‘America’s Got Talent’ Films Judge Cuts at Simon Cowell’s Malibu Mansion
Trae Patton/NBC Reading Time: 2 minutes
America’s Got Talent is doing the Judge Cuts round a little bit differently for Season 16. Rather than showing several weeks of performances, the judges will deliberate on their own about which acts should move on to the live shows.
Viewers will get a glimpse at the judges’ process during this week’s final episode of auditions. The deliberation was filmed at a very special location — Simon Cowell’s mansion in Malibu.
‘America’s Got Talent’ Judge Cuts at Simon Cowell’s House
Judges Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara, and Howie Mandel gathered at Cowell’s home to narrow the competition down from 50 to 36 acts. Photos from the episode show the judges seated around a large table, surrounded by candles.
Mandel told Parade that filming the Judge Cuts this way made for “a more entertaining, less-drawn-out production,” although he added that “the process is basically the same.” One difference was how nice Cowell’s bathroom was compared to the studio.
“I didn’t have to use a public restroom,” Mandel told Parade, “and I’ve got to tell you that Simon’s guest towels are to die for. But that’s something that you won’t see at home. If you notice a smile on my face during deliberations, it’s the look of a guy who just used a very clean, sanitized bathroom.”
The fate of many acts is still up in the air, but one thing we do know is that the Golden Buzzer acts will be going straight to the live shows. Those acts are Northwell Health Nurse Choir, Nightbirde, World Taekwondo Demonstration Team, Jimmie Herrod, Léa Kyle, and Victory Brinker.
SEE ALSO: WHY ‘AMERICA’S GOT TALENT’ DITCHED THE JUDGE CUTS IN SEASON 16
What Is Cowell’s Malibu Mansion Like?
Cowell reportedly bought his Malibu estate in 2017 for a whopping $25 million. The house is 10,000 square feet, with seven bedrooms and seven-and-a-half bathrooms — so there are plenty of towels for Mandel to enjoy. The property also has a four-car garage.
This is also the house where Cowell had his infamous electric bike accident last year. The music mogul was testing the bike in the courtyard of his home when he fell and broke his back in several places. He underwent surgery to have a metal rod put into his back, and he missed the BGT and AGT live shows during recovery.
Want to know more about Cowell’s various properties around the world? Check out Talent Recap’s video above to learn about his houses in Malibu, London, and Los Angeles, with plenty of photos.
