RIP

Gene Hackman once spoke about his fear of dying in a haunting interview that’s now resurfaced ... just a day after he, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were found dead at their New Mexico home.

In a 2004 chat with Larry King, Gene admitted he didn’t fear much -- but dying definitely freaked him out ... adding it’s the kind of thing that hits you when you get up there in age.

Gene, who was 74 at the time, said his fear of dying wasn’t just about him -- he wanted to make sure his wife and family were taken care of, too.

Gene Hackman was rarely seen in public leading up to his tragic death, and the last sighting of him and his late wife shows them enjoying each other's company.

Gene and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were spotted nearly a year ago at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in New Mexico. During their outing on March 28, 2024 at the Albuquerque restaurant,  Gene is seen holding his wife's arm for support.

At the time, Gene had recently turned 94 and was holding onto a walking cane as the couple stepped out of the restaurant. Gene was keeping his look casual with a vest, cap and sunglasses, while Betsy wore a patterned shirt.

Gene Hackman is being mourned by Hollywood following the unexpected news of the deaths of the actor and his wife of 34 years, Betsy Arakawa.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed the pair were found deceased in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home on Wednesday -- reportedly after a neighbor called in for a wellness check.

It's no secret the Oscar winner had an immense impact on the film industry, having a prolific five-decade career before he retired in 2004. The stars are feeling the heartbreaking loss and taking to social media to share their sorrows and fond memories of the big-screen legend.

10:55 AM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Michelle Trachtenberg’s body may have rejected the liver transplant she received within the last year, causing complications. We're told Michelle's mother found her.

Michelle Trachtenberg, known for her roles in "Gossip Girl" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," has died.

Police sources confirmed the shocking news to TMZ, though the exact cause of her death remains unclear. We're told police and paramedics responded to a call for a woman in cardiac arrest, and found Michelle unresponsive. She was pronounced dead on the scene.

A separate source tells us the actress had received a liver transplant recently ... meaning within the last year. At this point, police reportedly believe she died of natural causes.

We're told Michelle was out with friends Thursday night of last week at Sartiano's in NYC.

In recent months, she had posted photos where fans felt she appeared gaunt and frail.

Blake Lively's remembering her former costar Michelle Trachtenberg ... saying she always gave 200% effort and she always stood up for what she believed in.

The actress took to Instagram just hours after it was announced that Michelle had passed to pay homage to the star ... sharing a photo of their first day meeting and talking about her former "Gossip Girl" costar.

Blake says she brought an electricity to every room she walked into ... always living life to the fullest -- laughing hard at jokes, taking on authority head-on when she saw injustice and added she was proud to be an actor even when the industry can be difficult.

Michelle Trachtenberg is being remembered for the positive energy she brought to set by many of the stars she worked with over the years ... after her death was announced today.

Numerous stars have taken to social media to show their love for the late actress, sharing stories from their times working with her.

Kenan Thompson posted a pic of the two from way back in the day ... calling her the first Nickelodeon movie star -- as well as one of his close friends.

Michelle Trachtenberg was a wonderful person who died much too young ... so says her "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" costar.

We spoke with James Marsters -- a veteran actor who played punk vampire Spike in 97 episodes of the hit TV show -- and, he says his heart is heavy today because of the loss of Michelle.

Marsters says the world has "lost a beautiful soul" and remembers Michelle as being "fiercely intelligent, howlingly funny, and a very talented person."

Michelle Trachtenberg’s untimely death at 39 has sent shockwaves through her fans and colleagues -- and her former "Gossip Girl" costar Ed Westwick has posted a tribute to the star.

In a heartfelt post on his IG Story Wednesday, Ed shared a pic of Michelle as Georgina Sparks from the popular teen drama series ... captioning it, "So sad to hear of the passing of @michelletrachtenberg."

He added "sending prayers" with the prayer hand and a white heart emoji.

Matthew Perry's final days were flooded with ketamine -- 27 doses in the three days before his tragic death in October 2023, a bombshell new documentary has revealed.

Peacock's "Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy" was released Tuesday, with U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada -- who led the investigation -- pointing fingers at the people who allegedly supplied Perry with the powerful anesthetic.

According to Estrada, these weren't just medical professionals -- they were opportunists who "should have known much better."

Liam Payne’s alcohol concentration levels have been released, shedding more light on his condition at the time of his death in October.

The National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office No. 14 has released a report revealing the late 1D singer had an alcohol concentration of up to 2.7 grams per liter in his blood when he fell from his hotel balcony in Argentina after a drugs and alcohol bender.

According to Alcohol.org, a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 2.7 grams per liter equates to 0.27% -- a level that can cause severe symptoms like confusion, disorientation, and feeling dazed.

Sha'Vi Lewis, a reality star featured on "Project Runway" died on Monday ... TMZ has confirmed.

Sha'Vi's sister, Akira tells TMZ ... "We are in a state of disbelief as we come to the reality that our star has been caste into eternity. As the days move forward we will continue to wrap our minds around a future without your presence."

She adds of her brother, who starred on Season 18 of the Bravo show ... "While the world is just catching on to the name Sha'vi we knew he was and is great! Continue to pray as we mourn the loss of our loved one, Franklin Shavi Lewis Frierson Jr."

Heartbroken Kylie Jenner has spoken out for the first time since the sudden death of her hairstylist pal, Jesus Guerrero ... admitting the pain of losing him has been too much to handle.

In an emotional IG carousel posted Tuesday, Kylie called Guerrero her rock, always there to lift her up even on the toughest days -- adding in her heartfelt message that she couldn’t imagine how she would've gotten through the last decade without him by her side.

Kylie praised Jesus for his incredible talent, and for his kind heart -- and the lasting impact he had on her and so many others ... acknowledging her heartache came from a place of deep love.

A couple bound for their dream Italian vacation experienced the flight of their nightmares when they were forced to sit next to a dead body for four hours ... with no option to change their seats.

Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were on their way from Melbourne, Australia to Venice, Italy via Doha, Qatar when a woman collapsed in the aisle next to them and died mid-flight.

In an interview with Australia's "A Current Affair," the upset couple said the deceased woman was placed next to them with a blanket over her body -- and they were not given the option to change their seats for the remainder of the long-haul flight.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is mourning the loss of his beloved French Bulldog, Hobbs.

The heartbroken "Fast X" star announced on Instagram late Monday night his pup passed over the Rainbow Bridge ... vulnerably writing he feels "numb over this loss."

He added, "We're so grateful for every ounce of pure love he gave our entire family and we’re so grateful he didn’t suffer long as he quietly and bravely left in the night."

Roberta Flack's body of work was so legendary she was selected for a star on the Walk of Fame back in '99 -- but good luck finding it on the iconic street!

Ana Martinez from the Hollywood Walk of Fame tells TMZ Roberta never locked in a date for the ceremony -- but now, she's hoping Roberta's family will reach out to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to finally set up a posthumous honor.

Ana tells us the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce hopes Roberta's family will reach out -- but if they do, it'll have to wait until after 2025 since all the dates for this year are fully booked.

Don't mess with Alec Baldwin when it comes to the "Rust" case ... a Donald Trump look-alike just learned that lesson the hard way.

Baldwin was loading luggage into the back of his SUV in NYC when the Trump impersonator walked up to him on the street and started needling him about everything from the 2024 presidential election to his criminal case.

Check out video posted Monday to X, which shows The Donald doppelgänger -- known as Jason Scoop -- throwing zingers at Alec, who tries to ignore the dude while dealing with his bags.