The will of legendary actor Gene Hackman has been made public, but questions remain over the fate of his $80 million (£62 million) fortune.
The two-time Academy Award winner had named his wife of 30 years, Betsy Arakawa, as the sole beneficiary of his estate.
However, both were found dead in their New Mexico home last month, and authorities have since determined that Arakawa, 65, died seven days before her husband.
Legal experts now suggest that Hackman’s three children—Christopher, 65, Elizabeth, 62, and Leslie, 58—could inherit his wealth despite not being named in the will.
Attorney Tre Lovell explained that, under succession laws, Hackman’s estate may default to his children, provided they can prove the will is invalid due to Arakawa’s earlier death.
Hackman had last updated his will in 2005, 10 years after first drafting it in 1995.
Authorities report that Arakawa passed away on February 11 after contracting a rare virus, while Hackman succumbed to natural causes seven days later.
The couple was discovered on February 26 during a neighborhood welfare check, with Hackman found in the back of the house wearing sweatpants and slippers, and Arakawa in the bathroom with pills scattered nearby.
Officials initially treated the scene as “suspicious” but later ruled out foul play, confirming Hackman’s death was due to severe heart disease, with advanced Alzheimer’s as a contributing factor.
Arakawa’s will stipulated that if she and Hackman died within 90 days of each other, her estate would transfer to a trust and eventually be donated to charity after covering medical expenses.
Hackman, who had openly spoken about the challenges of balancing his career with fatherhood, admitted in past interviews that his acting career often took priority.
“You become very selfish as an actor,” he told The New York Times in 1989. “Even though I had a family, I took jobs that would separate us for months at a time.”
His children, while largely private, occasionally appeared with him at red carpet events.
In a statement following his passing, they expressed their grief and love, saying, “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.”
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