Gene Hackman’s Will: Why His Children Are Fighting to Claim Their Share.
The will of legendary actor Gene Hackman has come to light, and it holds some unexpected surprises. Hackman, known for his iconic roles in The French Connection and Unforgiven, left his entire fortune to his wife, Betsy Arakawa — with nothing directly allocated to his three children, Christopher, Leslie, and Elizabeth.
Legal documents obtained by TMZ reveal that Hackman named Betsy as the sole beneficiary back in 1995. However, the timing of their deaths introduces a complicated wrinkle in how the estate might eventually be distributed. Reports indicate that Betsy Arakawa passed away from hantavirus, a rare and often fatal disease. Gene Hackman died about a week later from cardiovascular disease. He had also been battling Alzheimer’s disease, which could explain why he didn’t seek help when his wife became ill.
The situation becomes even more complex due to a key clause in Betsy’s will. While most of her assets were designated to go to Gene, the will includes a provision stating that if they died within 90 days of each other, it would be treated as a simultaneous death. In that case, her estate would go to charity rather than passing on to Hackman’s heirs.
Because the couple lived in New Mexico — a community property state — half of Betsy’s estate could be considered jointly owned by Gene, unless a prenuptial agreement existed. This means that a significant portion of their combined wealth could end up going to charity instead of directly to Hackman’s children.
Even though Gene’s will didn’t leave anything to his children, they might still have a legal claim to part of the estate as his direct heirs. Christopher Hackman has reportedly hired high-profile California trust and estate attorney Andrew M. Katzenstein, signaling a potential legal battle over the estate’s distribution.
Gene Hackman had previously acknowledged having a strained relationship with his children, particularly with Christopher. He admitted that he wasn’t present during much of Christopher’s childhood, though they had grown closer in recent years.
Meanwhile, Julia Peters, a representative for the Hackman estate, has filed a court motion seeking to block the release of any crime scene photos or body cam footage. Peters argued that the release of such material would violate the couple’s right to privacy.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa were found deceased in their home last month, and authorities believe their bodies had been there for over a week before they were discovered. At the time of writing, Hackman’s family and representatives have not publicly commented on the details of the will or the potential legal disputes that may follow.
The unfolding battle over Hackman’s fortune and the unexpected charitable clause in Betsy’s will suggest that this story is far from over.
