Gene Hackman had a will, but the public may never find out who inherits his $80M fortune
Gene Hackman was found dead inside his New Mexico home on Feb. 26, 2025, at the age of 95. The acclaimed actor’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, had also died of a rare virus – a week before his death from natural causes.
Details about the couple’s plans for Hackman’s reportedly US$80 million fortune are only starting to emerge, months after the discovery of their tragic demise. While their wills have not yet been made public, we have seen them through a reputable source.
Both documents are short and sought to give the bulk of their assets to Hackman’s trust – a legal arrangement that allows someone to state their wishes for how their assets should be managed and distributed. Wills and trusts are similar in that both can be used to distribute someone’s property. They differ in that a trust can take effect during someone’s lifetime and continue long after their death. Wills take effect only upon someone’s death, for the purpose of distributing assets that person had owned.
Both trusts and wills can be administered by someone who does not personally benefit from the property.