Dame Helen Mirren and her husband, Oscar-winning filmmaker Taylor Hackford, have returned their extraordinary Los Angeles estate to the market following an extensive refresh of the historic property. Set behind gates on approximately 2.6 hectares, Helen Mirren’s Hollywood home dates back to 1911 and has been home to some of the entertainment industry’s most fascinating figures.
Helen and Taylor purchased the property in 1986 and have spent the decades since carefully restoring and preserving its Old Hollywood character while making thoughtful updates to the interiors and grounds. The historic home has been given another transformation, with refreshed landscaping and newly staged interiors designed to celebrate its glamorous past.
Set across approximately 6.5 private acres, the sprawling Hollywood Hills estate includes a swimming pool, mature gardens and panoramic views, offering a remarkable sense of privacy in the heart of Los Angeles.
The Mediterranean-style residence was built in 1911 for Dustin Farnum, one of the stars of the silent-film era. Farnum appeared in Cecil B. DeMille’s 1914 film The Squaw Man, widely regarded as the first feature-length film made in Hollywood. Over the decades, the estate passed into the hands of several other notable figures, including journalist and film producer Mark Hellinger and actor-turned-producer Gail Patrick.
Taylor previously told the outlet that it’s very unusual to have a house that’s over 100 years old and it’s only had four owners over that time. It’s a remarkable provenance, even by Hollywood standards.
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French doors, warm timber floors and original architectural details bring character to the light-filled living room, while the newly staged interiors allow the century-old home to shine.
Dame Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford have spent almost four decades preserving the estate’s character. Most recently, they enlisted luxury design and staging company Vesta Home to reimagine the interiors for a new generation. Rather than attempting to modernise away the property’s history, the designers worked with it.
Vintage-inspired furniture, warm earth tones, layered silk rugs, dramatic black accents and oversized black-and-white Hollywood photography now sit alongside the home’s original architectural details. Vesta Home co-founder Brett Baer told reporters that every house tells you what it wants to be, and this one didn’t need a lot of noise.
The generously proportioned main bedroom takes full advantage of the estate’s raised position, with windows and French doors framing sparkling views across Los Angeles. A fireplace and warm timber floors add character to the spacious main bedroom, where a restrained palette and vintage-inspired furniture complement the historic architecture, making the most of the estate’s raised position.
Outside, the estate becomes even more spectacular. The gated property occupies approximately 6.5 acres of land, an extraordinary amount of space and privacy for a home in Los Angeles. Terraced gardens unfold around the residence, while brick steps lead towards a rectangular swimming pool, and the inclusion of self-closing doors adds a touch of modern convenience.
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The combination of privacy, land and proximity to the heart of the city makes the property particularly unusual. While the Hollywood Hills are famous for dramatic hillside homes and spectacular views, few estates can offer this much space — or this much history.
Helen and Taylor first listed the property in 2021, when it arrived on the market with an asking price of US$18.5 million. The estate was also previously offered as a luxury rental. After several years on and off the market, they relocated to the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe and eventually withdrew the Los Angeles property from sale to undertake its latest refresh.
Now, the estate has returned to the market asking US$12 million — approximately AU$18 million — with new listing photography revealing its transformed interiors and landscaping. The multimillion-dollar price reduction may grab the headlines, but it’s the history of Helen Mirren’s Hollywood home that makes the property truly remarkable.
In a city where homes are routinely demolished, rebuilt and reimagined beyond recognition, this estate has survived for more than a century. From silent-film stars to actors, producers and one of the world’s most celebrated leading ladies, generations of Hollywood figures have passed through its doors.
Now, for the first time in almost 40 years, another owner has the opportunity to become part of its story.
