Everything occurred because of Robin Leach. When Tyrese Gibson was a child in the Watts neighbourhood of Los Angeles, he could not fathom the existence of extraordinary affluence. The five-time Grammy-nominated vocalist and star of The Fast and the Furious film franchise recalls, “I grew up in poverty, with all forms of public assistance, while my mother worked multiple jobs and raised four children on her own.” That is, until the child became an avid admirer of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, the television programme hosted by the Australian celebrity. “My first thought was, I can’t believe people actually own Rolls-Royces and castles!” he exclaims with a chuckle. “However, by the end of the series, I had the audacity to believe it was possible to obtain these things and break the cycle of poverty.”
Now, Gibson’s circa-2000 French Chateau–style residence could easily be featured in this 1980s and 1990s classic. With approximately 25,000 square feet, seven bedrooms, and two 16-foot-tall statues of Transformers, the residence of this Hollywood triple threat exudes a tasteful majesty that is more inviting than opulent. As a prominent entertainer, Gibson intended for every room to be open to friends and guests who wouldn’t be afraid to lounge on a leather chair or create music with the golden microphone in his home studio. “I wanted guests to feel the regal energy, the regal vibe,” says the actor behind the character Roman Pearce in the ninth installment of the popular car-racing film franchise. However, it is very habitable. No one enters my home and I say, “I’m sorry, but you cannot sit here.”
Gibson had a distinct vision, but he hired Sue Wishengrad, designer and owner of Sue Wishengrad’s Trade Secrets in Los Angeles, to make that vision a reality. Wishengrad had previously designed several of Gibson’s other homes (including one for his mother). “He flew me to Atlanta, gave me a tour with the previous owner, and provided me with the floor plans,” says the designer, who spent two months shopping for everything her client desired. She shipped three semitrailer loads of furniture to Atlanta. Mona Stephen, proprietor of the Atlanta-based M One Design Group, coordinated each room’s accessories in a matter of weeks. “He told Mona, ‘I need you to work some magic!’”
Magic is present when Gibson stages post-pandemic parties for vaccinated guests in support of former Atlanta mayor and current mayoral candidate Kasim Reed. “As I pull up to my house every day, I am literally in disbelief that it’s mine,” says the 42-year-old actor. “When people visit, they don’t want to depart. This location has been a gift that keeps on giving… and I will never, ever leave.”
The French Chateau–style residence in Buckhead, Atlanta, came with a marble entrance with frame mouldings and a wrought-iron staircase handrail. “The only thing I added was my Bumblebee!” says actor Tyrese Gibson, who purchased the Transformer sculptures for what will ultimately become Voltron Studios Hollywood in Atlanta. Both children and adults enjoy Bumblebee and Optimus Prime. They are such an odd sight, and they are approximately 16 feet tall.”
