Gene Hackman Smacks Homeless Guy Who Dropped C-Word 
 
 Exclusive Details 
 
 pimp-slapped a homeless man who physically threatened the actor and his wife outside a New Mexico restaurant ... TMZ has learned.Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the incident went down Tuesday as Hackman and his wife were leaving a Santa Fe restaurant. We're told a homeless guy named Bruce Becker approached them in a threatening manner.We're told the incident escalated big time when Becker called Hackman's wife a "c**t" -- and then Hackman dished out some street justice ... slapping Becker across the face.Becker then called the cops to report the incident.We're told cops interviewed Hackman and his wife, determined the slap was in self-defense ... and, for now, no charges have been filed. ||||| Police in New Mexico say Gene Hackman was acting in self-defense when he slapped a homeless man who had become aggressive toward the Oscar-winning actor and his wife. 
 
 The Albuquerque Journal reports that the incident occurred Tuesday afternoon in downtown Santa Fe. 
 
 Police didn't immediately provide any additional details. A message seeking comment was left for Hackman's publicists at Guttman Associates in Beverly Hills, California. 
 
 Hackman and his wife have a home in Santa Fe. 
 
 The 82-year-old actor has won two Academy Awards and been nominated for three others over a career that has spanned five decades. 
 
 Hackman took the Best Actor trophy for his portrayal of Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle in "The French Connection" in 1971, and the Best Supporting Actor award for "Unforgiven" in 1992.
– It’s not often you see Gene Hackman’s name in the headlines these days, but this incident definitely got it there: Police say the 82-year-old actor slapped a homeless man in downtown Santa Fe yesterday, the AP reports, citing the Albuquerque Journal. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the man, Bruce Becker, approached Hackman and his wife as they were leaving a restaurant, threatened them, and called Hackman’s wife a “c**t.” That’s when Hackman slapped him in the face, and Becker called the cops. Police determined the smack was self-defense, and no charges have been filed at the moment. "It looked like Mr. Hackman did this purely out of self-defense to protect himself and his wife," a police spokesperson tells E!.