It’s been almost 20 years since Hollywood lost one of its greats. A Streetcar Named Desire star Marlon Brando died at the age of 80 in 2004, after a long battle with obesity.
Towards the end of his life, Brando weighed more than 300lbs and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
Eventually, he died of respiratory failure and pulmonary fibrosis, as well as congestive heart failure, at the UCLA Medical Centre.
READ MORE: Amish women gobsmacked as they get Brazilian waxes for the first time ever
He was also suffering from liver cancer at the time of his death.
Despite needing an oxygen mask to breathe, the actor recorded lines for The Godfather: The Game on his deathbed – though an impersonator had to finish what the actor couldn’t.
Daily Star takes a look into Brando’s will on the anniversary of his death.
Cut adopted daughter out
(Image: Bettmann Archive)
With liquid assets of around $23million (£19million) and his own private island in Tahiti worth $100million (£82million), it came as a shock when Brando decided to cut his adopted daughter out of his estate.
Petra Brando-Corval was ditched from the will entirely.
Her mother Caroline Barrett worked as Brando’s assistant from 1976, and due to ongoing issues with her father, Brando decided to adopt her.
He helped financially, paying for the teen’s schooling and university – and handed her cash to buy a home in London.
But Caroline later retired as Brando’s assistant, and he asked her to pay back the ‘loan’ he had given to their daughter.
Caroline claimed it was the actor’s way of punishing her for retiring – and a court case finally settled in her favour.
Brando’s will eventually read: “I intentionally and with full knowledge of the consequences do not provide in my will or in my living trust for Cheyenne’s issue or for Petra Brando-Corval, or for any of Petra’s issue.”
Millions to housekeeper
(Image: Getty Images)
In another bizarre move, Brando left the bulk of his estate – worth around $26million – to his producer, associates, and his housekeeper Angela Borlaza.
He didn’t include her in his will after verbally promising to leave his home to her, and she was forced to sue for $627,000.
She eventually settled for $125,000 as the court was restricted by what was contained in the written will.
Said home, a 4,300 square foot mansion in Hollywood Hills, was later put on the market in 2021 for an epic price tage of $4.3million.
It’s no wonder the property got such a hefty valuation with four bedrooms and five bathrooms.
Mysterious heirs
(Image: Getty Images)
When it came to deciding who would inherit Brando’s cash, his mysterious – and some illegitimate – children threw a spanner in the works.
The actor listed his 10 living children as Christian, Miko, Simon Teihotu, Rebecca, Petra, Maimiti, Raiatua, Nina, Myles and Timothy.
But there’s more where they came from.
According to statistics, he had as many as 15 illegitimate children – one of whom turned up to his home in Los Angeles to “grieve” after his death.
The woman, Lisa Warmer, demanded to be let in but was turned away by security after insisting she was the actor’s daughter.
Her mother was Hogan’s Heroes star Cynthia Lynn.
She claimed: “Marlon Brando is my father.
“I found out about him six years ago when my mother told me. He was always too ill to see me, but now I want to be where I belong, with my siblings.”
Tragic losses
(Image: Getty Images)
Shortly after the death of Brando, his “number one son” and heir to his estate, Christian, sadly passed away.
Aged 49, the actor was “ravaged” by double pneumonia after becoming hooked on crystal meth.
Christian died destitute, without health insurance, with his wife Deborah saying at the time: “The executors of the estate were supposed to make sure that Christian was taken care of.
“Everybody knew that Christian was Marlon’s number one son. Marlon wanted Christian to always have a roof over his head.
“And he was always supposed to have health insurance. Marlon knew Christian couldn’t take care of himself.”
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
For more of the latest showbiz news from Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.
Biographer Peter Manso added: “The fact that he was living on welfare and died in a city hospital would have troubled his father. The executors are sitting on $20m. The least they could do is bury him.”
Christian’s life was not an easy one. Aside from Brando’s affairs, he was kidnapped at a young age by a group of his mother’s hippy friends.
And in 1990, Brando fatally shot the boyfriend of his half-sister Cheyenne, Dag Drollet. He served five years in prison.
Cheyenne herself committed suicide after her mental health declined. She was diagnosed with schizophrenia and lost custody of her son Tuki.
In 1995, Cheyenne hanged herself.
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
