Credit: Paramount PicturesIn 1971, Paramount Pictures brought the classic Roald Dahl book to life and took audiences into a world of pure imagination with the release of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The film starred Gene Wilder as iconic candy maker Willy Wonka, who releases five Golden Tickets to the public.
Those who manage to find the Golden Tickets will be given the chance to see something no one else has ever seen — the inside of Wonka’s famous factory.
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One of the winners of the contest is Charlie Bucket, a quiet young boy who dreams of a better life for his mother and grandparents. Charlie works hard, doesn’t take things for granted, and is in awe of all that Willy Wonka has accomplished. He also remains loyal to the eccentric confectioner, even when he is offered a life-changing amount of money from Mr. Slugworth, a competing candy maker.
While Roald Dahl railed against the film for the changes to the storyline and the addition of “sappy” music, audiences absolutely loved it. The film was hugely successful and was nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Music, Best Original Score Song, and Best Scoring Adaptation.
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Sadly, Gene Wilder passed away in 2016 at the age of 83 due to complications from his Alzheimer’s disease. However, years before that, he had moved out of the gorgeous four-bedroom Los Angeles home that he purchased decades earlier.
Now, that home is being foreclosed on by controversial X (formerly Twitter) and Tesla CEO, Elon Musk.
According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, Musk purchased Gene Wilder’s house in 2013 for $6.75 million. Nearly seven years later, he was looking to offload property and sold the home to Wilder’s nephew, Jordan Walker-Pearlman. However, Walker-Pearlman could not afford the home, so Musk allegedly loaned him $7 million.
Walker-Pearlman had known the home since he was a child and was thrilled to have the chance to live in his uncle’s former home. Unfortunately, the producer/writer/director was left financially devastated by the SAG and WGA strikes that took place last summer. He was unable to make payments on the multi-million dollar loan, and now Musk is foreclosing on the house.
However, it appears that Mr. Walker-Pearlman holds no animosity towards Musk.
“I have absolutely no ill will towards Elon, quite the opposite. He gave me an opportunity to (along with my wife’s support) reclaim and restore this house as Gene, Gilda and I experienced it,” he said in a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
“It was an opportunity that allowed me to film my autobiographical movie, The Requiem Boogie, in the house where so many childhood memories in it actually took place. It has been a very special and magical four years. Collectively and in coordination with Mr. Musk and his team, we took the steps we are taking now,” he added in his statement.
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He also said that Musk has made no moves to foreclose on the Young Frankenstein (1974) star’s house yet. However, paperwork has been filed by Musk “to protect his interests.” Walker-Pearlman also admitted that he still owes Musk money, and he thinks that he is 100% entitled to it.
Walker-Pearlman and his wife, Elizabeth Hunter, have put the Bel-Air home on the market for a whopping $12.95 million, almost double what they paid for it four years ago.
What is your favorite Gene Wilder role? Let us know in the comments!