Hoping for a sterling resolution, rapper-turned-actor and producer Mark Wahlberg has put his house up for sale. Potential buyers might need Downton Abbey-esque help to run it and keep it looking pristine. They’ll also need a bank check for $87.5 million, if Wahlberg’s druthers are realized. How many Wahlburgers could he buy with that? At least 10 million, but probably closer to 20 million with his employee discount.
The estate is massive by any standard—12 bedrooms and 20 baths across 30,500 sq. ft. of interiors, and grounds that span 6.14 acres. The postmodern chateau, which takes its proportional cues and spirit of chutzpah from legendary Los Angeles properties like the Hearst Estate and Spelling Manor, was designed by mansion master Richard Landry, and completed in 2014.
The property’s formidable-looking gates open to a circular motor court with a landscaped centerpiece and a fountain, while the home’s façade looks on imperiously with two levels of limestone and a grand set of front steps dressed up with Mediterranean balustrades.
The interiors lead off with a cavernous foyer — double-height ceiling, check; double staircase, check; glossy marble tile floors, check — and proceed to pack in many familiar palatial design elements, including an arcade hallway with a groin-vaulted ceiling, stone fireplaces, ornate ceilings, hardwood paneling, and damask wall covering. Specialty rooms include a two-level library with a four-sided gallery overlook, a lavish screening room, a formal dining room with fairly spectacular narrow-plank oak floors and a graceful tray ceiling, and a two-island kitchen. The solarium dayroom with French doors on three sides looks particularly appealing.
Other treats, inside and out: a guest house; an indoor/outdoor entertainment space with a full-size bar; a sprawling lawn, gardens and plantings; a multi-level pool with waterfall, grotto and beach entry; a basketball court; a five-hole golf course; and a master suite that is better seen than described.
Judging by his early life, the artist formerly known as Marky Mark could have ended up in a very different place today. He developed a cocaine habit at 13; his tendency to throw his fists at people earned him a stint in jail. At 20, he set his sights on a music career as a member of Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. Their debut album, Music for the People, went Platinum and spawned the No. 1 hit “Good Vibrations.”
Wahlberg’s recent projects include Father Stu, with Mel Gibson; the film’s wide theatrical release is scheduled for next week. He also stars in the upcoming Arthur the King, with Simu Liu.
