“There’s no tragedy here,” said filmmaker Jordan Walker-Pearlman, reflecting on his unique situation with Elon Musk. According to him, Musk gave him and his wife, Elizabeth Hunter, an incredible opportunity, and they have no complaints about the current circumstances.
Walker-Pearlman explained that the couple fell behind on their loan payments due to the prolonged writers’ and actors’ strikes in Los Angeles the previous year. The house is held in Hunter’s name, and she struggled with the moral implications of missing payments. “She didn’t want to keep owing Elon, feeling we already owe him a spiritual debt,” he said. Despite their financial challenges, Walker-Pearlman mentioned that Musk’s representatives have indicated they have no plans to force a sale of the property. Musk himself didn’t comment on the matter.
The house in question, perched above the Bel-Air Country Club, is a low-profile, white-shingled home that features a kidney-shaped pool and a guest cottage. Spanning about 2,800 square feet on a 0.78-acre lot, the house blends traditional brickwork and wood detailing on the exterior, while the interior showcases wood-beamed ceilings, fireplaces, and an open layout.
Gene Wilder, born Jerome Silberman, originally bought the house for about $300,000 in 1976, following the success of his film Young Frankenstein in 1974. Walker-Pearlman, who is Wilder’s nephew, spent part of his childhood living in this home, alternating his time between Wilder’s house and his grandmother’s residence in Harlem. Walker-Pearlman revealed in a 2022 interview with The Wall Street Journal that his parents weren’t particularly keen on the responsibilities of raising children, which led to him living with his uncle.
During his time with Wilder, Walker-Pearlman recounted fond memories of his uncle reading scripts and playing the piano. He also remembered Sundays filled with visits from notable figures like Mel Brooks and Sidney Poitier, calling it his form of “home schooling.” Wilder eventually sold the property in 2007 for $2.725 million and passed away in 2016.
In 2013, a trust linked to Elon Musk, who is the CEO of Tesla and executive chairman of X (formerly Twitter), purchased the house for $6.75 million. At the time, it was situated across the street from Musk’s main residence. By 2020, amid his decision to sell off most of his physical possessions, Musk listed the house on the market. He was adamant that the buyer should preserve the property, given its sentimental value and history.
Although Walker-Pearlman and Hunter, a screenwriter, initially couldn’t afford Musk’s asking price of $9.5 million, they managed to work out a deal. Musk agreed to loan them the money necessary to purchase the house, which allowed Walker-Pearlman to fulfill his long-held dream of restoring it and sharing it with his wife.
For Walker-Pearlman, the experience has been deeply meaningful. He has no resentment over the financial difficulties they’ve encountered and views this chapter of their lives with gratitude. “This feels like the closing of a very special, one-of-a-kind chapter in our lives,” he said. “I’m not bitter at all.”
