Hollywood legend Gene Hackman’s will leaves out children from $80m fortune

The last will of Hollywood legend, Gene Hackman, has revealed that he left a whopping $80 million behind, and none of his children is mentioned as beneficiaries.

The Oscar-winning actor, who passed away at 95, left his estate entirely to his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, as he made her the successor trustee.

He believed at the time of making the will in 2005 that his wife would outlive him. Previous wills he made before that were believed to have accommodated his children, Christopher Allen, 65, Leslie Anne, 58, and Elizabeth Jean, 62.

Unfortunately, Arakawa died a week before him, and he consequently died alone after he slipped near the entrance of their mansion in New Mexico, United States of America.

Autopsy revealed that his stomach was empty of food, suggesting that he might have starved before his heart finally stopped beating after his wife of over three decades, who was responsible for feeding and taking care of him, passed away.

He had fallen out with his children most of his life after he divorced his first wife. Hackman admitted that he was away from the family for far too long and missed critical moments in his son, Chris’ life.

Towards the end of his life, his wife, Arakawa, tried to reconcile him with his children. She achieved some success.

Hackman’s two girls were seen with him at film premieres a few times in the past. His last daughter, Leslie, was the closest to him, as they were seen together more than the others.

Even then, Hackman and Leslie reportedly went for months without speaking to each other.

Hackman built his life around his second wife, Betsy Arakawa, and ultimately left his fortune for her.

However, with both Hackman and Arakawa now deceased, questions are swirling over who will ultimately inherit his fortune.

Legal experts suggest the omission of the children could spark a courtroom showdown, with Hackman’s estranged son, Chris, already securing a high-profile attorney.

“If Betsy had survived, it would have been World War III,” one expert told DailyMail.com, hinting at rising tensions within the family.

Questions have also been raised about the state of his mind when he signed the last will in 2005 as it was established towards the end of his life that he had Alzheimer’s.

Arakawa also left a will where she instructed that her assets be used to settle medical debts and for charitable causes that she and her husband had been associated with in their lifetimes.

Betsy passed away from a rare virus transmitted by rats, while Hackman is believed to have succumbed to heart disease.

Legal experts opined that Gene’s son Chris’ decision to hire Andrew M. Katzenstein, a prominent California trust and estate attorney, signifies that something is brewing.

‘By hiring Katzenstein, it shows that he [Chris] is definitely trying to protect his interests. The fact that Chris got a high-powered lawyer indicates to me something is going on. I don’t know why the girls [daughters] are not represented. That tells me that there must be some trouble brewing’, a legal source said.