Gene Hackman, right, and long-time friend Daniel Lenihan, discuss their new book, "Wake of the Perdido Star," on Nov. 19, 1999, in Cloudclift Bakery, the cafe where they first dreamed up their adventure story, in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Sarah Martone, File)2025-03-01T05:02:51Z SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) The pion- and juniper-scented Rocky Mountain foothills overlooking Santa Fe have helped the city earn a reputation as a refuge for famous actors and authors seeking to escape the spotlight. The house owned by actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa stands Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales) The house owned by actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa stands Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Sometimes the worlds attention is unavoidable, as it was this week when Oscar-winner Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead inside their home in those very foothills. Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, eschewed fame and made Santa Fe their home decades ago, like many other acclaimed artists, including the former playwright Sam Shepard, actors Shirley MacLaine and Ali MacGraw, and Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin.In addition to the fresh air and mountain vistas, Santa Fe situated more than a mile above sea level is known for Pueblo-style architecture, Southwest-themed art galleries and turquoise jewelry-filled boutiques. Initially settled by Indigenous people and once colonized by Spain, the capital city of New Mexico today embraces a low-key vibe where young skateboarders share the sidewalks with wealthy retirees decked out in Pendleton cardigans and cowboy boots. Its not uncommon to see a famous person strolling downtown, dining out or hiking on the numerous trails; its just that locals know not to gush over them. You recognize that celebrities who come here are coming here for the same reason. They just want to live and be normal people, artist Kristin Bortles said, taking a break from planning a mural for a new coffee shop. The normally laid back city was in collective shock Thursday as news spread about Hackman and Arakawa. The last time a crush of media descended on Santa Fe was when Alec Baldwin shot and killed a cinematographer on the set of the movie Rust. Actor Gene Hackman waits backstage at the opening of the new OKeeffe Museum, July 17, 1997, in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Michael Pahos, File) Actor Gene Hackman waits backstage at the opening of the new OKeeffe Museum, July 17, 1997, in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Michael Pahos, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More On Friday, conversations about what had happened to Hackman and his wife always came back to Santa Fes reputation as a place where celebrities could unwind and live unassuming lives far from the glitz of Los Angeles or New York City and even some of the more glamorous Rocky Mountain enclaves, like Vail, Colorado. Hackman retired in the early 2000s after a decades-long career that included roles as villains, heroes and antiheroes in dozens of dramas, comedies and action films. Aside from appearances at awards shows, he was rarely seen on the Hollywood social circuit.He served for several years on the board of trustees at the Georgia OKeeffe Museum in Santa Fe and wrote a novel about the American West centered on New Mexico called Payback at Morning Peak and coauthored one on the Civil War entitled Escape from Andersonville. (A real life battle took place just east of Santa Fe in 1862, at Glorieta Pass.) Hackman and Arakawa lived in a multilevel Pueblo-style home that blends in with the surrounding geography. He enjoyed weekly Pilates classes, bicycle rides along paved trails and getting fresh eggs dropped off by friends.While Hackman kept a tight circle of friends and didnt go out much, he was sometimes spotted downtown. But one of the most accomplished actors of his generation mostly blended in. Downtown Santa Fe, N.M., is seen March 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File) Downtown Santa Fe, N.M., is seen March 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More People walk around the Santa Fe Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ty O'Neil) People walk around the Santa Fe Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ty O'Neil) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More A man walks through downtown Santa Fe, N.M., Feb. 15, 2007. (AP Photo/The New Mexican, Amiran White, File) A man walks through downtown Santa Fe, N.M., Feb. 15, 2007. (AP Photo/The New Mexican, Amiran White, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More A haze of wildfire smoke hangs over the Upper Rio Grande Valley, May 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File) A haze of wildfire smoke hangs over the Upper Rio Grande Valley, May 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More The thing Ive learned about Santa Fe is that you never know who youre talking to, you never know who youre going to meet or whos around the corner, said Gabriel Garcia, whose family has been selling jewelry and leather crafts on the Santa Fe Plaza for more than 60 years.Hackman usually was in jeans, a flannel shirt and sometimes a baseball cap, said friend Stuart Ashman, the former head of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and past CEO of the International Folk Art Market. Obviously he was a huge star, Ashman said, but you would never know it when you talked to him because he had that sort of what I call a princely attitude, where hes focused on you and asks you about you, not talking about himself.Hackman enjoyed painting and was drawn to the beauty of the hills surrounding Santa Fe and the light of the high desert, Ashman said. Arakawa, a classical musician, was soft spoken and never one to expect special treatment, said Larry Keller, owner of a high-end furniture and art store where she would shop. Being a part of the Santa Fe community, he said, means not drawing extra attention to someone because of their celebrity status. Were too cool for school, you know. Thats the Santa Fe vibe, Keller said.___AP writers Sejal Govindarao in Phoenix and Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon, contributed to this report.