Editing Gene Hackman (section)

===2000–2004: Final films and retirement===
[[File:GeneHackmanJun08.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.75|Hackman in 2008]]
Hackman co-starred with [[Morgan Freeman]] in ''[[Under Suspicion (2000 film)|Under Suspicion]]'' (2000), [[Keanu Reeves]] in ''[[The Replacements (film)|The Replacements]]'' (2000), [[Owen Wilson]] in ''[[Behind Enemy Lines (2001 film)|Behind Enemy Lines]]'' (2001), and [[Sigourney Weaver]] in ''[[Heartbreakers (2001 film)|Heartbreakers]]'' (2001) and appeared in the [[David Mamet]] crime thriller ''[[Heist (2001 film)|Heist]]'' (2001)<ref>{{cite news |title=Film Review; Forget the Girl and Gold; Look for the Chemistry |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/09/movies/film-review-forget-the-girl-and-gold-look-for-the-chemistry.html |website=The New York Times |date=November 9, 2001 |access-date=September 16, 2018 |last1=Scott |first1=A. O. |archive-date=September 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916055958/https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/09/movies/film-review-forget-the-girl-and-gold-look-for-the-chemistry.html |url-status=live}}</ref> as an aging professional thief of considerable skill who is forced into one final job. He made a cameo in ''[[The Mexican]]'' (2001).<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Mexican movie review & film summary (2001) {{!}} Roger Ebert |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-mexican-2001 |access-date=February 27, 2025 |website=www.rogerebert.com |language=en-US |archive-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608001116/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-mexican-2001 |url-status=live}}</ref> Hackman gained much critical acclaim<ref>{{Cite news |last=Larman |first=Alexander |date=November 16, 2021 |title=Gene Hackman's one-man war on The Royal Tenenbaums |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/gene-hackmans-one-man-war-royal-tenenbaums/ |access-date=February 27, 2025 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235 |archive-date=August 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804141714/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/gene-hackmans-one-man-war-royal-tenenbaums/ |url-status=live}}</ref> playing against type as the head of an eccentric family in [[Wes Anderson]]'s comedy film ''[[The Royal Tenenbaums]]'' (2001). Frank Scheck of ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' wrote, "Hackman is utter perfection as the misbegotten paterfamilias, conveying beautifully Royal's underlying decency and love for his family as well as his con-man slickness."<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/royal-tenenbaums-2001-review-935292/|title= 'The Royal Tenenbaums': THR's 2001 Review|website= [[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date= October 5, 2016|access-date= February 28, 2024}}</ref> For his performance, he received the [[Golden Globe Award]] for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy|Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Gene Hackman – Golden Globes |url=https://goldenglobes.com/person/gene-hackman/ |website=Golden Globes |access-date=February 28, 2025 |archive-date=January 8, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108123514/https://goldenglobes.com/person/gene-hackman/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2003, he also starred in another John Grisham legal drama, ''[[Runaway Jury]]'', at long last getting to make a picture with his long-time friend [[Dustin Hoffman]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Edelstein |first1=David |title='Who are you calling a star?': Gene Hackman interviewed at home in Santa Fe |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/jan/27/1 |access-date=February 28, 2025 |work=The Guardian |date=January 27, 2002 |archive-date=August 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801034256/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/jan/27/1 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Cameron Diaz and other celebs who have retired from stage and screen |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/movies/2018/04/04/cameron-diaz-and-other-celebs-who-have-retired/480732002/ |website=AZ Central |access-date=August 18, 2018 |archive-date=May 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512104624/https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/movies/2018/04/04/cameron-diaz-and-other-celebs-who-have-retired/480732002/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2004, Hackman appeared alongside [[Ray Romano]] in the comedy ''[[Welcome to Mooseport]]'', his final film acting role.<ref name="Roots" /> Hackman was honored with the [[Cecil B. DeMille Award]] from the [[Golden Globe Awards]] for his "outstanding contribution to the entertainment field" in 2003. [[Michael Caine]] and [[Robin Williams]] presented him with the award.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_Nov_14/ai_94221542 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709200148/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_Nov_14/ai_94221542 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 9, 2012 | title = Business Wire, November 14, 2002. Hollywood. 'Gene Hackman to Receive HFPA'S Cecil B. DeMille Award At 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards to be Telecast Live on NBC on Sunday, January 19, 2003' |publisher=Findarticles.com |date= November 14, 2002|access-date=June 17, 2010}}</ref>

In July 2004, Hackman gave a rare interview to [[Larry King]], where he announced that he had no future film projects lined up and believed his acting career was over.<ref>{{cite web |title=CNN.com Transcripts |url=https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/lkl/date/2004-07-07/segment/01 |website=CNN.com |access-date=February 28, 2025 |archive-date=February 28, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228013928/https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/lkl/date/2004-07-07/segment/01 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2008, while promoting his third novel, he confirmed that he had retired from acting.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idINN0429553020080605|title=Just a Minute With: Gene Hackman on his retirement|author=Blair, Iain|work=[[Reuters]]|date=June 5, 2008|access-date=July 19, 2008|archive-date=April 13, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413115115/http://in.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idINN0429553020080605|url-status=dead}}</ref> That year, Hackman made his last televised appearance in ''[[Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives]]'', as [[Guy Fieri]] went to a Santa Fe diner where Hackman was eating.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/gene-hackman-diners-drive-ins-and-dives-guy-fieri/|title=Gene Hackman's Last On-Screen Appearance Was... Opposite Guy Fieri?!?!|author=Cox, Danny |website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]] |date=October 7, 2023|access-date=October 13, 2023}}</ref> Speaking on his retirement in 2009, Hackman said, "The straw that broke the camel's back was actually a stress test that I took in New York. The doctor advised me that my heart wasn't in the kind of shape that I should be putting it under any stress."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/why-did-gene-hackman-quit-acting/#:~:text=In+a+rare+moment+of,putting+it+under+any+stress%E2%80%9D.|title=Why did Gene Hackman quit acting?|date=February 8, 2024|website=faroutmagazine.co.uk|access-date=February 27, 2025|archive-date=November 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241123034931/https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/why-did-gene-hackman-quit-acting/#:~:text=In+a+rare+moment+of,putting+it+under+any+stress%E2%80%9D.|url-status=live}}</ref> When asked during a ''[[GQ]]'' magazine interview in 2011 if he would ever come out of retirement to do one more film, he said he might consider it "if I could do it in my own house, maybe, without them disturbing anything and just one or two people."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.gq.com/story/gene-hackman-gq-june-2011-interview|title=Eighty-one Years. Seventy-nine Movies. Two Oscars. Not One Bad Performance.|first=Michael|last=Hainey|agency=GQ|date=June 1, 2011|access-date=February 25, 2017|archive-date=February 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218191424/http://www.gq.com/story/gene-hackman-gq-june-2011-interview|url-status=live}}</ref>