Additional Coverage:
- Gene Hackman’s son is ‘trying to protect his interests’ as future of actor’s fortune is up in air (irishstar.com)
Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman’s $80 million estate has become a point of contention for his children following the recent deaths of Hackman and his wife, Betsy. The couple passed away in February, Betsy predeceasing her husband by a few days.
Investigators believe hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a respiratory illness, claimed Betsy’s life. Gene Hackman, 95, subsequently died of cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s listed as a contributing factor.
Betsy Hackman was the sole beneficiary of her husband’s will, leaving the future of his estate uncertain. Hackman has three children—Christopher, 65, Elizabeth, 62, and Leslie, 58—from his previous marriage to Faye Maltese.
Reports indicate that Christopher has retained a prominent California estate attorney, suggesting a potential legal challenge to the will. While the daughters have not yet sought legal representation, experts suggest their interests may also be at stake.
Throughout his life, Gene Hackman had discussed the complexities of his family relationships, noting periods of estrangement from his son Christopher due to the demands of his acting career. While Hackman’s nephew, Tim, described the actor as living a reclusive life, he maintained that Gene was not estranged from his family. Daughter Leslie confirmed that while she hadn’t seen her father in recent months, they remained on “good terms.”
Following Hackman’s death, his children and granddaughter released a statement expressing their grief and admiration for the acclaimed actor. Leslie also spoke fondly of her father’s “wonderful marriage” to Betsy, crediting her stepmother with “keeping him alive” through diligent care and attention to his health.