THE woman living in an iconic TV show house said she’s plagued by fans knocking on her door, swarming her street, and tossing pizzas on her roof.
Due to relentless attention from die-hard fans, Joanne Quintana had no choice but to sell the property for $4 million, as the situation had become unbearable for her.
Initially, the association of the house with the popular TV series Breaking Bad was exciting for Quintana and her family, who had been the owners of the property in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for more than five decades.
“It was a ‘once in a lifetime thing’ that allowed us to witness ‘the magic of Hollywood,’” Quintana told local outlet KOB.
During filming, she even treated the cast and crew with cookies, although Bryan Cranston, who portrayed the character Walter White, only managed to have one cookie on the last day of shooting.
But the initial charm quickly wore off as the home became a pilgrimage site for Breaking Bad fans.
Strangers began showing up at all hours, taking photos, knocking on the door, and even leaving bizarre packages addressed to the fictional Walter White.
One package was so suspicious that the family even called the bomb squad.
“We average 300 cars a day,” Quintana said.
“Come Balloon Fiesta, hundreds of thousands come for balloons. Balloons go up, they come down. Where do they come? Here.”
Even though they quickly installed a gate, TV nerds continued to drive by and stare.
Some went as far as to reenact an iconic scene from the show by tossing pizzas onto the garage roof.
The act became an unsavory meme and drew criticism from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan.
He said on the Better Call Saul podcast back in 2022: “There is nothing original, or funny, or cool about throwing a pizza on this lady’s roof.
“She is the sweetest lady in the world, and if you are getting on her nerves you are doing something seriously f*****g wrong.”
Despite efforts to discourage visitors, tensions boiled over when Quintana was caught on video in 2023 yelling at a couple filming the house, telling them, “Get out, you Mexican trash”, The New York Post reports.
Now, after decades of memories in the home, Quintana has had enough.
“This was our family home from 1973, almost 52 years,” she said.
“So we’re going to walk away with just our memories. It’s time to move on. We’re done. There’s no reason to fight anymore.”
The home’s $4 million price tag is a stark contrast to Albuquerque’s median home price of $400,000, according to the Associated Press.
While the asking price reflects its fame, Quintana insists her decision to sell is more about reclaiming peace than profiting off its Hollywood legacy.
Most famous TV houses
HOMES featured on iconic TV shows have become cultural landmarks, with fans visiting and some even fetching high prices when listed on the real estate market.
Here’s a list of some of the most famous TV houses and their real-world locations:
The “Breaking Bad” House – Albuquerque, New Mexico: Walter White’s home became a fan pilgrimage site, famous for the pizza-on-the-roof scene.
The “Full House” House – San Francisco, California: The Victorian-style home featured in the opening credits is often confused with the nearby “Painted Ladies.”
The “Friends” Apartment – New York City, New York: The iconic exterior shots of Monica’s apartment building were filmed in Greenwich Village.
The “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” Mansion – Los Angeles, California: This luxurious mansion became synonymous with Will Smith’s rise to fame in Bel-Air.
The “Sopranos” House – North Caldwell, New Jersey: Tony Soprano’s suburban New Jersey mansion is instantly recognizable to fans.
The “Stranger Things” House – Fayetteville, Georgia: The Byers family’s house is a key location in the hit Netflix series.
