Hugh Hefner Sold the Playboy Mansion in 2016 — Who Owns It Now?
Who’s the Playboy Mansion owner now? Daren Metropoulos bought Hugh Hefner’s former property in 2016 for $100 million. Here's more about the deal here.
Feb. 3 2023, Updated 2:00 p.m. ET
Magazine magnate Hugh Hefner and his life at the Playboy Mansion are under the microscope again. Shortly after Pamela Anderson outed actor Jack Nicholson for having a threesome at the mansion in January 2023, former Playboy model and OnlyFans star Kayla Kayden shed light on some of the other disturbing things that occurred there.
Although that's all in the past, many are still intrigued by the home and what went on behind closed doors. Who owns the Playboy Mansion now? Get the details on the mansion's new owner and the changes he has made to the estate so far.
Who owns the Playboy Mansion now?
The Playboy Mansion is currently owned by Daren Metropoulos, son of billionaire Dean Metropoulos. Daren purchased the property for $100 million in August 2016, just before Hefner passed away in 2017.
Daren lived next door at the time, and with his purchase of the Playboy Mansion, he was primed to hold a combined 7.3-acre property, reports CNN Money. “For the last 45 years, Mr. Hefner has imbued the estate with a rich and storied legacy,” Daren stated at the time. “The property’s heritage is not only that of a famous address; it is a true masterpiece in design.”
Daren is a Metropoulos & Co. principal and the former CEO of Pabst Brewing Company.
As a principal at the family-owned investment company Metropoulos & Co., Daren works with both his dad and his brother, Evan. Brands in the Metropoulos & Co. portfolio include Poland Spring, Pearl Milling Company, Twinkies, Duncan Hines, and Ghirardelli, according to the company’s website. Daren was formerly co-CEO of Pabst Brewing Company, holding that post from 2010 to 2014, according to his corporate bio.
In 2013, he helped bring Hostess Brands out of bankruptcy, and in 2016, he and his family revived Utz Foods.
“Through his experience, passion and detailed focus in overseeing the resurgence and reshaping of these companies top to bottom, Daren has developed a particular expertise in creating and executing innovative sales and marketing strategies designed to connect brands with contemporary audiences, regain relevance and propel product growth and awareness in the marketplace and pop culture,” his bio adds.
What was early life like Daren Metropoulos?
Daren was born in 1985 in Burlington, Vt. At just 19 years old, Metropoulos oversaw the renovation of Castle Hotel & Spa in Tarrytown, N.Y., part of a real estate career that also includes luxury developments in California, Florida, New York, and Hawaii.
Daren Metropoulos started renovating the Playboy Mansion property in 2019.
After his purchase of Playboy Mansion, Daren allowed Hefner to live there until Hefner’s death. And in 2018, Daren welcomed the first film shoot at the mansion since its former owner’s passing: Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-nominated film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Daren is even listed as a producer on the project.
“After Quentin reached out to me and I spent some time understanding his vision for the film, I knew there was a special opportunity to collaborate together and feature the mansion in this thrilling project,” Daren said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “The timing was excellent, as the property has already begun to transform back to its original grandeur and has never looked more impressive.”
And speaking of transformations, the Daily Mail reported on Daren’s Playboy Mansion renovations in September 2021, when renovation work had already been underway for two years. Photos obtained by the tabloid revealed that the roof had been replaced, new extensions had been added on either side of the house, and the famous grotto pool had been filled in.