Category: Celebrity Homes

Leading the United States’ Men’s Basketball Team in Paris is none other than the great King James. The four-time NBA MVP’s very large trophy collection already includes three Olympic medals (a bronze from 2004 Athens and two golds from 2008 Beijing and 2012 London) and he’s back to try to get one more.

The 39-year-old NBA veteran is the most famous person out of the ten thousand competing in Parisand with a net worth of $800 million, he’s also the richest! LeBron James makes an annual salary of $52 million from the Los Angeles Lakers and as much as $100 million annually from endorsement deals with brands like Nike, McDonald’s, and Coca-Cola. Of course, with that kind of wealth, he’s built a real estate portfolio worth at least $80 million. Let’s take a look at some of his houses.

Brentwood, Los Angeles

The centerpiece of LeBron James’ real estate empire (so far) is his 16,000-square-foot mansion in Brentwood, Los Angeles. LeBron bought this house for $24.5 million in 2017. The 8-bedroom, 11-bathroom house includes a pool, wine cellar, game room, home theatre, cigar room, and an indoor-outdoor gym.  There’s also a spa with a steam room, sauna, and massage room. What else could he possibly need?

Beverly Hills

Apparently what he needs is an even more incredible Los Angeles mansion! LeBron James bought this 2.5 acre property in 2020 for $36.8 million and then demolished the existing house in order to build his dream home. We’ll be watching from the skies to see how this progresses.

Akron, Ohio

LeBron James bought this absolutely massive 30,000-square-foot home in 2003 after signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The mansion is located in Fairlawn, Ohio near his native Akron. Though he’s living that LA life these days, he still keeps this mansion close to home.

Childhood Home

LeBron’s childhood was much more modest. He was raised in part by his football coach Frank Walker, who lived here. Walker introduced LeBron to basketball when LeBron was nine years old.

I Promise School

Of course, LeBron James doesn’t spend all of his wealth into fancy houses for himself, he has always been charitable, especially in his hometown. He founded the ‘I Promise’ school in Akron, which services 1,300 children in need. The school provides tuition, uniforms, meals, and access to a food pantry, as well as tuition at the University of Akron for all graduates. LeBron James has proven to be a leader on and off the court and its no surprise he was nominated by his Olympic cohort to be one of the U.S. flag bearers for the Paris 2024 opening ceremony.

Check in with VGT throughout the Olympics! We’ll be featuring more Olympians and their luxurious homes throughout the event.

Representing the United States in Paris for her third Olympic games is the most decorated gymnast of all time, Simone Biles. Biles dominated the 2016 Brazil games, bringing home five total medals, including four golds. She withdrew from some events in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to a condition known as the “twisties” (when a gymnast starts to lose awareness of their positioning during acrobatic maneuvers) and she still managed to snag two more medals.

Though now 27 years old, Simone Biles remains a World Champion gymnast and many eyes will be on her as she returns to the Olympic stage in Paris. The artistic gymnastics events will be held from July 27 to August 5.

Simone Biles is one of the most marketable athletes in Olympic competition and earned more from endorsements than any other athlete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Her work with brands such as  Nike, Athleta, Visa, and Oreo has helped inflate her net worth to an estimated $20 million! So of course, you want to see her house, right?

New Spring, Texas Home

Simone Biles moved from Ohio to Texas when she was a child, to be raised by her grandfather. She has remained a Texas resident ever since, having bought a few nice properties in the Houston area. Her most recent acquisition is a plot of land on which she is developing a brand new home with her husband, NFL player Jonathan Owens. This waterfront property has been featured on Biles’ social media as the project progresses.

Current Spring, Texas Home

Biles and Owens purchased this house in 2020. Though she has a reputation for being frugal, about $750,000 was paid for this house. She still resides here until the new place is ready.

Family Home

Before settling in with her hubby, Biles lived with her family in this 6,000-square-foot house with a patio and a pool. Public records indicate it is still owned by the Biles family. Perhaps real-estate mogul is in Simone Biles’ post-gymnastics future?

