The will of legendary actor Gene Hackman has been revealed, and it appears he left every penny of his fortune to his wife, Betsy Arakawa.
However, the details of the will include an unexpected twist, as his three children—son Christopher and daughters Leslie and Elizabeth—are not named as beneficiaries.
According to documents obtained by TMZ, Gene Hackman made Betsy his sole beneficiary back in 1995, but the timing of their d3aths could significantly alter where the money ultimately goes. Early reports indicate that Betsy Arakawa passed away from hantavirus, a rare and potentially fatal disease, while Gene Hackman died about a week later from cardiovascular disease. Hackman had been struggling with Alzheimer's disease, which may explain why he did not contact the authorities about his wife’s condition.
What adds complexity to the situation is Betsy's will, which leaves most of her assets to Gene. However, it includes a provision stating that if they die within 90 days of each other, it would be considered a simultaneous death, and in that case, her assets would go to charity.
New Mexico, where the couple resided, is a community property state, meaning that, assuming there was no prenuptial agreement, Betsy’s estate could contain a significant amount of wealth, which may end up benefiting charity instead of Hackman’s children.
Although Gene’s will does not include his children, they are likely to inherit his share of the estate as they are his direct heirs. Gene's son, Chris, has reportedly hired prominent California trust and estate attorney Andrew M. Katzenstein, suggesting he may challenge the will.
Gene Hackman had previously discussed his complicated relationship with his children, admitting that he was not very involved during Chris’ formative years, although they had grown closer in recent times.
In addition to the will-related developments, Julia Peters, a representative for the estate of both Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa, has filed court paperwork seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent authorities from releasing any photo or video evidence from the crime scene, including officer body cam footage, citing the couple's right to privacy.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home last month, and it is believed their bodies had been in the house for over a week before being discovered. At the time of writing, there has been no comment from Hackman's representatives or family regarding the will.
