Born in 1982, Raiatua Brando is the niece of Tarita Teriipaia. She was adopted by the renowned American actor Marlon Brando a decade after the divorce of Tarita and Marlon. Tarita was the third spouse of the actor.
Parents
Marlon Brando initially gained acclaim as the “Finest American Actor” for his portrayals in the films “The Godfather” and “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Prior to his marriage to Tarita Teriipaia, the esteemed actor had been wed twice before. He had three offspring from his previous unions. Christian Brando was the fruit of his initial matrimony, which took place in 1957, with Anna Kashfi.
With Movita Castaneda, whom he married in 1960, Marlon had Miko Brando and Rebecca Brando. Movita’s previous marriage was never dissolved, resulting in the annulment of her union with Marlon. In 1962, the prominent actor tied the knot with Tarita Teriipaia, a woman of French Polynesian heritage. She co-starred with Marlon in a highly successful motion picture. Tarita portrayed the role of Princess Maimiti, which earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes.
Marlon’s marriage to Tarita brought forth two children: Simon Brando and Tarita Cheyenne Brando. However, the couple divorced in 1972. Tarita had a daughter from a previous relationship whom Marlon adopted. In addition to the adoption of Maimiti Brando, the actor also welcomed Raiatua Brando, the niece of his former third wife.
Marlon Brando passed away at the age of 80 in 2004 due to pulmonary fibrosis. The world will forever remember this celebrated actor for his invaluable contributions to the American film industry.
Siblings
Raiatua Brando has ten siblings. Her father, Marlon Brando, had five children from his three former spouses and three with Maria Cristina Ruiz, his housekeeper. Apart from Maimiti and Raiatua, he adopted Petra Brando-Corval when she was just 14 years old. Petra is the daughter of Caroline Barrett and James Clavell, a novelist. Caroline served as Marlon’s assistant.
Among Raiatua’s siblings, Christian and Cheyenne experienced tumultuous lives before their untimely demises. They endured neglect and battled addiction to drugs and alcohol. Christian Brando, Marlon’s eldest son, followed in his father’s footsteps and pursued a career in acting. Most of his film credits can be found under the name Gary Brown.
Regrettably, Christian is primarily remembered for the tragic incident in which he killed Cheyenne’s boyfriend. Cheyenne confided in her half-brother that her boyfriend, Dag Drollet, subjected her to physical abuse. Christian, heavily intoxicated that fateful night, fatally shot Drollet. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter, acknowledging that he had merely intended to intimidate the deceased with his firearm.
Tragically, the weapon accidentally discharged, resulting in Drollet’s death. Christian was subsequently incarcerated in 1991 and ultimately released in 1996. He passed away from pneumonia on January 26, 2008. Following Drollet’s demise, Cheyenne grappled with depression. Sadly, she took her own life at the age of 25 in 1995. She had previously made two suicide attempts. Cheyenne left behind a child from her relationship with her late boyfriend.
Inheritance
Raiatua is among the ten children named in Marlon Brando’s testament. The illustrious actor bequeathed his $21.6 million estate, encompassing his personal belongings. However, Petra Brando-Corval, another adopted daughter, was excluded from his will. While she was recognized as one of his living children, she did not receive any inheritance.
Once the heirs accepted the will of the esteemed actor, a judge approved the distribution of Marlon’s estate among the beneficiaries. Creditors were given a four-month period to assert any outstanding debts before the estate could be divided.