The will of legendary actor Gene Hackman, who passed away at the age of 95, has been released, but questions remain over the future of his $80 million (£62 million) fortune.
Hackman, a two-time Academy Award winner, left his entire estate to his wife of 30 years, Betsy Arakawa. However, Arakawa, aged 65, tragically passed away alongside her husband at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, last month. Reports now reveal that, due to the timing of Arakawa’s death, Hackman’s children may still be entitled to inherit the fortune, despite not being named in the will.
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The Legal Dilemma: Who Will Inherit Hackman’s Estate?
Legal experts are now discussing the potential shift in inheritance due to the circumstances surrounding Arakawa’s death. According to authorities, Arakawa passed away seven days before Hackman, which could mean that Hackman’s children, Christopher (65), Elizabeth (62), and Leslie (58), might inherit his estate under California succession laws.
Although the will, which was last updated in 2005, names Arakawa as the sole beneficiary, legal expert Tre Lovell explained that Hackman’s children might still inherit the estate, provided no other beneficiaries are named in the will. He stated, “The estate will actually be probated in accordance with intestate succession laws, and the children would be lawfully next in line to inherit.” However, the children would need to prove the will is invalid, as Arakawa passed before Hackman, for the estate to be distributed to them.
The Tragic Circumstances of Their Deaths
Authorities reported that Betsy Arakawa died on 11 February after contracting a rare virus, while Hackman died of natural causes on 18 February, seven days later. Their bodies were discovered by neighbours during a welfare check at their $4 million Santa Fe home on 26 February.
Arakawa was found in the bathroom, with pills scattered nearby.
Hackman was found in the back of the house, wearing sweatpants and slippers, with his cane and sunglasses beside him. It was determined that his death was caused by severe heart disease, with advanced Alzheimer’s also listed as a contributing factor.
Initially, authorities deemed the scene suspicious but later ruled out foul play.
Arakawa’s Will and Its Provisions
In a twist, Betsy Arakawa’s own will left her assets to Hackman. However, it also contained a clause that in the event of both their deaths within 90 days of each other, her estate would be transferred into a trust, with the assets eventually being donated to charity after covering medical expenses.
Hackman’s Relationship with His Children
Gene Hackman has long been private about his personal life, but he occasionally spoke about his family. In a 1989 interview with The New York Times, he admitted the difficulty of balancing a demanding acting career with family life, saying, “You become very selfish as an actor… the temptations in that, the money and recognition, it was too much for the poor boy in me.”
While his children, from his first marriage to Faye Maltese, were rarely in the public eye, they did occasionally accompany Hackman to red carpet events. In an interview with The Irish Independent in 2000, Hackman also reflected on the challenges his children faced growing up with a parent constantly in the limelight. “It’s tough being the son or daughter of a celebrity… they’ve had my success always hanging over their heads.”
Family’s Tribute
Despite the public’s admiration for Hackman’s illustrious career, his daughters and granddaughter expressed deep affection for him after his passing. “He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us, he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely, and are devastated by the loss.”
Supplementary Information:
Hackman’s Career Achievements: Gene Hackman is best known for his roles in films like The French Connection, Unforgiven, and Hoosiers. He received two Academy Awards, one for Best Actor in The French Connection and another for Best Supporting Actor in Unforgiven.
Legacy of Outsider Actors in Hollywood: Hackman, like many other actors, was initially an outsider to the industry. His journey is similar to that of actors like Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who also made their names from outside traditional Hollywood circles.
As this legal situation unfolds, it raises questions about the distribution of estates in cases where the beneficiaries pass away before the person who made the will, and how inheritance laws work when the beneficiaries are not clearly defined.