Gene Wilder’s Former Home Is for Sale With Ties to His Nephew & Elon Musk

Lauren Novak August 27, 2:01 pm

Gene Wilder house collage — Zillow; Everett Collection

A home that once belonged to Hollywood legend Gene Wilder is up for sale again. Oddly enough, Elon Musk also has ties to the place with Wilder’s family members currently living there. Wilder purchased the Bel Air home back in 1976 after the success of Young Frankenstein. He purchased the property, which overlooks the Bel Air Country Club golf course, for around $300K. Wilder lived there for many years until he sold it in 2007 for $2.75 million, just about a decade before he died in 2016.

In 2013, Musk purchased the home for $6.75. At the time, he lived across the street and wanted Wilder’s home to host lavish parties, aiming to keep the eccentric look of the home that Wilder brought to it. In 2020, Musk decided to sell the home for $9.5 million but insisted that whoever purchased the home would keep it as is.

C.E.O. of Tesla, Chief Engineer of SpaceX and C.T.O. of X Elon Musk speaks during the New York Times annual DealBook summit on November 29, 2023 in New York City. Andrew Ross Sorkin returns for the NYT summit for a day of interviews with Vice President Kamala Harris, President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-Wen, C.E.O. of Tesla, Chief Engineer of SpaceX and C.T.O. of X Elon Musk, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and leaders in business, politics and culture

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This is when things get a little interesting. Wilder’s nephew, Jordan Walker-Pearlman, wanted to purchase the home, as he once lived there with his famous uncle. Musk made a deal with Walker-Pearlman and lowered the price to $7 million and said that the new owner must not change the home. Musk also lent Walker-Pearlman and his wife, screenwriter Elizabeth Hunter, $6.7 million, almost the entire amount of the home, in order to purchase it.

Now, it seems Wilder’s family is behind on the loan payments and the home is now up for sale. If it doesn’t sell within a certain period of time, it will go to foreclosure, but based on a statement from Walker-Pearlman, this has always been the plan. The four-bedroom, four-bathroom luxurious property’s new listing price is almost $13 million. It features a pool, sauna, detached guest house and, of course, has some incredible charm and history. The home itself was designed by famous architect of the stars, Robert Byrd.

Elizabeth Hunter (L) and Jordan Walker-Pearlman attend the Cancer Support Community Los Angeles' Annual Gilda Award Gala at InterContinental Hotel on November 09, 2018 in Century City, California

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Walker-Pearlman revealed that he has no “ill will” toward Musk but instead deep gratitude. He explained, “It was an opportunity that allowed me to film my autobiographical movie, The Requiem Boogie, in the house where so many childhood memories in it actually took place. It has been a very special and magical four years. Collectively and in coordination with Mr. Musk and his team, we took the steps we are taking now.”