Gene Hackman’s estate is facing uncertainty as his will reveals that his three adult children are not listed as beneficiaries. Hackman, a two-time Oscar winner who passed away at 95 alongside his wife, Betsy Arakawa Hackman, named her as the sole beneficiary of his estate and the successor trustee of his living trust. Despite being identified in the will, his children Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie are not named as successors, raising questions about the inheritance of the estate. Arakawa Hackman, a Santa Fe-based furniture seller and pianist, passed away before Gene Hackman, leading to further complexities in the succession plan. The couple’s estate is now being managed by attorney Julia L. Peters following the death of their appointed representatives. The will also outlines arrangements for charitable contributions if Hackman does not survive Arakawa by a specified period of time.
Elizabeth and Leslie, identified as Hackman’s heirs, along with Arakawa who has also passed away, may seek to claim Hackman’s estate as his closest living relatives. In a statement to The Daily Mail in February, Elizabeth and Leslie expressed deep sorrow over his passing, with Leslie mentioning their close relationship and normal interactions just months before. In a 2000 interview with the Irish Independent, Hackman acknowledged the challenges of being a celebrity’s child and the impact of his success on his daughters. However, Elizabeth and Leslie shared that he had become more involved in their lives in recent times. For more details, refer to the original article in Entertainment Weekly.
