Rocker Johnny Hallyday’s eldest children to dispute will

The actress Laura Smet and her half-brother David Hallyday, both children of French rocker Johnny  Hallyday by previous unions, have said that that they would challenge the will of their father Johnny Hallyday - born Jean-Philippe Smet -  who left all his belonging and right to his music to his last wife, Laeticia.

rench singer Johnny Hallyday is kissed by his wife Laeticia as they arrive for the opening of the 51st Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 13, 1998. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

According to a statement issued by her lawyers, Laura Smet "has discovered with amazement and pain the will of her father (...) which leaves all his belongings [and heritage] and all his artistic rights...xclusively to his only wife Laeticia under California law ".

"If that were so, her father would have left her nothing - neither material, nor rights over his artistic work, nor memory, nor a guitar, not a motorcycle and not even the cover of a signed song 'Laura' dedicated to her", her lawyers said in a statement.

The will also indicates that in case of the death of Laeticia Hallyday,  all the material wealth and rights of the rocker's music would be transmitted exclusively to the two children she adopted with Hallyday Jade and Joy in equal parts.

Johnny Hallyday was the father of four children; David, born from his union with Sylvie Vartan, Laura, which he had with Nathalie Baye and Jade and Joy, adopted with Laeticia, his wife since 1996.

The statement from Laura Smet adds that "these extravagant provisions manifestly contravene the requirements of French law ".

"Natural law is a right above the law. As a child [of Hallyday], we have the right to receive something from her father, and I'm not talking about money but moral rights. "

David Hallyda’s, Hallyday’s eldest son and half-brother to Laura, will also contest the will.

In almost six decades, Johnny Hallyday has sold more than 110 million records.