Houston Proud Jim Parsons is Leaving the Hollywood Hills, Selling His Cozy Mansion for $8.95 Million: Inside the House That Sheldon Cooper Built
BY Annie Gallay // 07.25.18The actor's Los Feliz mansion has been listed for $8.95 million.
Beloved TV nerd and movie force Jim Parsons is heading out of the hills. The Houston proud actor, most known as the brainy-but-brusque Sheldon Cooper, has listed his Los Feliz mansion in Los Angeles for $8.95 million.
That may seem like a lot out of your wallet. But Parsons could make that much from filming just nine episodes of his CBS hit show, The Big Bang Theory. That’s the kind of money you earn after four Primetime Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Critics’ Choice Television Awards and a TCA Award. Already one of the highest paid actors on TV, Parsons is now bringing home even more bacon as the narrator of the spinoff Young Sheldon.
Parsons’ Spanish-style mansion is located in celeb central, but comes in at 4,026 square feet, considerably cozier than most nearby homes. The homestead itself has some serious star power, with its past owners including the effervescent British actor Tim Curry and, more recently, teen vampire phenom Robert Pattinson. Don’t worry, though — the house has plenty of natural lighting and mirrors.
Theoretically, television’s favorite theoretical physicist plans to spend more time in the Manhattan apartment house he shares with his husband, art director Todd Spiewak. The four-unit duplex apartment just across from Gramercy Park is far different from the hills near Hollywood. But it’s even farther from his hometown.
Parsons is a Texan through and through, born at none other than Houston’s St. Joseph Hospital. The 45-year-old spent the first 27 years of his life in the Lone Star State. The all-star actor grew up in Spring and attended Klein Oak High School before going to University of Houston.
That’s where the showbiz bug truly bit him. Parsons starred in 17 plays in just three years during his time at U of H. The pseudo-scientist made his mark on the Houston theater scene, co-founding Infernal Bridegroom Productions in 1993.
The theater troupe performed 68 plays over its 14 years, earning high praise for its more provocative originals. Parsons also was a Stages Repertory Theatre regular before moving to San Diego.
The Big Bang Theory may be the most financial lucrative feather in his cap, but the show’s certainly not the only place where the actor has distinguished himself. His turn as Tommy Boatwright in the Broadway play The Normal Heart garnered him lots of attention. Parsons reprised the role in HBO’s film adaptation, which landed him his seventh Emmy nomination. You may have heard of another film he played a supporting role in — Oscar contender Hidden Figures.
The Jim Parsons’ Mansion Life
So just what kind of house does this uber creative Texan call home? Well, one that’s as colorful as the character he’s known for playing.
Picture it: you walk into black-and-white checkerboard floors. You cook in a kitchen with forest green cabinets. You take a seat in a room with deep blue walls or bold red walls. It’s a kaleidoscope of a crash pad.
Parsons purchased this stunning, sumptuous Los Angeles home from Pattinson back in 2011 for just $6.375 million. Known as the “Seyler house” for its original owner, the mansion was designed by architect Stiles O. Clements of El Capitan Theater fame in the 1920s. The posh spot has retained almost all its original glamour and glory.
The privacy of the home is definitely part of the curb appeal — with it tucked in high on the hillside behind motorized gates. The roost itself may be on the “smaller” side by the standards of some Hollywood celeb’s crash pads today, but it’s on a full 1.45-acre lot. It’s the perfect place for someone rich and famous to blend into the beautiful background.
It is easy to be entertained without ever leaving this house, with a dining terrace at the koi pond, an outdoor fireplace, a lagoon-style pool and its own small amphitheater.
The second, paved terra cotta patio gives a perfect view of the hillside gardens, studded with water features and a charming, lush mixture of tropical plants and cacti.
The two-story home sits under a massive stone archway with Moroccan tiles. As you step inside, the black-and-white-tiled floor stretches out before you into a living room with a secret surprise. It doubles as a cinematic screening room. The screen drops from the ceiling with a simple touch of the button. It’s unclear if Parsons uses it for movie nights or to watch reruns of The Big Bang Theory on the big screen.
The living space/mini theater features a carved stone fireplace and high ceilings with intricate, hand-stenciled exposed beams. A series of arched French doors, just three of the many that let natural light pour into the house, open up to the terrace.
The living room also boasts a trio of French doors, also allowing you to walk out onto the terrace. There’s an element of drama with the deep red walls, barrel-vaulted ceiling and two deer-antler chandeliers.
The den shares in the bold wall choice, with a deep navy hue, near the card room. The kitchen boasts a long island, perfect for food prep, along with charming green cabinets.
Upstairs, natural light floods the master suite through two trios of French doors, each set on either side of the entrance. One set opens out onto a spacious balcony with a remarkable view of the gardens, while the other is just steps from a smaller balcony with wrought iron rails.
Turquoise carpeting and built-in wood floor-to-ceiling wardrobes and ample drawer space make the room a standout.
Meanwhile, a stained glass window brightens up the master bath. It provides contrast to the rich chocolate marble floor and double-sink vanity. Two relaxing bathing options are present, a stand-alone copper bathtub and a steam shower.
If that wasn’t convincing enough, if you move in now you could have some famous neighbors, naturally. Think actress Kirstie Alley, Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler and Orange is the New Black writer and creator Jenji Kohan.
Ready to move into a house with some big bang? This might just be the one for you.