From 1978 to 1982, Burt Reynolds reigned as Hollywood’s highest-paid actor and a true cultural icon. Blending the charisma of a high school football hero with the passion of a theater enthusiast, Reynolds earned both a Florida State Drama Award and a football scholarship to Florida State University. After a series of injuries ended his football career, he turned to acting full-time, moving to New York to pursue his dreams. Despite early skepticism due to his resemblance to Marlon Brando, Reynolds proved his critics wrong with a breakout role in “Gunsmoke” in 1962 and a star turn in “Deliverance.” His 1972 nude centerfold in Cosmopolitan remains a symbol of masculinity, and his career earned him two Golden Globes and a Primetime Emmy. Active in Hollywood until his death in 2018, his final film was “The Last Movie Star.
While filming “Deliverance” in North Carolina, Reynolds fell in love with the Blue Ridge Mountains’ tranquility. He and his then-wife, actress Loni Anderson, purchased a home in Highlands, North Carolina, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright protégé Jim Fox. This unique modern-style home, embodying organic architecture, recently sold for $2.9 million.
Unlike typical mountain log cabins, Reynolds’ home features a wraparound porch with expansive mountain views and intricate woodwork. Inside, wooden walls incorporate tree trunks and unique angles, and a sunken living room with a natural stone fireplace once hosted stars like Sally Field and James Garner. Downstairs, Loni Anderson personally built a stunning stone bathroom for Reynolds. Reflecting on his favorite home, Reynolds once said, “Whenever I am asked which one is my favorite, without a moment’s hesitation I always say my house in the mountains.”
Built in 1972, the same year as “Deliverance,” the home has been enhanced by its recent owners, who added a large stone fireplace, an in-ground heated plunge pool/hot tub with a waterfall, a serving bar, and expanded terrace areas. Additional features include a wine cellar and a pool table room.
Highlands, named Travel and Leisure Magazine’s Best Small Mountain Town, boasts around 1,000 residents and is located within the Nantahala National Forest, known for its waterfalls and stunning fall foliage. It serves as a summer getaway and is home to top-rated resorts, attracting stars like Steve Martin, Stephen King, and Nicole Kidman.
The listing was managed by Jody Lovell at Sotheby’s International Realty.
Photo credit: Ashley Lee/Highlands Sotheby’s International Realty