Gene Hackman, one of Hollywood’s most respected and private actors, spent much of his life keeping his personal affairs away from the public eye. Despite his fame and success, his relationship with his children was often strained, largely due to the pressures of his demanding career. Now, following his recent passing at the age of 94, alongside the death of his wife Betsy Arakawa, there has been growing speculation about the future of his estate. With an estimated net worth of $80 million, many are wondering who will ultimately inherit his fortune, particularly given reports that his three children had not checked on him for weeks prior to his death.

Throughout his decades-long career, Hackman rarely spoke about his family. He became a father to three children during his marriage to his first wife, Faye Maltese, whom he wed in 1956. The couple had two daughters, Elizabeth and Leslie, and a son, Christopher. During the height of his Hollywood fame in the 1970s and 1980s, Hackman’s focus on his work often kept him away from his family. As a result, his relationships with his children reportedly suffered. He spent long periods away on film sets, and while he achieved critical acclaim and professional success, his personal life paid a price. Hackman himself later admitted in interviews that his connection with his son Christopher had faded over the years, and that they had eventually lost touch altogether.

However, Hackman’s personal life took a different turn after his divorce from Faye Maltese in 1986. In 1991, he married Betsy Arakawa, and by many accounts, she played an important role in helping him rebuild his fractured family relationships. Friends close to the couple have said that Arakawa encouraged Hackman to reconnect with his children and often welcomed them into their home. While his children and he had spent years distant from one another, there was a gradual improvement in their relationship during the later years of his life. Despite this, their bond was believed to be fragile, with rumors circulating that his children were not consistently present in his final months.

The circumstances surrounding Hackman’s passing have only added to the speculation. Reports indicate that his daughters, Elizabeth and Leslie, were seen in public shortly after learning of his death. Some have interpreted this as a sign of the complicated dynamic between Hackman and his children. Nonetheless, with Hackman’s passing, attention has now shifted toward the question of who will inherit his wealth. Legal experts, including attorney Tre Lovell, have weighed in on the matter. Lovell explained that in the absence of any unusual provisions in Hackman’s will, it is standard practice for his assets to be divided equally among his surviving children.

Hackman’s estate, valued at approximately $80 million, includes not only liquid assets but also real estate holdings, investments, and possibly royalties from his extensive film career. While no official details about his will have been made public, it is widely assumed that his children—Elizabeth, Leslie, and Christopher—will inherit the bulk of his fortune. Given that he and Betsy Arakawa did not have children together, and assuming there are no unexpected beneficiaries listed in his estate plan, the distribution of his assets will likely follow traditional guidelines.

Though the focus has largely been on his estate and wealth, Hackman’s legacy extends far beyond financial matters. He remains one of the most celebrated actors of his generation, known for iconic roles in films like The French Connection, Unforgiven, and Hoosiers. His dedication to his craft earned him two Academy Awards, and his contributions to cinema have left an indelible mark on Hollywood. More privately, his later years were defined by his efforts to mend the relationships he once neglected. While his family life was complicated, those closest to him often spoke of his desire to make peace with his past and to strengthen his ties with his children before it was too late.

In the end, Gene Hackman’s story is one of immense talent, hard-won success, and a late-in-life effort to reconcile with his family. His $80 million estate may be divided among his children, but his true legacy lies in his enduring contributions to film and the personal redemption he sought in his final years. Whether his children were as present in his later life as some believe they should have been, the chapters of his story now rest in the hands of those who knew him best.