Inside The $2.5 Million Luxury RV Will Smith Once Owned
When Hollywood makes a movie about an RV, it's typically got a plain old RV in it, like in the film "RV." However, the stars don't stay in anything so average during filming. Take triple-threat Will Smith, for example. According to 21Motoring, Sylvester Stallone recommended Anderson Mobile Estates to the rest of Hollywood, and Smith contacted them to build his luxury motorhome, nicknamed The Heat. For $2.5 million, this RV is off the charts. At the time of production, nearly two decades back, it was the most expensive RV in the world. Smith called the RV home while filming many of his movies, including "Men in Black III" and "The Pursuit of Happyness" (via autoevolution).
With a whopping 1,200 square feet, the most impressive feature of this motorhome is the second story. Yes, it's a two-story home on 22 wheels. While it looks futuristic — and massive — from the outside, the interior combines technology and elegance. More expensive than a San Francisco mansion or a London flat, this mobile home needs a truck to tote it around, so now it's a (wait for it) totorhome. It's even more expensive than all the cars in Will Smith's car collection (via TheRichest). Let's look at the incredible amenities The Heat offers.
Cozy up on $30,000 worth of leather
One of the plushest fabrics, leather is soft and durable. Since about 3,100 B.C., royalty has enjoyed leather couches, per Medium. Hollywood royalty Will Smith has taken leather upholstery to the next level ... seriously. The entire second floor expands at the push of a button to become the top level of the RV with a leather-lined screening room. More on this room later, but the wall-to-wall seating has room for 30 guests!
The entire motorhome features $300,000 worth of leather (via TheRichest). Leather covers almost all the chairs and couches and even some of the ceilings. All the leather is brown and features unique surface patterns. Since the RV is around twenty years old, the leather material may not be the style choice of today, but the tan color makes the unit look long and spacious. It also mimics the warm wood tones.
An RV screening room to rule them all
The RV area where Smith conducts his business and day-to-day operations is usually invisible. Much like something from his "Men In Black" franchise films, this room forms by raising the roof on the unit, per LoveProperty. With a touch of a control panel button, eight super-strong pistons lift the roof up to 42 inches, revealing walls of frameless windows. Walk up the dark granite stairs and into the stunning leather and granite 30-person screening room.
The lounge features plenty of seating. When it's movie time, a 100-inch satellite-connected screen is lowered (via Insider). For those in the rear of the room, there are multiple 37-inch and 50-inch screens for small screen entertainment time. Complete with a bar, this space has great views out of the two walls of windows from all those leather loungers. Equipped with push-button room darkening window covers, the actor, family, and staff can keep meetings, dailies, and relaxation time private.
There's a private staff entrance
No matter how much a celebrity relishes the glow of the limelight, most of them also value their privacy. Many stars opt for a private entrance for their staff and crew. Much like the servant's entrance to Downton Abbey, The Heat has a back door just for the actor's support staff. Autoevolution says this keeps the celebrity's home space uninterrupted when the hair and make-up team arrives before the day's shoot.
This RV's private door opens onto an office space with a rounded cove and recessed LED lights. At the touch of the control pad, this area transforms into a wardrobe and make-up area. Then the squad can get the actor ready to roll (or role). When filming, actors often have to transfer from trailer to trailer — with security. Even though this is a rolling mansion, privacy is at a premium, so this private entrance is another thoughtful feature.
The RV has real-life transformers
While a futon technically changes from an uncomfortable seat to a less comfortable place to sleep, Hollywood stars want more. More style, more comfort, and something with a higher wow factor. The posh primary bedroom on Will Smith's RV achieves this with a couch that converts into a king-sized bed, per Luxurylaunches. No doubt covered with top-notch sheets and blankets at night, this bedroom is the only room (yes, there is a bathroom) on this 1,200-square-foot coach. During the day, the couch is adjacent to a private desk and work area.
Perhaps the most high-tech Hollywood combo in The Heat is in the office-turned make-up area. At the touch of a button, a section of the smooth granite desk elevates to reveal a well-lit mirror and professional make-up station (via Motor1). How cool is that? Plus, the mirror hides another of the vehicle's 14 television screens.
