Legendary Hollywood home once shared by actors Gena Rowlands and John Cassavetes gets listed for nearly $5 million, showcasing an exquisite Hollywood Regency interior design
The Hollywood Hills home of Gena Rowlands and John Cassavetes, located at 7917 Woodrow Wilson Drive on the famed "Celebrity Row," is a 4,300-square-foot, five-bedroom, four-bathroom estate built in 1940 and purchased by the couple in 1963[1][2][3]. It served as both their family residence—where they raised their three children—and a creative hub where Cassavetes edited films and where several of their most notable movies, including Faces, Minnie and Moskowitz, Opening Night, and Love Streams, were partially filmed[1][3].
Architecturally, the house combines old Hollywood charm with European influences and is set on a nearly 0.8-acre (three-quarters of an acre) lot, surrounded by mature trees and landscaping that fully obscure it from the street, providing privacy and a retreat-like atmosphere. It backs up to protected parkland with access to walking trails, enhancing its secluded setting[2][3].
Interior design details reveal a lived-in, artistic environment reflecting the couple’s film and creative legacy:
- A barroom with rust-red walls filled with framed photos and memorabilia related to their films and lives, a space famously featured in Love Streams[3].
- The garage was converted into an editing room for Cassavetes’s film work[3].
- A bathroom decorated with paintings by Rowlands’s mother adds a personal family touch[3].
- A bonus room was created from an enclosed second-floor porch[3].
- The backyard features a basketball court, a unique detail during Cassavetes's editing breaks[3].
The walls throughout the home are adorned with movie posters, behind-the-scenes photos, and pictures of the couple with celebrity friends, serving as a tribute to their careers and social milieu[1]. The bathroom vanity features bulb lights, a gold-framed mirror, and a compact sink.
In the dining area, prints line the space above the door, creating an interesting spin on the gallery wall. The kitchen features black-and-white tiled floors and a Tiffany-style, stained glass pendant. The fireplace is a subtle arch, nestled among a mantel-turned abstract shelving unit. Another bedroom has a deeper mustard tone, while the sitting area has film posters on wood-panelled walls, high ceilings, Regency-era accent chairs, and a wood piano.
The bedroom features butter yellow walls, and the antler chandelier is in one of the bedrooms. The dining area has walls painted in a Mocha Mousse-esque color. The wavy tray by Addison Ross is finished with 20 coats of high gloss lacquer, adding a pop of pink. The crystal vase is hand-blown and made from thick glass.
This home remained in Rowlands’s possession until her death in 2024 at age 94, marking it as the couple’s sanctuary for over six decades[1][3]. It embodies a blend of personal family life and cinematic history, symbolizing their pioneering contributions to American independent film and acting.
Gena Rowlands and John Cassavetes' former home is listed with Kate Blackwood and Kristal Moffett at Compass, and it is currently on the market for $4.995 million[1][2][3].
The interior design of the Hollywood Hills home, once owned by Gena Rowlands and John Cassavetes, showcases a lived-in, artistic environment that reflects their film and creative legacy, with spaces like the barroom filled with movie memorabilia and the garage converted into an editing room. This home, now listed with Compass for $4.995 million, embodies a unique blend of old Hollywood charm, lifestyle, and home-and-garden aesthetic, offering a taste of their cinematic history and personal family touch.
