Elon Musk's Transgender Daughter Vivian Wilson Broke Despite $413B Fortune: Estrangement, Financial Struggle & Life with 3 Roommates Detailed
Elon Musk's Transgender Daughter Vivian Wilson Broke Despite $413B Fortune: Estrangement, Financial Struggle & Life with 3 Roommates Detailed
Key Takeaways
- Vivian Jenna Wilson is completely financially independent from her father Elon Musk despite his $413 billion fortune, living with three roommates to make ends meet .
- She legally changed her name and gender in 2022, explicitly stating she no longer wished to be related to her biological father "in any way, shape or form" .
- Vivian has become an outspoken LGBTQ+ advocate and frequently claps back at her father's controversial comments about her transition .
- Despite a privileged upbringing among celebrity children, she now struggles with the cost of college and may need to delay her education due to financial constraints .
- She maintains a complicated relationship with her extensive family, admitting she doesn't even know how many siblings Elon Musk has fathered .
The Very Public Estrangement: Why Vivian Cut Ties
Vivian Jenna Wilson wants nothing to do with her famous father. In 2022, she filed that petition to legally change her name and gender, and she didn't hold back. She wrote to the judge that she doesn't "wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form." That's pretty damn definitive if you ask me .
What's interesting is how this all went down. She came out as trans at 16 during COVID lockdowns, and by 18 she was making it legal. But get this, she actually announced her transition on her public Instagram story before even telling her mom. She's admitted that wasn't her finest moment, saying her mom "deserves to be the first one to know" if she had to do it over again .
Elon's response has been... well, pretty awful. He deadnamed her repeatedly in that Jordan Peterson interview and claimed she'd been "killed by the woke mind virus." Classy stuff . He's even said he was "tricked" into signing documents for her transition and that he didn't understand what was happening because of COVID confusion .
Vivian's clapbacks though? Absolutely savage. She posted a video on Threads with the audio "I look pretty good for a dead bitch" after Musk's "woke mind virus" comments . She's also called him a "pathetic man-child" on social media . The balls on this girl, I can't imagine publicly going up against someone with that much power and influence.
Financial Reality: Roommates, Budgeting & No Inheritance
Here's what blows my mind, Vivian Wilson is literally the daughter of the richest man on the planet, but she's living with three roommates in LA because it's "cheaper" . Let that sink in for a minute.
She's been very clear about her financial situation: "People assume I have a lot of money. I don't have hundreds of thousands of dollars at my disposal" . She's not looking for sympathy though, she acknowledges she's better off than most people her age in Los Angeles, saying "I can afford food. I have friends, a shelter, and some expendable income, which is nice and much more fortunate than most people my age" .
What's really interesting is how she distinguishes between her parents wealth. She's said "My mom is rich, right? But obviously the other one [Musk]... is unimaginable degrees of wealthy" . She's been financially independent since she came out as trans in 2020 , and apparently people have even been sending her Venmo requests for thousands of dollars thinking she's loaded. The internet can be so weird sometimes.
College is another financial struggle she's facing. She wants to continue studying languages but says "College is expensive. I don't have that inheritance" . She's actually considering community college because of the costs, which is pretty relatable for most of us but surreal when you consider her father's wealth.
Growing Up Musk: Privilege & Nepo Baby Culture
Vivian's childhood wasn't exactly normal, even by wealthy LA standards. She attended a "private high school filled with nepo babies" where her classmates included celebrity kids like Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's daughter Apple Martin . She's described the environment as exactly what you'd expect, "People were unhinged, and I was not popular. I didn't talk to anyone" .
Despite the priviledge, she's always seemed a bit out of place in that world. She transferred to Crossroads in Santa Monica after previously attending Ad Astra, a school Musk created for SpaceX employees because he wasn't happy with how her previous school was being ran . Ad Astra had no grades and mostly STEM classes, which doesn't exactly sound like the most nurturing environment for a creative kid.
Her education was definitely elite though, she was taught multiple languages including Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish . That multilingual background actually plays into her current career aspirations and studies abroad.