Check in with VGT throughout the Olympics! We’ll be featuring more Olympians and their luxurious homes throughout the event.

It’s the middle of summer, and  this year, there are several sequels to highly successful franchises coming to theaters.  Blockbusters are the perfect cure to a hot or boring afternoon, so let’s take a look at some of the really cool movies we can see this summer.

Deadpool and Wolverine comes out this July, and it will be a guaranteed success, merging two hit franchises known for their powerhouse main stars and action-packed plot lines.

Hugh Jackman, NYC Apartment

Bringing the Wolverine to the movie, few people in Hollywood have made being a superhero more successful than Hugh Jackman. The character was his breakout role way back, and has helped him develop a net worth of more than $150 million.

However, a year after separating from his wife of 27 years, Hugh Jackman’s private life has been a little up in the air. Way back in 2008, the couple bought this amazing West Village property for $21 million. It is situated across three floors, and has more than 11,000 square feet.

Just a few months before they filed for divorce, the couple bought a new penthouse in Chelsea, and put this triplex apartment on the market. It hasn’t sold in over a year, so maybe Hugh is using the place while he figures out where he’s going to live going forward.

Ryan Reynolds, Pound Ridge Estate

Ryan Reynolds has a smile that can take your breath away, but when you learn he’s parlayed his acting career into a net worth exceeding $350 million, you’ll really be speechless. And much of that financial success comes from the Deadpool franchise. Each of the previous films have broken all the records, and brought in nearly a billion dollars each!

When not portraying a sarcastic and feisty antihero on screen, Ryan likes to spend time with his wife Blake Lively and their four girls. They love to be away from Hollywood, and enjoy their Pound Ridge, New York home.

They paid $5.7 million for this property more than a decade ago. With nearly 9,000 square feet, the six of them can really stretch out; and if that’s not enough, they can really get comfortable running around the 11.5 acres the house is set on.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die has been out a few weeks and already netted about $150 million! The fourth installment in the 20-year franchise proves why people love Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, and can’t get enough when the two work together.

Will Smith’s Pad in Calabasas

The Fresh Prince has reigned over Hollywood for decades, outlasting all sorts of challenges and scandals, even those that were self-inflicted. He and his longtime wife Jada Pinkett Smith own an estate in Calabasas that’s so big, words like huge and enormous don’t do it justice.

The 150-acre compound in the highly sought-after area of Calabasas has a 25,000 square foot main house, and several other houses and structures on the property. It has an 11,000 square foot gym, and even an artificial lake!

Will’s net worth is pushing half a billion dollars, and this summer hit will bring him even closer, with rumors that he earned $25 million to reprise his Miami detective role.

Despicable Me 4 comes out the day before the Fourth of July, and it’s sure to be a hit. The previous three films each made more than $3 billion dollars! Seeing evil Gru and the mischievous minions is practically a summer tradition at this point, so seeing the next movie is a must!

Steve Carell’s Mansion in Toluca Lake

Steve is known for being a hapless if not lovable character, even as an evil animated villain. But in real life, he’s a laid-back family man. This home in Toluca Lake was bought in 2010, only to be torn down and have a totally new mansion built in its place. The custom design has more than 7,000 square feet on the first floor alone, and rooms designed for his two kids, showing he’s a big softie at heart.

Pharrell Williams’ Florida Pad

Pharrell brought the original Despicable Me to life with his rendition of Happy and he’s back at it again for the newest film. Since the last film, he’s packed up from his estate in California and relocated to a 17,000 square foot estate in Coral Gables, Florida.

The stylish home was designed by a renowned architect, and has a sleek, minimalist design that helps it feel like part of the landscape, rather than apart from it. Inside, the home is very modern, and includes a massive video wall in the main bedroom!

The $30 million property also has a guest house with movie theater, infinity pool, an outdoor movie area, and a skate park!

This summer, it’s obvious these celebs will be staying cool in their massive, gorgeous estates. But you can beat the heat too, just by going to the movies and enjoying an afternoon or evening of fun and entertainment. Don’t forget the popcorn!

