Actor Gene Hackman played arguably one of the best Hollywood villains of all time in the 1992 Western film Unforgiven. The actor’s other most famous villain role remains that of Lex Luthor in director Richard Donner’s 1978 Superman. However, Hackman admitted in an interview that Donner had tricked him regarding one aspect of the role.
In an interview conducted shortly after the passing of the famous director, Hackman paid tribute to Donner by sharing a hilarious anecdote. In the process, the Oscar-winning actor revealed how Donner tricked him into losing his mustache for the role of Lex Luthor. Here is what Hackman had to say about his role as the Superman villain.
Gene Hackman revealed how Superman director Richard Donner tricked him for the Lex Luthor role
On February 26, 2025, Gene Hackman sadly passed away at the age of 95. The veteran actor was best known for his performance as Lex Luthor in the 1978 movie Superman, directed by the late Richard Donner. During a chat with The Hollywood Reporter, Hackman talked about working with Donner.
The actor explained that he had grown a mustache for his role as Lex Luthor. However, Donner disliked the look and tricked him into losing the mustache by offering to shave off his facial hair alongside the actor.
He bargained to lose his if I did mine. True to his word, he celebrated my last razor stroke by gleefully pulling off the fake whiskers he’d acquired for the occasion.
Hackman made the above comment, remembering his interaction with the late director on the first day of makeup tests for the now classic 1978 film.
Furthermore, Hackman praised Donner for his working style, admitting that he made the process of acting fun. As a result, Hackman admitted that Donner’s fun-loving nature, as evidenced by the mustache anecdote, had a large hand in helping Superman turn out as one of the best movies he worked on.
Gene Hackman originally thought of turning down the role of Hollywood’s worst villain
Aside from the Lex Luthor role, Hackman has played arguably one of the most despised villains in Hollywood when he appeared as Sheriff “Little” Bill Daggett in the 1992 Western film Unforgiven, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood in the lead role.
However, Hackman almost turned down the role of Sheriff Daggett because of his violent nature. The film’s screenwriter David Webb Peoples recalled Hackman’s hesitance to accept the role in an interview (via /Film), stating the following:
He was at a stage in his career where his family was more important than his work. And God bless Gene; he listened to Clint, and together, they produced something awesome.
The veteran actor eventually won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the movie, going down as one of the best villains in history.
Hackman was tragically found dead alongside his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and dog at their residence in Santa Fe, New Mexico. While police reportedly conducted an investigation (via The Guardian), no cause of death has been revealed at this point. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Hackman’s family and loved ones during this difficult period.
Superman (1978) is streaming on Max.
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