November 8, 2024

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Home living innovation

Rainn Wilson partnered with the Property Brothers to surprise his son’s former nanny with an HGTV home renovation

  • The latest episode of HGTV’s “Celebrity IOU” starred Rainn Wilson of “The Office” fame.
  • Wilson teamed up with the Property Brothers to give his son’s longtime nanny, Leslie Gonzales, a dream home makeover.
  • “Rainn and his family made us feel special. They always took us with so much love into their family,” Gonzales said of the Wilson family.
  • The episode also featured Wilson’s signature humour, with the star even bringing medieval weapons to the project’s demolition to channel Dwight Schrute.
  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

HGTV’s “Celebrity IOU,” starring Drew and Jonathan Scott, has been a smash hit for the network.

Stars like Brad Pitt, Zooey Deschanel, and Jeremy Renner have made appearances on the show, gifting their loved ones with dream home makeovers.

The latest episode of the show aired Monday, and it guest-starred one of Hollywood’s funniest characters: Rainn Wilson, who famously played Dwight on “The Office.”

Rainn Wilson teamed up with the Property Brothers to give his son’s former nanny a home makeover

Wilson used the “Celebrity IOU” opportunity to give his son Walter’s longtime nanny, Leslie Gonzales, a home renovation.

“Leslie Gonzales was our nanny from when Walter was like 6 weeks old until he was like 12,” Wilson told the Scotts of his family’s lengthy relationship with Gonzales.

“She was the first person we interviewed, and we just fell in love with her immediately,” Wilson said. “The whole Gonzales clan is an important part of our family.”

Gonzales’ children, nieces, and nephews are close in age to Walter, so their families were close too.

“They grew up together,” Gonzales said of the kids in her family and Walter.

“Rainn and his family made us feel special,” she added. “They always took us with so much love into their family.”

“I think I’m a good mum because they were my big role models,” she said of Wilson and his wife.

Wilson said he wanted to give Gonzales the home renovation because he knew how hard her family worked for it.

“This house is everything to her and her family,” he said. “They have poured their life savings into it. They all have worked so hard to get their piece of the American dream.”

In addition, Wilson said the Gonzales family is extremely generous, even giving away their dining room table set to a family in need. “As modestly as they live, that’s the kind of sacrifices they make,” he said.

Wilson and the Scotts turned the main floor of the Gonzales home into a stunning, open-concept space that was ideal for children

Before the renovation, the Gonzales home felt segmented and dark.

The home didn’t have much natural lighting, and ill-placed counters made the kitchen feel small.

It also didn’t have a lot of built-in storage, which is difficult when you’re raising children.

The “Celebrity IOU” team took out the cumbersome walls and removed the original countertops, replacing them with a large island that gave the space an open feel.

They also built storage into the walls in the kitchen and dining room, making it more functional for the Gonzales family.

Collapsible glass doors took up the walls that led to the outdoors, brightening the space and making it feel connected to the backyard.

Gonzales loved the renovations.

“This is wonderful,” Gonzales said after the reveal. “A dream come true.”

“I don’t want to leave my house ever again,” she joked. “I really feel like I’m in a dream.”

Both Wilson and Gonzales were emotional during the renovation reveal.

“Rainn, from you I learned kindness and generosity and love,” Gonzales said.

“We learn from you about kindness and patience,” Wilson replied.

“We’re just so grateful you’ve been in our lives and helped raise our son,” he told Gonzales through tears. “We’re so thankful to be able to offer you this thanks to the Property Brothers.”

Likewise, Wilson’s son, Walter, and wife, Holiday, came to the reveal, and Walter spoke of his love for Gonzales.

“I just owe so much of my childhood to her,” he said. “It’s amazing.”

“Walter was the most amazing, wonderful, and beautiful kid,” Gonzales said of Walter. “He is the reason why I wanted to have three kids.”

Wilson also brought a bit of his comedic flare to the episode

Wilson was hands-on throughout the renovation, helping with everything from the demolition, to picking tiles, to building one of the outdoor features. He also got silly a few times during the process.

Because he’s well-known for his role as Dwight on “The Office,” he was sure to channel him, particularly during the demolition. Dwight famously renovated Pam and Jim’s home while she was giving birth to their daughter.

“I wanted to bring a little of the Dwight Schrute flavour to this demolition,” he told the Scotts before briefly leaving the room.

When he returned, he was shirtless and carrying medieval weapons.

Dwight often removed his shirt on “The Office,” and he loved old-fashioned weapons, so the nod to his character was clear.

“What do you say we get medieval on this kitchen?” Wilson joked when he made his entrance.

“Celebrity IOU” airs on HGTV on Mondays at 9 p.m. You can learn more about Celebrity IOU here.

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