Dune: Part Two came out last month, and since then it’s broken all sorts of records, including earning over $600 million, raking in more money on opening weekend than any other film earned all year, and making way more money than even the first Dune did for its opening. Even now, it’s incredibly popular, and has fast-tracked production for the next installment of the sci-fi story.

Let’s take a look at some of the starring actors and locations from the film.

Timothée Chalamet

Making his debut more than a decade ago in Interstellar, Timothée Chalamet has become a major star, with a varied film repertoire, and credit for both artistic and blockbuster successes. At just 28, he’s already been nominated for an Oscar, and won several major accolades. And, he’s been dating celeb powerhouse Kylie Jenner for over a year now, so he’s really got it going on!

Born and bred in NYC, the dual American and French citizen bought a house in Beverly Hills in 2022. The home, formerly owned by Kate Upton and Justin Verlander, set him back about $11 million. The beautiful property has privacy-enhancing landscaping, a tennis court, pool, and great views. Inside, the four bedroom, five bathroom house has distinctive features including a fireplace that takes up an entire wall, in-home theater, wine cellar, and more. The house has been owned by several celebs in addition to Kate Upton, including Kenny G and Pete Sampras!

Zendaya

Since getting her start on the Disney Channel in 2010, Zendaya has been known for her beautiful, piercing eyes, and amazing acting ability. Starring in Dune is just her most recent success, she’s been in the Spider-Man franchise, indie films, television shows, and more.

She has bought a few homes in the LA area, including this gorgeous place in Encino, which offers more space and privacy than some more famous zip codes in the area. The six-bedroom home is more than 80 years old, but several renovations have kept it up-to-date, perfect for the knockout celebrity.

Josh Brolin

Josh Brolin’s father has had a long career in Hollywood, but Josh took a long time to determine that he, too, wanted to be an actor. But, once he did, his career has been stellar. His acting in Dune brings to life one of the most interesting and charismatic individuals in the story, and he deserves all the praise he gets for the role.

He left Hollywood a few years ago when he bought a home in Atlanta. While he put it up for rent last month, the $3.25 million home just north of the city in the upscale neighborhood of Buckhead, has five bedrooms, six bathrooms, and 6,500 square feet of living space on 1.5 acres of land. Of course it has a gourmet kitchen, gym, theater, extra sitting and entertaining rooms, and  more.

Wadi Rum, Jordan

Filming the desert scenes of the sci-fi film in a realistic environment was critically important to director Denis Villeneuve and his crew. They picked the Wadi Rum location in Jordan because it had both a “scary” quality and the rocks mixed among the sand described so vividly in the books. And just like on the planet of Arrakis, the area is known for deadly windstorms, but fortunately doesn’t have any sandworms.

A wadi is an area that is desert except when it rains; then it’s flooded with rushing rainwater that helps give it an eerie and unique landscape formation ideal for an other-worldy tale such as Dune.

Liwa Oasis, Abu Dhabi

While the wadi was great for some angles, the sand dunes in the book were best filmed on site in Abu Dhabi, where the vastness of the desert spread out before the camera, giving the viewer a visual feast of Arrakis in all its dangerous beauty.

Filming wasn’t so hard; the crew and actors stayed at a resort at the oasis, an area of water and vegetation that sprouts up in the desert. In many ways, it helped them feel more in character, and unified them as a team, far away from the distractions that might normally overwhelm a movie crew.

Ålesund, Norway

About a world away from the desert of the Middle East, Ålesund on the coast of Norway, was the perfect setting for the water-rich world of Caladan. The bays and inlets, as well as the dramatic cliffs, were perfect for portraying the paradise Paul Atreides left behind to follow the directive of the emperor, and eventually fulfill hundreds of years of prophesy and his own destiny.

Ålesund is a small but beautiful coastal city that attracts visitors for its Art Nouveau architecture, great river and ocean kayaking, and amazing hiking.

