No one knows what goes on behind closed doors. At least that is the sentiment at the core of “Truth Be Told’s” second season, the premiere episode of which dropped on Apple TV+ last week. (New episodes are set to air each Friday through October 22.) Based upon Kathleen Barber’s 2017 novel “Are You Sleeping,” the mystery series’ inaugural season revolved around journalist-turned-podcaster Poppy Scoville-Parnell’s (Octavia Spencer) re-investigation into the decades-old murder case that made her career. This time around sees Poppy looking into the killing of photographer/documentary filmmaker Joshua Keith (Jason O’Mara), a probe particularly close to her heart as Josh is not only a longtime friend, the two having first met as “young cubs at The New York Times,” but he is also the husband of her childhood BFF, bestselling author/lifestyle branding guru Micah Keith (Kate Hudson).
Set in Northern California but mainly lensed in Los Angeles and its environs, “Truth Be Told’s” freshman season featured a stunning residence at its center. Known as the Barber House, the stately 1886 Queen Ann Victorian portrayed the home of murder victim Chuck Buhrman (Nic Bishop), his wife, Erin (Annabella Sciorra), and their twin daughters, Josie and Lanie (both played by Lizzy Caplan).
Though only one episode has aired so far, season two seems to be subscribing to the same schematic, with Josh and Micah’s strikingly modern home figuring at the center of the storyline. Ensconced against a dramatic mountainous vista, the eye-catching property is certainly cinematic!
Known as the Lima Residence in real life, the impressive pad can be found at 1055 Cold Canyon Rd. in the upscale bedroom community of Calabasas. (Please remember this is a private home. Do not trespass or bother the residents or the property in any way.)
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Image Credit: Zillow A virtual fortress of cement, glass and metal, the immense two-story estate was designed by Abramson Architects, the same prestigious firm behind one of the most famous modern TV residences of all time – Jay (Ed O’Neill) and Gloria Pritchett’s (Sofía Vergara) pad from the ABC hit “Modern Family.”
Constructed in 2008, the surrounding cacophony of green hills, jagged mountains and lush foliage provided the architecture team a dazzling palette to work from. And the bucolic scenery did, indeed, inform the dwelling’s layout and composition. As the Abramson website notes, “The central focus of the design on this Calabasas home was to accentuate the outstanding views of the canyon beyond. In contrast to the rolling green hills, the home is structured with clean lines and hard angles.”
In a case of art imitating life, the residence’s original owner was a professional photographer, much like Joshua Keith. His line of work also influenced the project – and led to some unexpected revenue. As the Abramson website details, “When first envisioning the home, the AA design team was inspired by the homeowner’s profession – a commercial photographer. For this reason, they designed an architectural carport that frames the view of the mountains, an ideal setting for a car advertisement. Since its completion, the home has hosted commercial photo shoots for Lexus, Saab, Toyota and Chevy.”
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Image Credit: Zillow Featuring four bedrooms and five baths in a thoroughly open 4,227 square feet, the interior of the residence gives a whole new meaning to the term “shotgun house.” The sleek living spaces include a dining room, living room, family room and kitchen, all of which flow into each other and are delineated by dividers comprised of functional built-ins.
Capped by 14-foot ceilings and framed virtually in its entirety by rolling walls and clerestory windows overlooking the sprawling yard, the lower level is awash in natural light and serene vistas.
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Image Credit: Zillow With four ovens, two sinks, an oversized fridge and a professional range, the kitchen is a chef’s dream! Disappearing walls lead to a massive outdoor secondary kitchen that nearly doubles the size of the ultra-contemporary space.
The ground floor is rounded out by two ensuite bedrooms, an office and a powder room.
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Image Credit: Zillow A floating staircase made of steel leads to the owners’ suite, a sweeping enclave that takes up the entire second level.
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Image Credit: Zillow Outside on the surrounding 2.7-acre lot is a built-in BBQ, a fire pit and a pool and spa lined by a ribbon of astroturf. There is also a detached three-car garage with an adjacent one-room guest house on the premises.
As noted by Rachel Nussbaum of the Prestige Estate Agency, who represented the property when it was on the market in 2013, the Lima Residence is “not just a home, it’s a piece of art.”
The extraordinary pad last sold in June 2018 for $3,785,000 and subsequently hit the rental market that December at a whopping $30,000 a month!
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Image Credit: Zillow Considering both Micah and Josh’s extensive success, it is not hard to see how “Truth Be Told” producers landed on the colossal estate to portray the couple’s home. It just exudes wealth!
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Image Credit: Zillow Along with the handsome exterior, the inside of the home is being utilized on the series, as well, though production designer Corey Kaplan (who was also behind the looks of such acclaimed shows as “Scandal,” “Cold Case” and “The X-Files”) made some alterations to soften the space up for the screen including covering the orange and black kitchen island with a white marble waterfall countertop.
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Image Credit: Disney-ABC Television “Truth Be Told” is not the only production the Lima Residence has hosted. Back in 2010, the property portrayed the Los Angeles home of the Jonas Brothers, or “Le Crib de le Jonas” as they called it, during the second season of the Disney Channel Original Series “Jonas L.A.”
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Image Credit: Capitol Records And an elderly Katy Perry lived there in the music video for her 2011 song “The One That Got Away.”