Gene Hackman's son hires 'ruthless' lawyer to fight for $80M estate as actor leaves children out of will
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO: The fate of Gene Hackman’s $80 million estate is hanging in the balance after the Hollywood legend’s tragic death at the age of 95.
With his wife Betsy Arakawa passing just days before him, the intricate details of their financial arrangements have left a cloud of uncertainty that could spark a major legal battle, The Express reported.
Gene Hackman’s son gears up for legal battle over dad's $80M estate with top lawyer
TMZ reports that Gene Hackman’s son Christopher, 65, has taken a significant step by hiring Andrew M Katzenstein, a powerhouse attorney from the elite Hollywood law firm Proskauer Rose.
A Los Angeles trust and estate attorney told the Daily Mail, “I know Andy. He is the best of the best. He is someone who regularly gives talks about estate issues, and he is always on the cutting edge of the latest developments in estate law. He's a lovely man but ruthless in court.”
The lawyer noted that while hiring Katzenstein doesn’t guarantee a legal battle, it signals that Christopher may be preparing for one.
“I'm not saying that Christopher is gearing up for a fight, but it's possible. You would imagine Gene Hackman told his children what his intentions were. If there is an issue about one or more of the children being left out of the will then Andy is the guy you want in your corner,” the lawyer said, before adding, “He is an old-school gentleman but when he is defending a client he's a pitbull.”
Hackman had previously acknowledged his complicated relationship with his children, admitting that his Hollywood career often kept him from being present during their early years.
Who will get Gene Hackman’s $80M fortune?
Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found deceased in their Santa Fe home in February.
Authorities later revealed Arakawa had succumbed to the rare rodent-borne hantavirus on February 11, while Hackman died from heart failure on February 18 after suffering from severe Alzheimer’s. His pacemaker records suggest he may have lived for nearly a week after his wife’s death.
Hackman had structured his fortune through a trust designed to pass to Arakawa upon his death. However, because she died first, the estate’s future is now uncertain.
Arakawa, who had no children, had reportedly intended to donate her assets to charities she and Hackman supported. Now, the funds may still follow that path, potentially bypassing Hackman’s three children entirely.
Christopher, 65, Elizabeth, 62, and Leslie, 58, were not named in the publicly available sections of Hackman’s will. Instead, the estate was placed in the hands of a lawyer, Julia Peters, due to Arakawa's death.
