There are other reasons to doubt this latest real estate story First, because a more credible source identified a different, much more modern property as the one they rented last year. While they were staying in Long Island during the filming of Salt there were similar erroneous reports that they rented a large but musty Tudor-style estate when they actually rented Rupert Murdoch's more modest Centre Island home.
Second because old world style has never been their "style" -- witness the renovations in Miraval to give it a more "contemporary feel" and the modern design of the Malibu house they sold. 3rd because Disney will be shouldering most of the family's housing expenses while Maleficent is filming so it wouldn't make sense for them to shell out for property they could already use for free.
Fourth because the two other films that are supposed to keep them in London are The Counselor which is actually set in the Southwest border with Mexico and the mysterious Danny Boyle project no one else has heard of (unless he has a surprise part for her in the Olympics).
And 5th, because they've already said they had enough properties to look after. From an investment management point of view, they hardly need more real estate assets that are non-revenue generating and expensive to maintain in their portfolio. Assuming Forbes' $270M estimate of their net worth is accurate, they would not park more than a third of that in real estate considering they are not in the property business.
Angelina hasn't starred in a film since 2010 and Blood & Honey likely ended up costing her. Most of her income last year probably came from her share of gross and ancillaries from The Tourist and Salt. Brad meanwhile has been focusing more on less commercial fare. His last big hit was Inglourious Basterds in 2009. His last two films were major Awards players but made very little money. (Something Graham King can emphasize with.) Moneyball made $110M worldwide on a budget of $50M while Tree of Life made $54M on $32M. When you add P&A expenses and deduct the theaters' roughly 50% share, they're left dependent on ancillaries to generate most of their profits. So Brad probably didn't get much if anything on the back-end on top of his fee which was already discounted. He also likely took a cut for his work last year on the small-budget Killing Them Softly. His main source of income for the year was probably World War Z which he and his Plan B helped produce with the hope of turning it into a franchise. In short, they are not swimming in the kind of cash that would allow them to throw money around the way the tabloids imagine them doing. That sort of spending can only be done by billionaires living in an even more rarefied world. Even if Angelina already received the bulk of her fee for Maleficent, it's unlikely that she would spend almost all of it on a house they will only use for a few months.
Perhaps there is a variation of Newton's law of motion that can account for why people are so obsessed with whether they'll have more of what they already have a lot of -- be it houses or children.
Below pictures of the house they supposedly actually rented which seems much more their style than the rustic house in The Sun:
(UPDATE: With sources close to them and the property's owner now denying the Sun's story, both it and the Daily Mail took down their reports. But such is the demand for stories related to them that every tidbit is guaranteed a ton of hits and even People surprisingly succumbed to the temptation to piggyback along. )
So True? So False? Did Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Just Spend $16 Million on a Home in London?!
Beverly Hills, New Orleans, France—where don't Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt live?! It certainly wouldn't be much of a stretch to have their family of eight setting up a home base in England, too, right?
Sure enough, The Sun is reporting that the betrothed actors have plunked down $16 million for Whornes Place, an estate in the West London town of Richmond.
The price is easily in Jolie and Pitt's wheelhouse, they spend tons of time across the pond and London is just downright swingin'. Then again, they've already got a place in the relatively nearby south of France.
Alert the royal family, ladies and gents, because this story is...
So false! (Looks like Prince William and Kate Middleton will have to be content with just Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz living nearby for now.)
"They have not bought that property," a source confirms to E! News. Jolie, Pitt and the pitter-patter of 12 feet are familiar with Whornes Place, however—it is where the family stayed between May and September of last year for a reported $50,000 a month while Pitt wrapped World War Z.
But, though they're setting up shop in London for awhile, they've chosen to rest their heads elsewhere.
"They are staying in a gated community in Oxfordshire," the source says. "They are going to be in London for quite a long time and the plan so far is that they are going to move around between different rental properties so they can enjoy some privacy. Right now they are not planning on buying anything in London.
"Bear in mind," the insider added, "Angelina has bought and sold here before. She used to own a home in Buckinghamshire but sold it because she doesn't spend enough time in the U.K. to justify a purchase. Angelina and Brad only come to England for work, not for vacations."
