Chris Pratt often finds himself at the center of online controversies. Whether it's criticisms over his vocal work in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, questioning his casting in the upcoming feature The Garfield Movie, or backlash over his playful request for votes at the People's Choice Awards (where he was dubbed "the worst Chris,") the internet often seems raring to lambaste the Guardians of the Galaxy star. Pratt's latest uproar involves his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, with whom he recently demolished a $12.5 million historic home.
Stemming from the heart of Los Angeles's Brentwood neighborhood, controversy brews after the Marvel alum and Schwarzenegger faced backlash for demolishing a historically significant home. According to Dwell Magazine, the couple recently razed the Zimmerman House, a celebrated piece of mid-century modern architecture, to make way for their own modern 15,000-square-foot mansion.
Designed by renowned architect Craig Ellwood in 1950, the Zimmerman house was widely embraced as an architectural treasure. It featured design elements typical of the mid-century modern style, such as expansive windows and rich wooden flooring. The house not only boasted aesthetics captured in publications like Progressive Architecture magazine, but also carried historical Hollywood significance. It was once the residence of Hilda Rolfe, widow of Sam Rolfe, co-creator of the iconic TV series The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Footage from December 2022 showcased a well-preserved structure, complete with mid-century furnishings that epitomized its era's design ethos. But things started to change after the couple purchased the property in 2023 for $12.5 million.
The demolition of the historic home, which will be replaced by the pair's farmhouse plans,, has drawn criticism beyond just preservation circles. A TikTok by Quinn Garvey (@vintageonq) took off into the viral-sphere, garnering nearly 40K likes with an opening line of "Chris Pratt, you’re a weirdo for this one."
In a video captured by Garvey during the 2022 estate sale at the Zimmerman House, the footage highlights the home's original features and structures, many preserved as they were in Julius Shulman’s 1953 photographs. Impressively, these elements remained in good to excellent condition, with some pieces even sold on 1stDibs before the house was demolished. Garvey expressed her surprise upon learning of the demolition, despite her extensive experience with estate sales, saying:
I remember going through it, and it was such a pleasant experience. I thought it was in great condition. I’ve been to estate sales in houses that were a little dilapidated or you can see the water damages or the hinges of the cabinets are falling off, but that house had such a different feel to it. I never thought it was gonna go. It’s just like, Really? You had to do that?
A few of the Passengers star’s detractors quickly took to the comment section, expressing exactly how they felt about the demo. TikTok user Grace Di Marco wrote:
Chris Pratt just continuing his villain arch.
TikToker Samantha Boston likened the planned new home as something one would purchase off the controversial fashion website SHIEN. They commented:
They couldn't build their SHEIN McMansion somewhere else?? 😩
User @therealchrisbrownies brings up a relatively good point with the following question:
Why wasn't that house protected by the historical society or some other nonprofit?! That's so sad.
The demolition controversy extends beyond social media and involves key preservation groups. The Los Angeles Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving historic buildings, warned about the imminent demolition in January, noting that the residence was remarkably well-preserved and a significant example of modernist architecture from that period. Despite being recognized by the city's SurveyLA program as a property of potential historical value, it was not granted any official protective status, according to a statement by the Conservancy on Instagram.
Meanwhile, Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger already own another residence in the hills of Pacific Palisades currently listed for $30 million, where they reside with their two children. The couple has not publicly addressed the backlash following the demolition of the historic home.
In the meantime, the Parks and Recreation veteran star is focusing on other endeavors beyond real estate. He is currently involved in promoting his upcoming projects, including the film Mercy, scheduled for the 2024 movie schedule, and, of course, he'll talk about hating Mondays and loving lasagna in The Garfield Movie, which hits theaters on May 24.
