- Lied about his age to join the Marines at 16 but left as soon as his initial 3 year tour was complete.
- Was the sixth choice to play Popeye Doyle in THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971).
- He was the first choice to play Mike Brady on THE BRADY BUNCH.
- Involved in a road-rage incident when two young men attacked him for hitting their car in Hollywood in 2001.
- Jailed as a teen (c. 1946) for stealing candy & soda pop from a convenience store
- Often says he wants to quit acting in films, but that every time he has time off away from the set, he starts to miss it and wants to start another film.
- The first choice to play Hannibal Lector in THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991).
- Turned down the part of President Franklin Roosevelt in PEARL HARBOR (2001), which went to Jon Voight.
- While at the Pasadena Playhouse, Hackman and a classmate were voted Least likely to succeed. The classmate was Dustin Hoffman.
- In ABSOLUTE POWER (1997) Hackman plays the President of the United States and E.G. Marshall co-stars. In SUPERMAN II (1980), E.G. Marshall plays the President and Hackman co-stars.
- All of the actors on the set in the gunfight scenes in THE QUICK AND THE DEAD (1995) were instructed in the art of the quick draw by a stunt coordinator. Due to his limited screen time, he had the most opportunity to prepare his quick draw and as a result was the fastest actor on the set.
- He was the backup to play McMurphy in ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975)
- His character (Joe Moore) in HEIST (2001) at one time says 'We're getting pretty good at this conversation', which probably is a reference to his earlier movie THE CONVERSATION (1974), directed by Sir Francis Ford Coppola
- Initially balked at wearing a skull cap to portray the bald Lex Luther, preferring instead to wear a series of increasingly silly wigs, designed to point out the obviousness of Luther's baldness. Hackman eventually relented, agreeing to wear the skull cap in one scene, his last in the picture. The wigs worn by Luther throughout the film are visible in his underground lair during the bathing sequence. (SUPERMAN (1978))
- Originally cast as Dr. Berger in ORDINARY PEOPLE (1980), but had to bow out. Judd Hirsch stepped in to fill the role, on condition that he could complete the filming of his scenes in eight days, so as not to interfere with his schedule on the TV show TAXI (1979).
- The movie clip that Paul Newman and Hackman view briefly toward the end of the TWILIGHT (1998) is of a much younger Hackman along with Dabney Coleman from DOWNHILL RACER (1969).
- The script of UNFORGIVEN (1992) floated around Hollywood for nearly 20 years, during which time he read and rejected it, only to be later convinced by Clint Eastwood (who had owned the rights to the script for some time) to play a role.
- Turned down his role in THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2001) until additional scenes providing more character depth were written specifically for him.
- THE CONVERSATION (1974) was reportedly HIS favorite of his movies.
- His name did not appear in promotional material for THE FIRM (1993).
- Turned down ENEMY OF THE STATE (1998) several times, but was ultimately convinced to sign on after a phone call by director Tony Scott.
- Nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role at Academy Awards for MISSISSIPPI BURNING (1989)
- Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for MISSISSIPPI BURNING (1989)
- Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for TWICE IN A LIFETIME (1986)
- Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture at Golden Globe Awards for UNDER FIRE (1984)
- Nominated for Best Supporting Actor at BAFTA Awards for SUPERMAN (1979)
- Nominated for Best Actor at BAFTA Awards for FRENCH CONNECTION II (1976)
- Nominated for Best Actor at BAFTA Awards for NIGHT MOVES (1976)
- Nominated for Best Motion Picture Actor - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for FRENCH CONNECTION II (1976)
- Nominated for Best Actor at BAFTA Awards for THE CONVERSATION (1975)
- Nominated for Best Motion Picture Actor - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for THE CONVERSATION (1974)
- Nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at Academy Awards for I NEVER SANG FOR MY FATHER (1971)
- Nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at Academy Awards for BONNIE AND CLYDE (1968)
- Underwent some bodybuilding courses during the 70's for films like SUPERMAN and THE CONVERSATION.
Quotes- "It really costs me a lot emotionally to watch myself on-screen. I think of myself, and feel like I'm quite young, and then I look at this old man with the baggy chins and the tired eyes and the receding hairline and all that."
- "I was trained to be an actor, not a star. I was trained to play roles, not to deal with fame and agents and lawyers and the press."
Awards- Golden Globe Awards: Cecil B. DeMille Award (2003)
- AFI Awards: AFI Featured Actor of the Year - Male - Movies, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2002)
- Chicago Film Critics Association Awards: Best Actor, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2002)
- National Society of Film Critics Awards: Best Actor, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2002)
- Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role-Musical or Comedy, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2001)
- Blockbuster Entertainment Awards: Favorite Supporting Actor - Comedy, THE BIRDCAGE (1997)
- Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Cast, THE BIRDCAGE (1997)
- Western Heritage Awards: Bronze Wrangler - Theatrical Motion Picture, GERONIMO: AN AMERICAN LEGEND (1994)
- British Academy Award: Best Actor Supporting, UNFORGIVEN (1993)
- National Society of Film Critics Awards: Best Supporting Actor, UNFORGIVEN (1993)
- Western Heritage Awards: Bronze Wrangler - Theatrical Motion Picture, UNFORGIVEN (1993)
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards: Best Supporting Actor, UNFORGIVEN (1992)
- Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor, UNFORGIVEN (1992)
- Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, UNFORGIVEN (1992)
- New York Film Critics Circle Awards: Best Supporting Actor, UNFORGIVEN (1992)
- Berlin International Film Festival: Silver Berlin Bear - Best Actor, MISSISSIPPI BURNING (1989)
- National Board of Review: Best Actor, MISSISSIPPI BURNING (1988)
- Western Heritage Awards: Bronze Wrangler - Theatrical Motion Picture, BITE THE BULLET (1976)
- National Board of Review: Best Actor, THE CONVERSATION (1974)
- British Academy Award: Best Actor Leading, THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1973)
- British Academy Award: Best Actor Leading, THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1973)
- National Board of Review: Best Actor, THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1972)
- Academy Awards: Best Actor, THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971)
- Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role-Drama in THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971)
- New York Film Critics Circle Awards: Best Actor, THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971)
- National Society of Film Critics Awards: Best Supporting Actor, BONNIE AND CLYDE (1968)
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