The bathroom is loaded with features
Most motorhome bathrooms are a little cramped and only include basic items like a toilet, stall shower, sink, and mirror. While the bathroom may be the smallest area on Will Smith's RV, the luxury features give it a $25,000 price tag, per Getaway Couple. Like any Hollywood bathroom, it's got a flat-screen television, granite countertops with an under-mount sink, and wood finishes. Space is a premium on an RV, even a luxury one. Most celebrities opt for a shower, or a steam shower, instead of a bathtub to save space.
The bathroom spans the entire width of the RV. It receives plenty of natural light and maintains privacy, which could have been an issue. The lines of recessed lighting and the ingenious steam shower door keep this shower room bright and airy. The shower doors change from transparent to translucent with a touch of a control panel button (via Insider).
The Heat has an opulent full-size kitchen
The of activity during mealtime, a standard RV kitchen looks more functional than fashionable. However, even after 20 years, the quality finishes and appliances in Will Smith's opulent RV remain star-worthy. According to Luxurylaunches, this spacious kitchen has $200,000 of amenities. Let's start with the most high-end appliances. While most of today's RVs come with full-size appliances, these top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances include a three-door refrigerator/freezer, large oven, double-size microwave, and drawer dishwasher (via RV).
On one side of the kitchen, the stainless steel double sink with a professional-grade faucet rounds out the large prep area. The smooth black induction cooktop sits flush with the granite countertop that lines all kitchen surfaces. The dining area, with a round table, rounded benches, and three stand-alone chairs, gives family and friends a comfortable place to enjoy a home-cooked meal. The kitchen and dining area blend seamlessly into the adjacent lounging and viewing spots with multiple TVs.
The RV boasts state-of-the-art electronics
Whether glamping on a rural set or hosting a screening party in the city, a complete computerized system to manage entertainment, security, and comfort is mandatory. What would a Hollywood actor's state-of-the-art motorhome be without some cool high-tech features? As we have mentioned, this RV boasts integrated electronics worth about $125,000, according to HotCars. You can control all the wired and wireless features from a portable pad. One pad rules the satellite television, 14 television sets, heating, cooling, lighting, and even the clarity of the glass on the shower door.
From lowering the upstairs screen to raising the make-up mirror and lights, the advanced electronics add a feeling of safety and comfort to The Heat. Synchronize all the screens, the recessed and exterior lights, the room-darkening shades, and even the controls to raise the roof. Even twenty years later, the electronics are still current. Will Smith asked for all the bells and whistles, and this unit has all the features the most expensive motor home in the world should.
The surfaces are covered with over $100,000 in granite
What would a custom-made RV be without some attractive stone surfaces? These features last long and never seem to go out of style. Perhaps that's why Will Smith's RV has over 17 slabs of granite surfaces aboard, totaling a whopping $125,000, per Luxurylaunches. All the tables in the screening room, the desks with secret make-up and dressing areas, and the bathroom are granite. Each slab of above-average thick stone weighs about 20 pounds a square foot (via Designing Idea). So each nearly 45-square foot slab weighs about 900 pounds. With some basic math, there are over 15,000 pounds of the tasteful finish in The Heat.
Not only does this RV have the mottled tan granite, but also dark black solid-toned granite for accents on the stairs and table tops in the upstairs lounge. Adding a feeling of strength and elegance to the spacious and well-designed kitchen counters and surfaces, the mottled granite makes the kitchen feel like a home, not a mobile home. The durable material is perfect for life on the move as it is not only heat- and stain-resistant but durable and tough to damage.
There are futuristic doors
While Hollywood designers are great at adding luxury and technology to their creations, clever design elements are sometimes missing. The logical solution in Will Smith's RV is something right out of "Star Trek," per IMDb. When you have a Trekkie design, patent, and build your RV, the toterhome is bound to have some unique futuristic features. For example, Smith's RV already has computer control and Star Trek-style doors. Transporters and warp drive might be next on the list.
In 1966 when "Star Trek" premiered, stage helpers operated the doors, and the whooshing noise was added in post-production (via Hackaday). Smith has this personalized retro feature dividing the wardrobe and make-up area from the primary portion of the unit. This RV's pair of sliding doors don't need stage hands and make that authentic original sound when opening and closing on their own (via HotCars). Beam us over!
