Actor Chris Pine has filed a lawsuit against Brooklyn luxury developer Carlos Saavedra and his firm, Eckstrom, seeking the return of a $100,000 deposit that he claims was improperly withheld after a short-term rental agreement for a Cobble Hill townhouse fell through.
According to the complaint filed in Kings County Superior Court, Pine initially put down $125,000 for the rental of the approximately 6,000-square-foot townhouse located at 487 Henry Street. This sum included a $50,000 deposit, $50,000 toward the first month's rent, and a $25,000 pet deposit. While the pet deposit has reportedly been returned, Pine is suing to recover the remaining $100,000, as well as damages and attorney's fees.
The dispute arose in June when Pine entered into discussions for the furnished rental of the five-bedroom, four-bathroom home. The property, listed for rent at $69,500 per month, also has a purchase price of $14.25 million.
Pine alleges that he made handwritten amendments to the developer's standard lease form, but Saavedra rejected these proposed changes entirely. The lawsuit states that despite putting money down, Pine never signed a final contract with Eckstrom, and a landlord-tenant relationship was never established. The exact reason for the deal's collapse remains unclear.
"This is a private contractual matter," Russell Wolfson, an attorney for Saavedra and Eckstrom, told Realtor.com. "As is typical of any complaint, it tells only one side and does not reflect the complete story. Mr. Saavedra is confident it will be resolved through the appropriate channels."
Pine is reportedly in New York to film a new project, an upcoming film titled “The Catch” alongside Emma Stone.
This is not the first time Pine has been involved in legal disputes. In 2022, a neighbor sued him over trees on his Los Angeles property, a case that was eventually settled. In 2021, Pine purchased a bungalow in the Valley Village neighborhood of Los Angeles, reportedly for a family member. He also owns a property in Los Feliz that he acquired in 2010.
The Cobble Hill townhouse itself is a pre-19th-century structure that has undergone extensive renovation by Eckstrom, featuring modern amenities such as white oak floors, marble and quartzite countertops, a fitness studio, sauna, cold plunge, and approximately 2,000 square feet of outdoor space.