The will of legendary actor Gene Hackman has been revealed, and it shows that he left his entire fortune to his wife, Betsy Arakawa. However, there is an unexpected twist: Hackman’s three children—son Christopher and daughters Leslie and Elizabeth—are not named as beneficiaries.
According to documents obtained by TMZ, Gene Hackman designated Betsy as his sole beneficiary back in 1995. However, the timing of their deaths may impact how the money is distributed. Early reports suggest that Betsy Arakawa passed away from hantavirus, a rare and potentially fatal disease, and Gene Hackman died about a week later from cardiovascular disease. Hackman had been struggling with Alzheimer’s disease, which might explain why he did not inform authorities about his wife’s condition.
Adding to the complexity is Betsy’s own will, which leaves most of her assets to Gene. However, it includes a clause that if they die within 90 days of each other, it would be considered a simultaneous death, and her assets would go to charity.
Since New Mexico, where the couple lived, is a community property state, and assuming there was no prenuptial agreement, Betsy’s estate could be substantial, potentially benefitting charity instead of Hackman’s children.
While Gene’s will does not name his children as beneficiaries, they are still likely to inherit his share of the estate as his direct heirs. Gene’s son, Chris, has reportedly hired prominent trust and estate attorney Andrew M. Katzenstein, which suggests he may challenge the will.
Gene Hackman had previously spoken about his strained relationship with his children, acknowledging that he wasn’t very involved during Chris’ early years, although they had grown closer in recent times.
Additionally, Julia Peters, a representative for the estates of both Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa, has filed court documents seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the release of any photos or videos from the crime scene, including officer body cam footage, citing privacy concerns.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home last month, and it is believed their bodies had been there for over a week before being discovered. As of now, there has been no comment from Hackman’s representatives or family regarding the will.