Major update on Mel Gibson's destroyed $22 million mansion

News.com.au

4 days ago

Mel Gibson has begun rebuilding his longtime Malibu mansion after it burned to the ground in the California wildfires earlier this year.
The 69-year-old Hollywood legend purchased the hilltop home in 2008 for $US11.5 million.
The 'Lethal Weapon' star has made two attempts to offload it in the years since, most recently in 2019 for $US14.5 million ($A22 million).
However, after delisting the property in July of that same year, Gibson seemed content to hold on to the five-bedroom residence, only for disaster to strike in January when the home was decimated by the Palisades fire, according to Cal Fire.
At the time, Gibson hit out at California Governor Gavin Newsom over the handling of the wildfires.
'In 2019, I think Newsom said, you know, 'I'm going to take care of the forest and maintain the forest' and do all that kind of stuff. He didn't do anything,' Gibson said during an appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast.
The filmmaker also revealed to NewsNation's Elizabeth Vargas that he was not home when the fires broke out.
The Oscar-winner explained that he arrived back at his dwelling to find that it had burned to the ground.
'When I got home, sure enough, it wasn't there. I have never seen a place so perfectly burnt,' he shared.
'There was [sic] a dozen places or so that were just non-existent. I mean, nothing but a chimney and a few roof tiles, and you dare not walk around for the nails and the whole deal.
'The vehicles were gone, everything. My place looked like Dresden.'
Photos obtained by Realtor reveal that Gibson has begun rebuilding the mansion that he has called home for more than 15 years.
Images show that the rubble has been cleared away to make space for what appears to be a new foundation.
Meanwhile, the landscaping around the dwelling seems to have been revived.
The photos suggest that Gibson is planning to build a structure that is similar to the property that once stood on the 5.5-acre plot.
It boasted soaring wood-beamed ceilings, wood floors, and stone archways.
When the home was last put on the market in 2019, listing agent Sandro Dazzan described the property as having 'the warmth of an old-world estate,' while also boasting a 'light and airy beachy vibe.'
The original estate offered 6,578 square feet of living space, including a five-bedroom, five-bathroom main house, a pool house that was being used as a gym, and a detached guesthouse above a three-car garage.
Gibson — who has an estimated net worth of $US425 million ($A654 million) — noted shortly after the wildfires that the most important and meaningful things he lost in the fire were irreplaceable.
'It's emotional. You know, I lived there for about 14, 15 years, so it was home to me, and I had a lot of personal things there that, you know, I can't get back,' he told NewsNation.
'All kinds of stuff. Everything from photographs to files to, you know, just personal things that I had from over the years, and clothing, and you know, cool stuff.'
The 'Braveheart' star did manage to see some humour in the situation, telling Vargas that he was trying to view the incident as an opportunity to look to the future — and move on from the aspects of the home that weren't so enjoyable.
'I went home and I said to myself, 'Well, at least I haven't got any of those pesky plumbing problems anymore,'' he said.
Gibson also expressed his gratitude that his loved ones were safe and had not been harmed in the wildfires, which claimed the lives of 30 people.
'The good news is that those in my family and those I love are all well, and we're all happy and healthy and out of harm's way. That's all I can care about, really,' he added.
The actor was one of dozens of celebrities who lost their homes to the January wildfires, with stars such as Adam Brody and Leighton Meester, Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, and Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag all confirming that their properties had been destroyed.