The Toterhome is huge
Called the biggest, tallest, and widest motorhome ever made, The Heat has all the amenities of a mansion in a portable home, per 21 Motoring. At 55 feet long and 60,000 pounds, not including the truck that moves this beauty to the movies, The Heat can stop traffic with its good looks. Will Smith's RV stopped traffic near the New York set of "Men In Black III" and had to move further away from filming (via Autoevolution). Some states have rules about how big Class A RVs can be. In general, towed vehicles can be 50 feet long (via Nomadic News).
The RV has 22 wheels to help evenly spread those 30 tons for transport. All that support is needed when the roof expands to reveal the gorgeous screening room that takes up the RV's entire top floor. The hydraulics to operate the roof requires eight super-strong pistons lifting with 2,000 pounds of pressure each to make this mansion even more monstrous.
There's special French wood furnishings
Ooh, la la, what would the poshest RV in the world be without a little French flair? Say oui to Oberflex, a French company specializing in decorative surfaces. Acknowledged for their exceptional innovation and manufacturing, they are labeled EPV (Enterprise du Patrimoine Vivant), and their products are used extensively in commercial and governmental properties. Their wood surfaces are perfect for luxury motor coach applications. The material looks great for years and helps absorb sound. The lustrous and strong wood surfaces on the round dining table, stairway, and the ubiquitous cabinetry all feature authentic wood veneer, per Hitech Glitz.
In the process, thin strips of the wood bond to a sturdy laminate backing. The scratch and water-resistant wood look perfect in the kitchen and lounges rounded cabinets, lining the coved ceiling lights, and supporting the two colors of granite in The Heat. Twenty years since its creation, the wood finishes don't show signs of aging, much like Mr. Smith himself.
This mansion has expansion
For the ultimate comfort on an RV, the coach's interior should be well designed, especially when it's for an Academy-Award-winning actor. While homes attached to a foundation have more space, RVs have a unique feature, the slide-out. This slide allows a portion of the side walls to extend about three feet from the vehicle, per Mortons on the Move. These slide-outs are why the kitchen, lounge, and office areas can be so spacious. The Heat has four expanding slide-outs on the main floor and a rising roof, all controlled at the touch of a button.
Toterhomes (known as travel trailers) don't often have four slide-outs, and only a handful have a second-floor feature (via Autoevolution). Smith's RV also has an extendable awning to make the most of relaxing in nature. The latest builds from Anderson Mobile Estates now feature an open patio area on top of the expanding roof.
There's a bedroom fit for a king
The only bedroom in Will Smith's RV is like a European-style hotel room ... compact. The bedroom takes advantage of the seamless walls of windows lining the second story of this coach. The simple room is at the back of the screening room and features a king-sized bed and two bedside tables, per Hitech Glitz. There's a little step at the foot of the bed so the whole family can watch a film and snuggle. A burgundy duvet and woven accent blanket decorate the white cotton bedding.
The comfy bed can fold into a couch to make it easy to work at the desk with another synchronized monitor. Mere mortals can discover what it's like to live in The Heat since it's now part of Anderson Mobile Estate's rental pool (via Anderson Mobile Estate). Make a reservation and head to Elgin, Texas. For a mere $9,000 a night, this luxurious RV is available for your next big gig.
The decor makes this RV feel homey
Amidst the luxurious finishes, furnishings, and fabrics, small touches make Will Smith's RV feel comfortable. From the intricate patterns on the area rugs to the decor on shelves, these homey details make the space feel more personal, per Luxurylaunches. Since this is a traveling home, the accessories are simple and rustic. Fragrant candles, area rugs, potted plants, and warm accent lighting are used throughout the motorcoach to make the space easy on the eyes.
The fresh bouquets of daisies or chrysanthemums in the kitchen, lounge, and office areas look beautiful and add a natural touch to the interiors. In addition to decorating with flowers, you can add life and softness to any indoor space by incorporating some low-light-loving plants like palms. Some great choices for any home, or home on the road, include the parlor palm, kentia palm, sago palm, and broadleaf lady palm (via Indoor Plants for Beginners).