Arakawa was born in Hawaii in December 1959 and grew up in the state. She studied piano while growing up in Honolulu and, as an 11-year-old sixth grader, performed in youth concerts in front of thousands of first and second graders at the Honolulu International Center Concert Hall, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported in 1971.

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s love story was one for the big screen. “They had a true love affair…Capital L love,” film producer Matthew Gross, exclusively told the Post on Thursday. “They were very happy together, and we are all incredibly, incredibly shocked by this.”