Marlon Brando, one of the biggest stars of last century, wasn’t just known for his Oscar-winning roles.
After fathering children with four different women, the last few decades of his life were marked by controversy and his troubled private life – including murder, suicide, and a contested will.
When he died in 2004, Marlon Brando left behind 11 children. Here’s everything to know about the actor’s massive family.
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How many children did Marlon Brando have?
Marlon Brando wasn’t only famous for his acting chops –– the star fathered 11 children over his lifetime, with three different wives.
His first wedding was to actress Anna Kashfi, in 1957. A year later they welcomed their son Christian, but the couple divorced in 1959. In 1960, Brando got hitched to Mexican-American actress Movita Castaneda. They had two kids, Miko and Rebecca, but it was soon revealed that she was still legally married to her previous husband. Brando won an annulment of their vows in 1968.
In 1962, Brando married his Mutiny on the Bounty co-star, Tarita Teriipaia, who at age 20, was 18 years his junior. They stayed together for ten years (through his annulment to Castaneda), and had two children – Simon and Cheyenne – bringing his total number of kids to five.
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Brando also legally adopted Teriipaia’s daughter Maimiti, who was born in 1977, five years after their divorce. Reports also claim he adopted his ex-wife’s niece, Raiatua, a decade after their split.
However, these two adopted kids were excluded from his will after his death in 2004. Neither are mentioned in any of the star’s biographies.
Brando went on to have three children with his housekeeper Maria Cristina Ruiz, Ninna, Myles, and Timothy. The actor then adopted one more daughter, 14-year-old Petra, the child of his assistant.
After Brando’s death in 2004, the daughter of actress Cynthia Lynn came forward claiming that he was her father.
She alleged that he and her mother had an affair that resulted in her birth, but nothing was ever confirmed.
Who were Marlon Brando children’s mothers?
Aside from his three adopted children, Brando fathered eight kids with four women: actresses Anna Kashfi, Movita Castaneda and Tarita Teriipaia, and with his housekeeper Maria.
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What happened with Christian Brando?
Brando’s eldest son, Christian, was born in 1958 and followed in his father’s footsteps and pursued an acting career, but most of his credits were listed under Gary Brown.
Despite numerous roles, he’s best remembered for his criminal record. In 2005, his ex-wife Deborah accused him in a lawsuit of allegedly beating and threatening to kill her, while her daughter was present. The case was settled in 2007.
Why did Christian Brando shoot Dag Drollet?
In 1990, Christian Brando shot and killed Dag Drollet, the boyfriend of his half-sister, Cheyenne. She told Brando that Drollet was violent with her – Brando was drinking heavily that night and went to confront him. He claims that he only threatened Drollet with the gun, but it had gone off by accident.
He pled guilty to manslaughter, was jailed in 1991, and released in 1996. Christian died in 2008 from pneumonia.
Why did Cheyenne Brando kill herself?
Tarita Cheyenne Brando, named after her mother but known as Cheyenne, was born in 1970. She was estranged from her father from a young age – she and her brother lived in Tahiti with their mother and weren’t allowed to visit the US.
She later said of Brando: “I have come to despise my father for the way he ignored me when I was a child. He came to the island maybe once a year but really didn’t seem to care whether he saw me or not. He wanted us but he didn’t want us.”
Cheyenne dropped out of high school and began taking drugs, while pursuing a modelling career. In 1989, after a serious car accident she needed to undergo extensive reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. This effectively ended her career, and she fell into depression.
She soon became pregnant to her boyfriend Dag Drollet, who was killed by Christian Brando one month before their son Tuki was born. A month after his birth, Cheyenne attempted suicide twice and was hospitalised in a psychiatric facility.
In 1995, after losing custody of Tuki and becoming estranged from family, she hung herself at her mother’s house in Tahiti.
How old was Cheyenne Brando when she died?
Cheyenne Brando was only 25 at the time of her death, and her son was almost four years old. From a young age, he was raised by his grandmother Tarita, Marlon Brando’s second wife.
Did Marlon Brando leave money to his children?
When Brando died in 2004, he left behind 11 children and 30 grandchildren.
Before his death, he specifically stipulated that he refused to provide any financial assets for any children of his late daughter Cheyenne. He also cut his adopted daughter Petra from his will.
Who inherited Marlon Brando’s estate?
Brando lived a luxurious life in his final years, so his total net worth wasn’t massive –especially when split between his 40 descendants. The will listed private property worth US$3 million and real estate, including his home and a Tahitian atoll, valued at US$18.6 million. This was split between his remaining children and grandkids.
The actor’s longtime housekeeper, Angela Borlaza, contested the will in court, saying he promised her the bulk of his estate after his death. As it was an oral promise and never legally recorded, she eventually settled the matter for $125,000.
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How many children did Marlon Brando adopt?
Marlon Brando adopted three children. In 1977, he adopted his ex-wife’s daughter Maimiti. Five years later, he also adopted her niece Raiatua.
He also adopted the 14-year-old daughter of his longtime personal assistant, leading to speculation that he was her biological father, though nothing was confirmed.
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