The recent passing of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, has sent shockwaves through Hollywood. Despite the actor’s desire for privacy, his death has left a lasting impact on friends and admirers. According to the official autopsy, Betsy passed away on February 11 due to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, and a week later, Hackman succumbed to heart complications worsened by advanced Alzheimer’s.
More than two weeks after their bodies were discovered in their Santa Fe mansion, one major issue remains unresolved: the inheritance.
A Will That Excludes His Children
The two-time Oscar winner had arranged for his entire fortune—estimated at $80 million—to go to his wife. However, since Betsy passed away before him, the situation has become more complicated. Hackman’s three children—Christopher (65), Elizabeth (62), and Leslie (58)—are not listed as beneficiaries in his will or the Gene Hackman Living Trust, which he created in 1995 and revised in 2005. Now, lawyers are working to untangle the legal complexities.
Under New Mexico law, if the couple had died within 120 hours of each other, their deaths would have been classified as simultaneous, simplifying the inheritance process. However, Hackman’s pacemaker records confirmed that he passed away a full week after his wife, creating a legal gray area.
A Deceased Executor and a Looming Court Battle
Hackman had appointed attorney Michael G. Sutin as the executor of his will, but Sutin passed away six years ago. In his absence, the role fell to Julia L. Peters, a senior advisor at Avalon Trust Co., a Santa Fe investment firm.
However, the controversy doesn’t end there. Daily Mail reported that Christopher, the actor’s eldest son, has hired Andrew M. Katzenstein—one of Hollywood’s toughest estate attorneys—at a staggering rate of $2,000 per hour. This suggests that a legal showdown among Hackman’s children may be on the horizon.
Adding another twist, legal documents reveal that Betsy Arakawa had intended for the inheritance to be donated to charitable organizations and used to cover medical expenses related to Hackman’s illness.
Whether a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement exists that could alter the distribution of the fortune remains unknown. What is clear, however, is that the battle over the legendary actor’s estate is just beginning, and Hollywood is watching closely.
