The nephew of the late Gene Wilder, filmmaker Jordan Walker-Pearlman, has found himself in a financial bind over a piece of Hollywood history — his famed uncle’s former home in Los Angeles.
Back in 2020, tech titan Elon Musk was the owner of the residence, located in affluent Bel Air. Musk agreed to sell the home to Walker-Pearlman and his wife, Elizabeth Hunter, for $7 million and even toss in a loan to help seal the deal.
But now, just four years later, it seems to be slipping through their fingers, The Wall Street Journal reported.
“He could have sold it for so much more,” Walker-Pearlman told the Journal in 2022, clearly still grateful for Musk’s generosity. “His sensitivity to me can’t be overstated.”
Fast forward to this summer, and the story has taken a darker turn. An entity connected to Musk has slapped a notice of default on the property — a legal move that marks the beginning of a foreclosure.
According to the paperwork, the couple is nearly $7 million behind on their payments; in 90 days, the house could go up for grabs.
Despite the looming threat, Walker-Pearlman is surprisingly chill about the whole situation.
“There’s no tragedy here,” he told the outlet. “Elon gave us a magical opportunity. I have no complaints.” He emphasized that Musk isn’t out to get them, saying the billionaire isn’t being “adversarial or mean.”
The property, perched above a country club and featuring a vintage Hollywood vibe complete with a kidney-shaped pool, is now on the market for nearly $13 million.
But whether it sells in time to prevent foreclosure remains to be seen. Walker-Pearlman and Hunter are trying to work things out with Musk, who has yet to comment on the matter.
Drew Meyers of Westside Estate Agency holds the current sale listing.
The filmmaker partially blames the writers’ and actors’ strikes for his financial woes, which hit the entertainment industry hard last year. He says Hunter, who holds the title to the house, felt uneasy about continuing to owe Musk.
“She did not want to continue morally owing Elon anymore,” Walker-Pearlman told the outlet. “We already owe him such a spiritual debt.”
The house is more than just bricks and mortar for Walker-Pearlman. It’s a place filled with memories of a young boy growing up in the shadows of Hollywood greats like Mel Brooks and Sidney Poitier. It’s where Wilder read scripts, played piano and hosted Sunday hangouts with his famous friends — which Walker-Pearlman got to experience.
“That was my home schooling,” Walker-Pearlman once said.
Wilder bought the house in 1976 for just $300,000 after the success of “Young Frankenstein” and lived there until 2007, when he sold it for $2.72 million.
Made up of four bedrooms and four bathrooms, the home, built in 1951, occupies nearly 3,000 square feet.
After Wilder’s death in 2016, the house passed to Musk, who scooped it up for $6.75 million in 2013, when it was conveniently located across the street from his main pad.
When Musk decided to offload the house in 2020, Walker-Pearlman and Hunter jumped at the chance to keep it in the family, even though they couldn’t swing the full $9.5 million asking price.
Musk, known for his spontaneous decisions, agreed to a lower price and offered a loan to help them out.
But now, as the couple faces the possibility of losing the house, Walker-Pearlman is ready to let go.
“This is likely the closing of a very unicorn and beautiful chapter of our lives,” he said, adding, “I’m not disgruntled at all.”