During his lifetime, Hungary’s very own Andy Vajna produced dozens of Hollywood films. Chief among them were several movies in the “Rambo” franchise starring Sylvester Stallone, the Bruce Willis vehicle “Die Hard With a Vengeance,” which grossed nearly $400 million worldwide, and the Madonna musical “Evita.” His decades-long work in the film industry led him to be called the “greatest Hungarian film producer” by his contemporaries, and the late media mogul is also widely credited with revolutionizing and modernizing the Hungarian film industry.
Vajna’s career didn’t begin in Hollywood, though it certainly incorporated theatrical elements. The former hairstylist initially worked in the wig industry; after growing frustrated with the quality of available hairpieces, he invented a new style of wig-making that would make him a millionaire many times over. After selling his wig company, Vajna founded Carolco Pictures and later Cinergi Productions, which established the previously little-known businessman as a major film industry player. In the later years of his life, Vajna turned his attention back to his native Hungary. Eventually, films produced and distributed by his companies won a 70% share of the Hungarian box office.
Vajna died of a heart attack in 2019, leaving no living children. While he had made a will shortly before his death, the original copy disappeared without a trace. The bulk of his estate thus went directly to his next of kin — wife Timea, a Lamborghini-driving model and social media influencer nearly 40 years his junior, who was widely reported to have inherited north of $120 million, a number that includes several companies and full ownership of the chi-chi Nobu Budapest restaurant.
Like her late husband, Timea Vajna was born and raised in Hungary. Since his death, she’s relocated from Budapest to Los Angeles, where Andy had owned an estate set just above the iconic Sunset Strip. Records reveal that property was recently sold for $4.9 million to the non-famous next door neighbor, and Timea has upgraded to the 90210. Earlier this month, the 38-year-old paid $8.9 million for an all-new mansion in the mountains above Beverly Hills, directly overlooking Benedict Canyon and the L.A. cityscape.
Aram Afshar of Coldwell Banker held the listing; Henriett Novak and Jason Hastings of Compass repped Vajna.