Morgan Freeman paid tribute to Gene Hackman throughout the Oscars on Sunday … remembering Gene as an actor who elevated everybody else’s work — and gained the hearts of movie lovers of all around the world.

The veteran actor got here onstage earlier than the in memoriam part kicked off to speak about his costar who handed away final week.

Freeman mentions the the 2 films he and Gene labored on collectively — “Unforgiven” and “Beneath Suspicion” … and stated Gene helped elevate the work of all the forged and crew on each units.

Whereas Morgan mentions that Gene gained two Academy Awards — he provides that Gene’s actual accomplishment was profitable the love of movie buffs in every single place.

MF says GH did not need to be remembered for his films … however merely as somebody who all the time tried to do good work — a mark he undoubtedly hit, Freeman says.

We broke the story … revealing Freeman was anticipated to talk about his longtime pal on the ceremony simply days after Gene and his spouse Betsy Awakawa have been discovered useless of their residence.

Cops labeled their deaths “suspicious” — resulting in a search of the home throughout which they took capsules, a calendar and well being information.

In a information convention Friday, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza stated it seems Gene’s pacemaker had its final occasion on February 17 … indicating that is when he handed away. He was discovered greater than every week in a while February 26.

Gene was 95 … Betsy was 65.