And, unlike how it was with the French chateau they at first leased and then bought last year, the owner of Whornes Place—"a very successful businessman," our source says—isn't interested in selling right now.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie 'splash out on lavish £10million London pad'
By Daily Mail Reporter
Brad Pitt
and Angelina Jolie have bought a £10million mansion in London, according to reports.
The
Hollywood pair decided to buy the property - named Whornes Place - while
renting it for £30,000 a month last summer.
Brad was
filming zombie thriller World War Z when they were staying in the capital
city's borough with their six children.
Luxurious: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's new £10million house features antique decor and chic furnishings
The
property in exclusive Richmond has an indoor pool and 15th century wooden
beams, according to The Sun.
A source
said: 'Brad and Angelina hold an affection for the UK so this investment
makes sense.'
Stunning: The fully-equipped kitchen has a rustic feel with wooden beams and dark furniture
Splashing around: The property also features a large indoor swimming pool - perfect for the couple's six children
Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie Buy $16 Million London Home: Report
Whomes Place in Richmond, Surrey, with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (inset)
WENN; Inset: Steve Granitz/WireImage
With Angelina Jolie shooting Disney's Maleficent in the U.K., she and Brad Pitt have bought a $16 million mansion in Richmond, West London, according to the Sun tabloid.
The engaged couple previously rented the residence, called Whornes Place, last year, while Pitt was filming the zombie movie World War Z. The monthly rent was reportedly close to $50,000.
As for amenities, the house is not lacking for much, says the paper. There's an indoor swimming pool – perfect when you have six kids – and decorative touches are said to include 15th century wooden beams.
A source told the Sun: "They like the culture and are happy for their children to receive schooling here. They think Richmond is a beautiful part of the world."
Reps for the couple could not be reached.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have purchased a lavish £10million mansion in Richmond, London, according to reports.
The Hollywood super couple fell in love with the property while renting it for £30,000 a month last summer when Brad Pitt was in the UK filming his zombie thriller, World War Z.
PICS: THE JOLIE-PITT FAMILY ALBUM
The pair think that Whornes Place, which has an indoor pool and 15th century wooden beams, would be the perfect place for their six children to be based over the next two years while Angelina Jolie is in the UK filming three movies back-to-back.
'They loved it when they were in the UK last year,' a source tells The Sun newspaper.
'They like the culture and are happy for their children to receive schooling here. They think Richmond is a beautiful part of the world.'
Adding, 'Angelina starts work on her next film, Maleficent, in about three weeks so Brad will look after their brood over summer as he won’t start work on the Ridley Scott film until September.'
The recently engaged couple are expected to tie the knot on August 11th at their £25million French château in the village of Correns.
The engaged couple previously rented the residence, called Whornes Place, last year, while Pitt was filming the zombie movie World War Z. The monthly rent was reportedly close to $50,000.
As for amenities, the house is not lacking for much, says the paper. There's an indoor swimming pool – perfect when you have six kids – and decorative touches are said to include 15th century wooden beams.
A source told the Sun: "They like the culture and are happy for their children to receive schooling here. They think Richmond is a beautiful part of the world."
Reps for the couple could not be reached.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie buy £10million London pad
By Lisa Potter on Thursday 3 May 2012
REX
The Hollywood super couple fell in love with the property while renting it for £30,000 a month last summer when Brad Pitt was in the UK filming his zombie thriller, World War Z.
PICS: THE JOLIE-PITT FAMILY ALBUM
The pair think that Whornes Place, which has an indoor pool and 15th century wooden beams, would be the perfect place for their six children to be based over the next two years while Angelina Jolie is in the UK filming three movies back-to-back.
'They loved it when they were in the UK last year,' a source tells The Sun newspaper.
'They like the culture and are happy for their children to receive schooling here. They think Richmond is a beautiful part of the world.'
Adding, 'Angelina starts work on her next film, Maleficent, in about three weeks so Brad will look after their brood over summer as he won’t start work on the Ridley Scott film until September.'
The recently engaged couple are expected to tie the knot on August 11th at their £25million French château in the village of Correns.
It was a ladies’ shopping date for Angelina Jolie and daughters Zahara and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt on Monday morning in London where she taught them two attributes important for any celebrity child who will one day inherit millions — how to share and how to keep to a somewhat-modest budget.
Mon, Aug 15, 2011