It’s so fun to look at where the stars live and worked while making both Dune films, it only makes us want more! Because the first two installments of the books-turned-movies were so successful, it’s all but guaranteed that there will be more breathtaking films to carry on the story in the next few years. And we can’t hardly wait!

The 96th Academy Awards are upon us, and on Sunday we will watch as awards are given out for best films, best actors and actresses, best music, costumes, cinema and more.

Let’s check out some of the people who might be taking home one of the coveted gold statues as a reward for all their hard work.

Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, California

Once known as the Kodak Theater, the Dolby has hosted the event since it opened in 2002 (except when it was hosted at a smaller venue during COVID). The Art Deco design of the building is a perfect backdrop for the night’s lead up to the main event: the red carpet walk where celebrities walk, pose, and answer questions about who designed their dress and who they think will win.

The megawatt entrance routine is as important to many fans as what happens inside the venue. Entire magazines will be dedicated to who wore what, who looked the best, and whose outfit flopped on the biggest fashion night of the year.

Jimmy Kimmel’s House, Los Angeles, California

Jimmy Kimmel, famed late-night talk show host, has hosted the Oscars three times, and will come back this year to make it four times. His hosting style is funny and relatable, and he makes everyone feel welcome.

Kimmel has been a mainstay in Hollywood for decades, hosting his late-night comedy show since 2003. He’s incredibly successful, and has the usual real estate collection to go with his fame. One of the most amazing homes in his portfolio is the Hollywood Hills home he bought in 2008 for around $6 million.

This house is about 5,500 square feet, with a modern design throughout the four bedroom, 4.5 bathroom house. The house is a great neighborhood, where celebs like John Krasinski have been neighbors at some time or other. Right now, his sister-in-law lives there, but he still owns the house.

Bradley Cooper, New Hope, Pennsylvania

Bradley Cooper is no stranger to Academy nominations, having received 12 so far, for acting and other roles in the movies! This year, he is nominated for the best actor award, though he’s not the favorite to win in a strong year.

Cooper has been involved in several of the highest-grossing films, and has a net worth of more than $120 million. With that money, he recently bought a farmhouse in Pennsylvania. He’s from the state, and is a huge Eagles football fan, but it seems the reason for his purchase is his new girlfriend Gigi Hadid, who spends much of her time at her mother’s farm nearby.

The farmhouse and property set him back around $6.5 million, and comes with a house built in 1704 and 33 acres of land. The massive house doesn’t look 300+ years old inside. It’s been renovated and upgraded to have a very modern kitchen, fitness room, and gorgeous open space. With six bedrooms, there’s plenty of space for everyone to enjoy each other and their own space at the same time.

Carey Mulligan, Devon, United Kingdom

British actress Carey Mulligan has married a fellow Brit, Marcus Mumford, who she actually knew growing up. Now, she’s a successful actress, nominated for the third time in the best actress category.

She and her husband bought a 16th century farmhouse about a decade ago, for around $2.7 million. The estate is a real English farm, with a main house, lots of outbuildings, and plenty of space for their three kids. The house maintains some old looks, with a thick white brick exterior, dark wood window frames, and wood floors. But it’s got lots of modern upgrades, including a full-on recording studio, perfect for the founding member of Mumford and Sons.

Emma Stone, Los Angeles, California

Emma Stone has already won an Oscar for best actress, and she’s up again this year for her role in Poor Things. She’s the favorite to win, but if she gets another gold statue, she’s going to be taking it to a new house.

She had lived in this cute 3,200 square foot home in Comstock Hills since 2019, but put it on the market in January. It was sold, most likely for well over the $3.9 million asking price, as it sold in about ten days.

It’s not clear where the successful actress, her husband and child will be calling home next, but with her commercial and critical success these days, they can go anywhere! And with her reported net worth of more than $40 million, she can certainly afford it!

Billie Eilish, Los Angeles, California

Already an Oscar veteran at just 22, Billie Eilish is certainly a musical prodigy. She won an Academy Award for her song in No Time to Die a few years ago and is back in the category for her original song for the movie Barbie. Billie is an incredibly talented musician, and comes from a talented show biz family.

