- The Bel-Air home of Gene Wilder, the late star of "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," is for sale.
- Tesla CEO Elon Musk bought it and later sold it to Wilder's nephew and his wife.
- Musk's team has moved to foreclose the house following missed payments from the couple.
In the heart of Bel-Air, a charming residence with a star-studded past is now on the brink of foreclosure by billionaire Elon Musk.
Once owned by the late actor Gene Wilder, the four-bedroom property was built in 1951 and hosts 2,750 square feet of living space, wood-beamed ceilings, cozy fireplaces, and a distinctive circular bar as some of its standout features, according to its listing.
The outdoor area includes a pool, manicured gardens, and multiple spaces for alfresco dining, wrote Drew Meyers of Westside Estate Agency in an Instagram post.
Bel-Air offers sweeping views of the golf course, the city skyline, and the ocean. Properties in the neighborhood are listed for as much as $115 million, Meyers told BI.
Enter Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who bought the home in 2013 for $6.75 million. He was drawn to its unique character and connection to Wilder, who was his neighbor at the time, the Wall Street Journal reported on August 20.
In 2020, Musk sold the property to Jordan Walker-Pearlman, a filmmaker and Wilder's nephew, along with his wife, screenwriter Elizabeth Hunter, for $7 million. The couple financed the deal with a $6.7 million loan from Musk, the Journal reported in 2022.
But last year, the couple was hit hard by the writers' and actors' strike and fell behind on their loan payments.
In late July, Musk's team filed a notice of default, kicking off the foreclosure process.
The couple listed the house for $12.95 million, with Meyers handling the sale, the Journal reported in August.
The home, designed by famed architect Robert Byrd, sits on a sprawling 0.78-acre lot with stunning Bel Air Country Club views, wrote Meyers on Instagram. Take a look inside the iconic estate:
The front porch features a blend of "traditional brickwork and elegant wood detailing," wrote Meyers on Instagram.
The property offers views of the Bel-Air Country Club golf course from the home's kidney-shaped pool.
The home features a circular bar and "panoramic windows that frame breathtaking views of the lush surroundings and the Los Angeles skyline beyond," wrote Meyers on Instagram.
The house's interior also provides an "open layout that enhances the flow of natural light," wrote Meyers.
The dining room, where Wilder used to host dinner parties, offers a view toward the outdoor pool.
The room has remained largely intact since Wilder lived there, the Journal reported in 2022.
The exterior includes a blend of "traditional brickwork and elegant wood detailing, staying true to Byrd's signature style of blending indoor and outdoor living," wrote Meyers on Instagram.
