"Gene Hackman was a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and in his complexity. I mourn the loss but celebrate his existence", writes film director Francis Ford Coppola on his social media.
Hackman played the lead role in Coppola's "The Conversation" from 1974. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Golden Palm.
Clint Eastwood, who directed and starred alongside Gene Hackman in "Unforgiven", says in a statement that Hackman was intense and instinctive in his acting:
"He was also a dear friend whom I will miss very much".
"Intense and instinctive"
Dustin Hoffman was another close friend. He compares Gene Hackman's greatness to Marlon Brando's.
"He was so good. Powerful, subtle, brilliant. A giant among actors. I already miss him", he says in a statement.
Bafta, British Academy Film Awards, mourns Hackman on X: "Hackman's brilliant career spanned six decades and earned him Bafta awards for his work in "Unforgiven", "French Connection" and "Poseidon Adventure".
A number of actors remember Hackman on their social media, including Viola Davies, Antonio Banderas and Tom Hanks.
"A great favorite"
"There has never been a 'Gene Hackman type'. There has only been Gene Hackman", says Tom Hanks on his social media.
Josh Brolin writes that Gene Hackman was a great favorite and that he is devastated by the news of his death.
Valerie Perrine, who starred alongside Gene Hackman in "Superman", pays tribute to her acting colleague:
"Farewell my sweet Lex", she writes, referring to Hackman's character Lex Luthor in "Superman".