Her parents were in the business long before she and her brother were in the picture, and lived in this small but happy home. Her brother Finneas is her collaborator and producer, and shares in her amazing success. The duo even recorded her first album in the house!

While she has bought her own home, she still spends many nights at the family home, including one night a year ago when a burglar was arrested at her address.

As always, the Academy Awards will be a night full of music, comedy, entertainment, and surprise as Hollywood’s elite celebrate another amazing year in film.

 

 

Cameron Diaz is one of Hollywood’s most successful actresses, with her films grossing more than $3 billion! She’s the fifth-highest earning actress in US sales. Not only does she know how to act, she’s not afraid to make bold choices, like stepping back at the height of her career.

After a few years away from the camera, she’s recently come back, to film a Netflix movie that will be released soon. The actress, author, wife, mom, and activist is celebrating her 51st birthday today, so let’s wish her a happy birthday by taking a peek at some of her amazing real estate choices.

Mansion in Montecito, CA

In 2022, Cameron and her husband, Good Charlotte guitarist Benji Madden, bought this gorgeous, 11,000 square foot mansion in tony Montecito, California. They dropped about $12.5 million for the six-bedroom mansion that models a Lake Como villa.

The 1.75 acre estate has an in-home movie theater, gorgeous interior decor like high ceilings and stunning chandeliers, as well as stunning vistas of both the ocean and mountains.

Mansion in Beverly Hills, CA

Just two years before, the happy couple bought another mansion in Beverly Hills, for about $14million. The 1949 house has been renovated to have all the amazing, modern amenities like retractable glass walls, his-and-hers bathrooms, marble showers, and more.

In addition to the seven bedrooms in the main house, there’s also  guest house, detached garage, landscaped pool area, outdoor entertaining areas, and plenty of parking for all their guests.

Older Beverly Hills Mansion

Cameron bought this mansion in 2010, when she dropped $9.3 million for the 5,000 square foot home with two living rooms, detached guesthouse, tennis court, swimming pool, hot tub, and everything a Hollywood star would want. The neighborhood is full of celebrities, and she even bought the house from Candice Bergen.

While it’s obvious she doesn’t live here anymore, she’s kept the property all these years. It’s an amazing property, and certainly a great investment.

Apartment in New York City, NY

Cameron is a born and bred California girl, but she’s maintained residences in New York for decades. She bought this three bedroom apartment in the high-end Walker Tower in Chelsea in 2013. She paid close to $10 million for the property, and has invested even more to give it the chic, classy feel that has landed it in architectural and design magazines all over.

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden’s Mansion in Beverly Hills, CA

Cameron’s in-laws, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden, also live in Beverly Hills. In 2021, they bought a modern mansion for $10.2 million. The home is in a gated community that many celebrities call home, including Serena Williams and Hilary Duff.

The home was designed in the 1980s, but suffers none of the Brady Bunch-era design crimes. It was redone in 2019, and has very modern features, including high ceilings, white interior, huge windows, and beautiful gold accents. Outside, the lawn has a gorgeous pool, and amazing views of the mountains, the valley, and Los Angeles.

Jim Carrey’s Mansion, Los Angeles, CA

Cameron Diaz has been in films for nearly 20 years, and she’s had so many hits. Her breakout role in Jim Carrey’s The Mask put her on the map as a strong actress who could hold her own with Hollywood’s most intense actors.

Jim has had as successful a career as anyone, and has the real estate to prove it. He has owned the same sprawling 12,700 foot mansion for nearly 30 years, but recently put it on the market for an asking price of $29 million. The property sits on two acres, has five bedrooms and nine bathrooms, vaulted ceilings, home theater, and even a waterfall pool. Whoever ends up with this house will be one lucky duck.

As she’s celebrating her 51st year, we can see Cameron has so much she can enjoy and cherish. So, let’s take a second and say, Happy Birthday!