Who was Faye Maltese? The untold story of Gene Hackman’s first wife
Faye Maltese was an American celebrity wife who came into the limelight following her three-decade marriage to Hollywood actor Gene Hackman. Faye and Gene met in the mid-1950s, tied the knot a year later and welcomed three children.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Maltese and Hackman first met in 1955 at a dance in New York City before marrying a year later.
- Hackman and Maltese were married for three decades, welcoming three children into their lives, but called off their relationship in 1986.
- The American actor opened up about how his career affected his marriage to his first wife, including his relationship with his children.
- Faye Maltese passed away on April 26, 2017.
Faye Maltese's profile summary
| Full name | Faye Philippa Maltese |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | December 18, 1928 |
| Date of death | April 26, 2017 |
| Age | 88 years old (at time of death) |
| Place of birth | New York, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Mixed |
| Father | Fran C Maltese |
| Mother | Lena Maltese |
| Relationship status | Divorced |
| Ex-husband | Gene Hackman |
| Children | Christopher Allen, Elizabeth Jean, and Leslie Anne |
| Profession | Bank clerk |
Exploring Faye Maltese's age and early life
Faye Maltese was born to an Italian family in New York, USA, on December 18, 1928. She lived in Van Nuys, California, until she passed away on April 26, 2017, at 88 years old. Faye Maltese's cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.
She belonged to a mixed ethnicity, and she held American nationality. Faye reportedly worked as a secretary at a New York bank.
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How long was Gene Hackman married to Faye Maltese?
Gene and Faye first met in 1955 when the renowned actor was 25 at a Y.M.C.A. dance in New York City, and exchanged their vows in 1956. However, they parted ways in 1986, after 30 years of marriage, due to drifting apart.
Hackman's interview with The New York Times revealed that his marriage to his first wife was strained due to his career. He said,
Even though I had a family, I took jobs that would separate us for three or four months at a time. The temptations in that, the money and recognition, it was too much for the poor boy in me. I wasn't able to handle that.
A look into Gene Hackman's relationship with Betsy Arakawa
Hackman met Betsy Arakawa in the 1980s, while still legally married to Maltese. They married in 1991 after about seven years of dating.
The celebrity couple had no children together, but Arakawa, a trained pianist and musician, was stepmother to Hackman's three children. After Gene retired from Hollywood, they lived a quiet life in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and were together until they died in 2025.
Source: Getty Images
What happened to Betsy Arakawa?
Gene Hackman's second wife, Betsy Arakawa, reportedly died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare respiratory illness caused by exposure to rodent droppings. She passed away around February 12, 2025, at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Gene reportedly died from hypertensive cardiovascular disease, around February 18, 2025. He was likely at home with Betsy's body for several days before passing away. Both were discovered deceased on February 26, 2025.
Following their death, Gene's children released a statement announcing their passing. Part of the statement read,
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy. He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa.
Source: Getty Images
Does Gene Hackman have a son?
Gene Hackman has one son, Christopher Allen. He welcomed the child in 1960 alongside his former wife, Faye Maltese. The former couple also had two daughters, Elizabeth Jean and Leslie Anne Hackman.
Although Christopher was the only son of the legendary actor, he distanced himself from his father because he was away for long periods due to the nature of his job. Hackman revealed this during a 2011 interview with GQ. He said,
Maybe it had to do with being gone so much, doing location films when he was at an age where he needed support and guidance. It was very tough for me to be gone for three months and then come home and start bossing him around.
Christopher also tried out a career in acting, but his bid was unsuccessful. This is according to his father, who spoke to Empire Magazine in early 2020. He said,
My son thought he wanted to be an actor at one time and was in New York and I wrote him a couple of little monologues. I guess that’s where I started. I really enjoyed it. Ideas would just pop into my head and I would write them down.
Source: Getty Images
What is Faye Maltese's net worth?
Faye Maltese's fortune at her death is not publicly known. However, her ex-husband, Gene Hackman, had an estimated fortune of $80 million at the time of his death in early 2025.
Trivia
- Before acting, Hackman worked as a newsboy and served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
- His last film was Welcome to Mooseport (2004), after which he focused on writing novels.
- Hackman once regretted turning down the role of Han Solo in Star Wars.
- Gene Hackman's first wife, Faye Maltese, was mentioned in the late actor's obituary.
Conclusion
Faye Maltese walked down the aisle with Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman in 1956 after meeting him a year earlier. The duo welcomed three children but went their separate ways in 1986, to what Gene revealed to be caused by the nature of his work. Faye passed on in April 2017, at 88.
READ MORE: Who was Gene Hackman's second wife, Betsy Arakawa?
Briefly.co.za shared an article about Gene Hackman, a renowned American actor best known for his award-winning roles in the film industry. Besides his career, Gene was married twice, first to Faye Maltese, and they had three kids.
He later tied the knot with Betsy Arakawa in 1991. Although they had no children, they lived in their Santa Fe property for many years.
Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
