Rolling Stone

Over the past few years, a steadily increasing number of comedians and assorted other celebrities have relocated their home base from Los Angeles to Texas — particularly to the musically-inclined city of Austin. One of the latest stars to trade the bright lights of Tinseltown for the big, big country is Arizona native Emma Stone, who won a Best Actress Oscar for her role in “La La Land” and more recently played the lead character in Disney’s “Cruella."

According to Dirt.com, a website dedicated to covering celebrity real-estate deals, Emma Stone quietly purchased an almost 5,000 square foot home in the city for a large amount of money, last May. Property records show the 1940-built property sits on a 1.24-acre plot, with 4 and bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms. The exact purchase price of the home is not available in a records search. Although tax assessments show the 1.2-acre property was last valued at just over $4 million, though the house is probably worth significantly more in today’s hyperactive real estate market — likely in the $7 to $8 million range, if not even more. Assuming Stone paid about that much for the place, it would easily rank as the most expensive property in the “La La Land” and “Cruella” star’s portfolio.

As the estate has never officially listed on the market, photos and exact details are scarce, but a deep dive into property records does turn up a few property clues.

Records reveal the sellers were commercial real estate baron C. Patrick Oles, Jr., a native Texan, and his long-time wife Julie, who originally acquired the estate way back in 1997. The Oles family are well-known philanthropists and political donors in Austin; back in 2015, they hosted at least one fundraiser for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at their Austin house.

Set behind hedges and mature evergreen trees, the triple-wide lot is mostly hidden from the street, though the roughly 5,000-square-foot mansion’s elegant brick façade and white columns are visible from certain angles, as are the gorgeous crepe myrtle trees that decorate the motorcourt.

Also on site there is an oversized swimming pool, formal gardens, and vast lawns shaded by a forest-like canopy of trees. At the far rear of the property, lies a detached garage building that likely includes some sort of guest/chauffeur quarters.

One of Stone’s nearest new neighbours is jewellery billionaire Kendra Scott, whose own massive residential compound is likely to be one of the most lavish estates in all of Austin. Other famous folks in town include Matthew McConaughey, Joe Rogan, Sandra Bullock, Elijah Wood and Elon Musk also have ties to the area.

Besides the new Austin spread, Stone still owns a stylish retreat in the Malibu hills, plus a plush New York City apartment and a relatively modest house in L.A.’s Westwood neighbourhood that is occupied by her mother. Back in 2019, the 33-year-old sold off her long-time Beverly Hills home.