The will of the recently deceased film legend Gene Hackman lists his wife as the sole heir to his $80 million fortune, and his three children with his ex-wife are not named.
According to E!News, Gene Hackman's decision was made in 1995. Gene's second wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa, inherited all of the actor's assets. His three children with his ex-wife Faye Maltese, Christopher Allen Hackman (65), Elizabeth Jean Hackman (62) and Leslie Ann Hackman (58), were not mentioned in the will.
Unfortunately, Betsy passed away at the age of 65 a week before Gene due to hantavirus-related lung disease. Meanwhile, Gene - the Superman star - died around February 18 at the age of 95 due to cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's (memory loss). Both passed away quietly at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The couple's bodies were discovered on February 26 when a housekeeper visited.
Gene and Betsy did not have any children together. Therefore, according to TMZ, the actor's three stepchildren will receive his assets because they are the direct living heirs. The source said that Gene's eldest son has hired a famous trust and estate attorney in California to resolve this issue. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Gene Hackman's assets before his death were $ 83.8 million.
Regarding the assets of pianist Betsy Arakawa, she also made a will to leave her assets to Gene. However, there is a clause stating that if the couple died together within 90 days, her assets would be transferred to a charity to serve the community. Betsy died about 7 days before her husband, so her personal assets will be used for charity.
Actor Gene Hackman and his second wife Betsy Arakawa have lived together in a villa in Santa Fe since the late 1990s. Meanwhile, Gene's children from a previous relationship settled in California. Previously, Gene confessed that when he was young, he did not spend much time with his children because he was too busy with his acting career. The father-son relationship is said to have become closer after he retired.
Following the sudden death of his father and stepmother, Gene's daughters and granddaughter released a joint statement: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman, and his wife, Betsy. He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his outstanding acting career, but to us he was simply a loving father and grandfather. We will miss him greatly and are heartbroken by his loss."
Actor Gene Hackman was born on January 30, 1930, in California. He is one of the most successful actors of all time, having won two Oscars, three Golden Globes, two BAFTAs and was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. He has participated in more than 100 films from the 1960s to 2004, demonstrating his acting talent in all genres from villains, heroes, anti-heroes, comedy, drama... Some of Gene's famous films include The French Connection, Bonnie and Clyde, Mississippi Burning, Superman, The Royal Tenenbaums...