‘I Was Able To Buy Six Houses’: Bronson Pinchot Talks About His Journey From Hollywood To Home Renovation

Bronson Pinchot, famous for his roles in Beverly Hills Cop and Perfect Strangers, shifted to home renovation in rural Pennsylvania, facing local resistance and financial challenges.

By Shovan Roy

Published on Jul 06, 2024 | 11:40 PM IST | 164.3K

Bronson Pinchot (Image via Instagram)

This name, which is recognized by many in movies like Beverly Hills Cop and TV programs such as Perfect Strangers, belongs to Bronson Pinchot. Few know about his passion for home renovation, even though he is well-known for his acting skills. It was over a decade ago when Pinchot graduated from Yale School of Drama and decided to redirect his attention from Hollywood toward historical homes.

"I was able to buy six houses for the price of a New York condo," Pinchot said. The attractive architecture of these houses in Susquehanna County in Pennsylvania attracted him.

He said, “People did not understand or couldn't absorb the reason that an actor would want to live 150 miles from New York City in the middle of nowhere.” That was the question that even confused the residents near him, who were spreading strange rumors about him and his friends.

Challenges and misunderstandings

Pinchot found it hard to live in rural Pennsylvania. It’s where people go if they don’t want anything locals think about Hollywood people. In one instance, a pastor spread rumors about Pinchot’s assistant’s friend, who mowed their lawn in a bathing suit while singing opera around the house.

"The reality was she was just an eccentric artist mowing the lawn in her bikini and then vocalizing." He added.

The financial drain of reality TV

The creation of a home renovation series called The Bronson Pinchot Project, led by Pinchot himself as a host, was also done out of passion for renovation; however, it was aired on the now-defunct DIY Network.

The show ran between 2012 and 2013 but ended up burdening its creator financially instead of making him richer. “I made it a financial drain,” he admits. Unfortunately, the budget allocated by the network did not cover all costs, forcing Pinchot to spend way more than originally projected.

However, after two seasons, the show was canceled, and many of his properties were foreclosed on and sold at auction. But Pinchot still looks at it as a good thing. “I learned an amazing amount,” he says, “and I lost my shirt. What are you going to do?”

Reflections on priorities

He had a lot to learn from this experience according to Pinchot. On the set of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, Eddie Murphy asked him about his fascination for houses in the past.

"I said, 'Who has time for that?'" he recalls.

Fans can now stream it on Netflix while enjoying Pinchot’s acting career as he continues looking toward the future, leaving behind his renovation days.

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