From the Archives: Lauren London Buys Charming Sherman Oaks Villa

[An earlier version of this story was first published in Variety, February 2020.]

Since the March 2019 death of her longtime partner, critically-acclaimed rapper/activist Nipsey Hussle, Lauren London has mostly kept a low public profile. Easing back into the acting saddle didn’t begin until this April, when she popped up in “Without Remorse” starring Michael B. Jordan, the film adaptation of a classic Tom Clancy novel. And in a recent L.A. Times interview, the “ATL” star noted that she now only makes time for the right acting roles  — it took a personal request from Fox himself to draw her into the “Without Remorse” fold, where she starred as Pam Kelly.

London has also simplified her life on the residential front, giving up a series of rental homes for a newly purchased mini-estate in the leafy Sherman Oaks neighborhood. Records reveal she bought the $1.7 million house in an off-market deal; naturally, the property is fully walled, gated, and camera-watched for privacy. Built in 1949 but since completely renovated and expanded, the two-story structure packs four bedrooms and 3.5 baths into roughly 2,500 square feet of living space.

The gated front yard offers a grassy lawn, ideal for children and Fido alike, that’s shaded by a massive elm tree. A brief stone pathway leads to the quasi-Spanish Colonial villa’s front door, which in turn opens into an airy floorplan with a fireplace-equipped living room, step-down family room, and a dining area connected to the surprisingly spacious kitchen, the latter upgraded with top-of-the-line appliances and an eat-in breakfast bar.

Though it’s modestly sized by L.A. standards, the home includes four bedrooms — three upstairs and one downstairs at the property’s far rear — plus a downstairs bonus room that could by an office, cozy gym, or a fifth bedroom. Located on the upper level, the master suite flaunts a vaulted ceiling, French doors leading to a private balcony, a master bath with dual rainfall showerheads and dual vanities, and a walk-in closet with custom built-ins.

Outside, the remainder of the petite .15-acre lot is limited to a driveway feeding an attached two-car garage, along with an entirely hardscaped backyard with a plunge pool and a built-in BBQ center with a bar.

Long before her relationship with Hussle began, London had already begun attracting attention for her supporting roles in a number of early-2000s hip-hop music videos. In 2006, she appeared in an episode of “Everybody Hates Chris” before landing a coveted leading role in the seminal coming-of-age film “ATL,” which brought her wider fame. Since then, she’s appeared in a number of Hollywood films and TV shows; the L.A. native also made headlines for her relationship with ex-partner Lil Wayne, with whom she shares a son.