Published on June 13, 2025
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Brad Pitt has long been more than just a leading man. While continuing to take on diverse, high-profile roles—including the F1 movie directed by Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski and an upcoming Quentin Tarantino-penned spinoff of Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood—the actor, producer, and architecture aficionado has also been quietly curating one of the most fascinating celebrity real estate portfolios in recent memory.
Pitt’s passion for architecture and design is no secret. Over the years, the Ocean’s Eleven star owned a striking modernist home that cantilevered over a bluff above the ocean in Malibu (he sold it to Ellen DeGeneres, who quickly flipped it); a classic Wallace Neff–designed mansion in Beverly Hills originally built for actor Fredric March (he owned this with his first ex-wife Jennifer Aniston); and a historic residence in New Orleans‘ French Quarter (he owned this with his second ex-wife Angelina Jolie).
More recently, he dropped $40 million on the historic D.L. James House perched above the cliffs of Carmel Highlands—now believed to be his primary residence. He’s also maintained ties to Château Miraval in France, the villa at the center of his ongoing legal dispute with Jolie and home to the former couple’s award-winning rosé label.
His interest goes beyond collecting real estate, too: in 2012, he partnered with furniture designer Frank Pollaro on a custom line of furnishings, and in 2020, he lent his voice to a documentary on Frank Lloyd Wright.
Between film shoots and producing projects through his Plan B Entertainment, which sold a majority stake to Mediawan in late 2022, Pitt has also made time for lifestyle ventures such as his luxury skincare brand, Le Domaine. But perhaps his most consistent passion lies in acquiring and preserving architecturally significant homes. Ahead, we trace the evolution of his impressive property holdings—from a Hollywood Hills hideaway to a sprawling European estate.
Goleta Beach House
Image Credit: Mel/Getty Images Pitt’s real estate portfolio spans the globe, but one of his most enduring holdings is a secluded, oceanfront estate just outside Santa Barbara. Tucked away in Goleta, the property spans over 11 acres between Highway 1 and the Pacific Ocean and has been in the actor’s possession now for over two decades.
Pitt reportedly purchased the coastal spread near Gaviota State Park in late 2000 for $4 million, shortly after his marriage to Jennifer Aniston. The couple is said to have used the compound as a romantic hideaway. During his relationship with Jolie, the estate became a family retreat, where the couple and their six children would ride horses and spend time at the beach.
Château Miraval
Image Credit: MICHEL GANGNE/AFP via Getty Images Among Pitt’s most high-profile real estate holdings is Château Miraval, the sprawling, 1,200-acre estate and winery in Correns, France, that he once co-owned with Jolie. The couple began renting the estate in 2008 before purchasing it outright in 2012 for an estimated $60 million. Featuring a 35-room château, terraced olive groves, a private lake, and its now-famous vineyard, Miraval quickly became a centerpiece of their personal and professional lives.
Pitt and Jolie bought the estate together before tying the knot at Château Miraval in 2014, with Pitt holding a 60 percent stake and Jolie 40 percent. As a wedding gift, Pitt transferred an additional 10 percent to Jolie, equalizing their ownership. However, after their split, Jolie sold her stake to a subsidiary of Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler’s Stoli Group, a move Pitt opposes and is actively contesting. He claims the sale was invalid and argues in court that the 10 percent wedding gift was never legally binding and should revert back to him. A Luxembourg court has placed that disputed share in escrow, leaving the matter unresolved. While the couple finalized their divorce in December 2024, the Miraval winery remains at the center of a separate, ongoing legal battle.
Today, Pitt retains an active role in Miraval, building on and furthering its pop culture legacy; partnering with French producer Damien Quintard to lead a revamp in 2022, he reopened the estate’s long-dormant recording studio, previously used by the likes of Sting, The Cranberries, and AC/DC.
Frogtown Studios
Image Credit: Gogle Earth In a lesser-known corner of his portfolio, Pitt has quietly assembled a trio of commercial properties in Los Angeles’s Frogtown neighborhood—a former industrial district turned arts enclave. The acquisitions, all purchased from his friend and frequent collaborator, British sculptor Thomas Houseago, reflect Pitt’s deepening interest in sculpture following his split from Jolie.
In March 2021, Pitt paid $2.93 million for a 2,800-square-foot vintage manufacturing building on Clearwater Street, financing the deal with a $2 million mortgage from City National Bank, The Daily Mail reported. The following year, in May 2022, he added two adjacent parcels across the street totaling 13,692 square feet for about $4 million.
Together, the three buildings form a creative compound that has served as a private artistic refuge for Pitt, who was frequently seen at the Frogtown studio in the immediate aftermath of his 2016 separation. All three properties are held under the same entity that owns another of Pitt’s L.A. holdings, suggesting they may be part of a broader real estate investment strategy.
The D.L. James House
Image Credit: Google Earth In July 2022, Pitt made global headlines with the off-market purchase of one of California’s most significant seaside homes: the D.L. James House in Carmel Highlands. The $40 million deal is considered one of the most expensive residential sales ever recorded in the region.
Built around 1918 by Charles Sumner Greene—half of the famed Arts and Crafts firm Greene and Greene—the 3,000-square-foot residence is a masterclass in early 20th-century craftsmanship. Commissioned by writer and businessman D.L. James, the home took four years to complete and was constructed directly into a rocky bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Using locally quarried sandstone and granite rather than the era’s typical timber, the home appears almost organically grown from the cliffside.
Also known as “Seaward,” the single-level residence features arched windows, a Mediterranean-style tile roof, and a sculptural stone façade that evokes a medieval castle. Inside, details include intricate carved marble adorned with depictions of native flora and fauna, a basement-level library, and a dedicated staff wing. The layout also includes an open-plan living area and a tranquil outdoor courtyard.
The house had been in the hands of late Chicago financier Joe Ritchie for over two decades before Pitt acquired it. Ritchie purchased the property in 1999 for $4.5 million and made headlines in 2001 for a failed attempt to build a secret tunnel from the house to the beach below—a plan ultimately halted by the California Coastal Commission.
The Steel House
Image Credit: Simon Berlyn In a secret off-market exchange between Hollywood royalty and oil heiress Aileen Getty, Pitt added another architecturally significant property to his collection. Fresh off the success of 2022’s Bullet Train, the Oscar-winning actor paid $5.5 million in March 2023 for a just shy of 2,100-square-foot midcentury-modern residence in L.A.’s Los Feliz neighborhood—just days after selling his longtime nearby compound to Getty in a separate $33 million deal.
Known as The Steel House, the three-bedroom, two-bath home was designed in 1960 by architect Neil M. Johnson, a lesser-known figure influenced by the iconic Case Study House program. With its flat, cantilevered roofline, terrazzo floors, and floor-to-ceiling glass, the home channels the clean-lined aesthetic of midcentury Southern California.
Previously owned by Maroon 5 guitarist James Valentine—who purchased the house in 2007 and enlisted designer Mark Haddawy to meticulously restore its original details—the property still showcases some of that era’s finest features. Think redwood hot tub, freestanding sauna, beamed ceilings, and a dramatic double-sided fireplace that warms both the living and dining rooms.
The L-shaped home sits on a 0.29-acre lot, with most rooms oriented toward a central pool and patio surrounded by lush, tropical landscaping. Interiors include cobalt blue carpeting in the bedrooms, soft blue custom cabinetry in the kitchen and primary suite, and a mix of retro design elements that feel equal parts nostalgic and curated.
While smaller in scale than the estate he offloaded, the acquisition confirms Pitt’s continued interest in architecturally distinctive homes—particularly those with a story to tell.
Source: Luxury - robbreport.com