Angelina Jolie Nabs Historic Cecil B. DeMille Mansion For $25 Million

By on April 26, 2017 in ArticlesCelebrity Homes

Angelina Jolie is reportedly closing in on one of the most historic homes in Los Angeles.

The actress, director, and humanitarian has made an offer of roughly $25 million for the former Los Feliz estate of legendary filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille. The property had been listed for $24.95 million, and according to reports, Jolie's offer has been accepted and the sale is now in escrow.

If the deal closes, it will reportedly set a new record for the Los Feliz neighborhood. The previous record was believed to be around $11 million, set when comedian Chris Hardwick and heiress Lydia Hearst purchased their own Los Feliz mansion. In other words, Jolie isn't just buying a house. She's potentially more than doubling the neighborhood's all-time residential sales record.

The purchase comes at a transitional moment for Jolie, who filed for divorce from Brad Pitt in 2016. The DeMille estate is located in Laughlin Park, one of Los Angeles' most private and celebrity-friendly gated communities. It is also relatively close to the home Jolie once shared with Pitt, which could make the location practical as the former couple navigates life after their split with their six children.

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A Hollywood Landmark

The estate's biggest selling point is not just its size or location. It is its history.

The mansion was built in 1913 and later became the longtime home of Cecil B. DeMille, one of the founding figures of the American film industry. DeMille, whose credits included "The Ten Commandments," purchased the property in 1916 for roughly $28,000 and lived there until his death in 1959.

That kind of Hollywood pedigree is difficult to replicate. The estate is not merely a luxury home in Los Angeles. It is a direct link to the earliest decades of the movie business, when silent films were giving way to the studio system and Los Angeles was becoming the center of global entertainment.

The Property

The Beaux Arts-style mansion sits on a large, private lot in Laughlin Park. The main house includes six bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, along with an in-home gym, a large library, and formal entertaining spaces. According to listing materials, the home had recently undergone a multi-year restoration project costing around $500,000.

The grounds add considerably to the property's appeal. The estate includes a swimming pool and pool house, a separate studio, decorative fountains, rose gardens, and wide lawns. For Jolie and her children, the property would offer the kind of privacy, space, and security that can be difficult to find in central Los Angeles.

A Major Purchase After the Pitt Split

Jolie had reportedly been renting a Malibu beachfront home for around $95,000 per month after her separation from Pitt. A purchase of the DeMille estate would give her a more permanent base in Los Angeles while keeping her close to the center of the entertainment industry.

At around $25 million, the home would be one of Jolie's most significant public real estate purchases. It is also a fitting property for someone whose career has spanned acting, directing, producing, and humanitarian work.

Assuming the sale closes, Angelina Jolie will not only own a sprawling Los Feliz mansion. She will own a piece of Hollywood history.

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