tight quarters, and very little income. Hackman was still trying to break into acting, taking small parts wherever he could find them. Faye’s secretary salary helped keep them afloat.

The couple had three children together: Christopher Allen Hackman, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, and Leslie Anne Hackman. Raising three kids in New York on a struggling actor’s income and a secretary’s paycheck wasn’t easy. Faye handled much of the domestic responsibility while Gene chased auditions and bit parts.

By all accounts, those years were defined by financial stress and the kind of uncertainty that comes with trying to make it in one of the most competitive professions in the world. Faye kept the household running while Gene kept showing up to auditions.

Gene Hackman’s Rise to Fame

When did Gene Hackman become famous?

Gene Hackman’s career began to gain real traction in the 1960s. His breakout came with a supporting role in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), which earned him his first Academy Award nomination. Then, in 1971, he starred as Detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in The French Connection, a role that won him the Oscar for Best Actor.

Suddenly, the man who’d been living in a cold-water apartment with Faye was one of the biggest names in Hollywood. He went on to appear in dozens of major films, including The Conversation, Superman (as Lex Luthor), Hoosiers, Mississippi Burning, and Unforgiven, which earned him a second Oscar — this time for Best Supporting Actor — in 1993.

Faye was there for the lean years and the early success. But the marriage didn’t survive the full arc of his fame.

Divorce

Why did Faye Maltese and Gene Hackman divorce?

Faye and Gene Hackman divorced after approximately 30 years of marriage. The divorce was finalized in 1986, though some reports place the legal conclusion as late as 1989. Neither Faye nor Gene spoke publicly about the specific reasons for the split.

What’s known is that the pressures of Hollywood — long shoots on location, the demands of fame, and the lifestyle that came with it — took a toll. It wasn’t unusual for marriages formed before an actor’s rise to stardom to buckle under the weight of that transformation. The man Faye married in 1956 and the man Gene Hackman had become by the 1980s lived in very different worlds.

After the divorce, Gene Hackman married Betsy Arakawa in 1991. They remained together until his death in 2025 and lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where Hackman had settled into a quiet retirement.

Later Years

What happened to Faye Maltese after the divorce?

After her divorce from Gene Hackman, Faye Maltese retreated entirely from public life. She didn’t give interviews, didn’t appear at events, and didn’t seek any attention connected to her famous ex-husband. She lived privately for the remaining three decades of her life.

Faye Maltese died on April 26, 2017, at the age of 88. Her passing received very little media coverage at the time. She’d lived so far from the public eye that most people weren’t aware of it until much later.

Gene Hackman’s Death in 2025

How did Gene Hackman die?

Gene Hackman died on February 25, 2025, at the age of 95, at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His second wife, Betsy Arakawa, was also found deceased at the property. The news sent shockwaves through Hollywood and beyond, as Hackman was widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century.

By that point, Faye had already been gone for nearly eight years. But the renewed attention on Gene Hackman’s life brought her name back into public conversation — a reminder that behind every major career, there are people who were part of the story long before the fame arrived.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long were Faye Maltese and Gene Hackman married?

Faye and Gene Hackman were married for approximately 30 years, from 1956 until their divorce was finalized in the mid-to-late 1980s. They met in 1955 at a YMCA dance in New York City and married the following year.

Did Faye Maltese and Gene Hackman have children?

Yes, they had three children: Christopher Allen Hackman, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, and Leslie Anne Hackman. All three were born during their marriage.

When did Faye Maltese die?

Faye Maltese died on April 26, 2017, at the age of 88. She had been living a private life for decades following her divorce from Gene Hackman.

Who did Gene Hackman marry after Faye Maltese?

Gene Hackman married Betsy Arakawa in 1991. They remained married until Gene’s death on February 25, 2025, and had been living together in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

What did Faye Maltese do for a living?

Before and during the early years of her marriage to Gene Hackman, Faye worked as a secretary at Rockefeller Center in New York City. She wasn’t involved in the entertainment industry.

Related

Faye Maltese was part of the early chapter in Gene Hackman’s life — the years of struggle, cold apartments, and uncertainty that came long before the Oscars and the Hollywood fame. She raised three children with him, supported the household when acting didn’t pay the bills, and stepped away quietly when the marriage ended. She lived the rest of her life on her own terms, far from the cameras.