Gene Hackman won his first Oscar for portraying Popeye Doyle in which film?
Unforgiven
The Birdcage
Mississippi Burning
The French Connection
Correct Answer: The French Connection
Fact: Gene Hackman won his first Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in the 1971 crime thriller The French Connection. Hackman’s portrayal of Doyle, a character based on real-life NYPD detective Eddie Egan, was a defining moment in his career. The French Connection was a critical and commercial success, winning five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. On February 26, 2025, Hackman, his wife, and their dog were found deceased in their home in New Mexico. Hackman was 95 years old.