Bill Murray remembers ‘tough nut’ Gene Hackman being ‘difficult’ on set of The Royal Tenenbaums

Gene Hackman was lovingly remembered by his former co-star Bill Murray.

The Late Oscar winner, who was discovered on Wednesday with his wife in their Santa Fe -House, played the Royal Tenenbaums in the playful film in 2001, alongside Bill Murray, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, Ben Stiller and Anjelica Huston.

Murray, 74, remembered that Hackman came down hard on director Wes Anderson, who helps one of his first major projects.

Murray had previously worked with Anderson on Rushmore from 1998 and stepped in to try to buffer the tension between the two.

“He was a tough note, Gene Hackman. But he was really good. He was really difficult, we can say it now, but he was a tough guy, “the Stripes actor told The Associated Press.

'Older, great actors do not give young directors much chance. They are really rough, and Gene was really rough on Wes, “explained the Saturday Night Live -Aluin. “I used to get in a little and just tried to defend my friend.”

Murray also spoke about Hackman's work ethics about the project.

Bill Murray remembers his former co-star Gene Hackman with a lot of news after the news about the death of the Oscar winner on Wednesday (depicted in New York City on Thursday)

“I saw him as a 25 takes where he did perfectly with an actor who kept blowing it every time, large long camera -pans, all this stuff.” He revealed.

“Gene would do it perfectly, the other actor, oh god, I looked at going” no wonder that this guy wants to nip people, “he explained.

And then he [Gene} gave just a sort of ordinary performance  and the other actor got it right, and I thought Gene was going to throw the guy off the ledge of the building… so he was a great one. He was a great actor.’

In an clip from of The Drew Barrymore Show where Murray was promoting his new film, Riff Raff,  the actor spoke again about his experience working with the two-time Oscar winner. 

‘So he was a little irritable, but he had to work with children, dogs … they put him in very challenging positions to work, and so he just felt a lot of responsibility and kept thinking, “What am I doing here with these people?”‘

‘But the performance he gives is brilliant,’ Murray declared in the episode scheduled to air March 5.

‘When you see the movie, it’s a real piece of work. Wes Anderson makes great movies, and so [did] Gene Hackman. You put them both in the same movie, what are you going to get? You're going to get a good movie. '

Murray and Hackman played The Royal Tenenbaums together in 2001, seen here with Luke Wilson, Ben Stiller, Grant Rosenmeyer, Jonah Myerson and Anjelica Huston

Murray admitted that Hackman was heavy for director Wes Anderson. 'Older, great actors do not give young directors much chance. They are really rough for them, and Gene was really rough on Wes, “he explained. 'I used to step in and just tried to defend my friend'

In a clip of the Drew Barrymore Show, Murray again spoke about his experience working with the two-time Oscar winner. “So he was a bit irritable, but he had to work with children, dogs … they put him in very challenging positions to work,” he explained

Murray called Hackman's the Royal Tenenbaums Performance 'brilliant. When you see the movie, it's a real piece of work. Wes Anderson makes great films, and so [did] Gene Hackman. You put them both in the same movie … you're going to get a good movie '

Hackman, 95, his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and one of their dogs were found dead on Wednesday in their house in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Two other dogs on the site were found alive.

Arakawa, 65, seemed to have died some time ago, according to researchers, and Hackman seemed to have fallen. The actor was completely dressed and his sunglasses were found next to his body.

Researchers say that the case is still open and that they are waiting for the results of autopsies and toxicological tests.

Hackman's death and contribution to Hollywood will be recognized during Sunday's Oscar ceremonies, but the producers of the show have not revealed whether he will be included in the annual in Memoriam segment