The whole nepo baby thing is complicated for her. She's technically one herself, but she's fought hard to establish her own identity separate from her famous father. She's said "I fought so hard for so long to be viewed as a regular person" , which must be extra hard when you grow up in those circles.
Education & Career Path: Languages, Dropping Out & Future Plans
Vivian's educational journey has been all over the place, literally. She's attended college in both Canada and Japan before eventually dropping out . Her reason for leaving school? She blames AI for killing her motivation to study . That's definitely a new one, most of us just blame procrastination or partying too hard.
She's been studying languages seriously, French, Spanish, and Japanese according to some reports , though others mention Korean and Chinese too . Before all the public drama with her father, she actually wanted to become a translator . That still might be in the cards since she's hoping to return to college this fall to continue learning foreign languages .
With her newfound fame though, she's considering other paths. She's talked about Twitch streaming ("I don't feel like the world needs another Twitch streamer, but I'd love to do it") and modeling . She's already signed with a talent agent and landed that Teen Vogue cover .
She's also admitted something that feels very genuine for someone her age: "It is my absolute dream to be on a reality show, which I know is absolutely pathetic" . Hey, no judgment here, we've all got our guilty pleasures.
Social Media Presence & Public Persona
If there's one thing Vivian inherited from her father, it's being extremely online. But unlike Elon, she's actually really good at it . She's garnered nearly a million followers across platforms and racks up millions of views on TikTok .
She's described her own online style: "I have a sharp tongue. When you spend all of COVID in online communities of queer people who are constantly getting into drama and trying to read each other, you learn how to make a response very quickly, and you learn how to be funny and snap at someone else in a comedic way" . Basically, she's got that drag race culture wit down pat.
Her social media activity has come with downsides though. She's had to start wearing disguises in public, especially when going to gay bars, because people can be "really creepy, especially about my body" . She's had strangers message her "the most disgusting, unhinged things they would do to me. It makes me feel gross" .
She's got a love-hate relationship with fame too. She's said "There was a moment literally right before I became famous where no one knew who I was. It was amazing. Everyone treated me as a regular person. I kind of miss that. But I also like being famous... I like the fact that it makes me money" . Can't get more honest than that.
Relationship with Family: More Than Just Daddy Issues
The whole "daddy issues" thing is something Vivian herself has joked about, calling it "the most stereotypical thing about me" . But her family situation is way more complicated than just her relationship with Elon.
She's got a much better relationship with her mom, Justine Musk, who's been supportive of her transition. When Vivian came out to her, Justine apparently pretended to be surprised for about 30 seconds before saying "Yeah, honey. Okay" . Her mom has described her as "big, fierce, wild multi-layered magic" , which is probably the most supportive thing I've ever heard a parent say.
Then there's the sibling situation. Elon Musk has at least 14 children with four different women , and Vivian has admitted she doesn't even know how many siblings she has: "I will say I do not actually know how many siblings I have, if you include half-siblings. That's just a fun fact. It's really good for two truths and a lie" . That's both hilarious and deeply weird when you think about it.
She found out about Musk's three children with Shivon Zilis after the fact: "I had no idea before" . When asked if she's on good terms with her siblings, she replied "That's a question" , which doesn't exactly sound promising.
Advocacy & Political Views: Trans Rights & Beyond
Vivian's become an important voice in the transgender community, whether she intended to or not. She's participated in drag events like Pattie Gonia's SAVE HER show in Los Angeles, where she waved a transgender pride flag during her final bow .
She's been horrified by the wave of anti-trans legislation targeting young people, and she's spoken about her own struggles with gender dysphoria: "I was constantly having mental breakdowns in the middle of class. I could not get through days. I didn't want to wake up, I didn't want to do anything. I just wanted to rot, pretty much" . Her experience underscores the lifesaving power of gender-affirming care for young people .
But her advocacy extends beyond just trans issues. She's pointed out that "Obviously, it's not just trans people that are affected by the current administration," mentioning marginalized groups like undocumented immigrants and people of color . She's described the Trump administration as "cartoonishly evil" , which is quite the assessment.
What's interesting is how her personal experience with her father's political alignment (Musk is a staunch Trump supporter who campaigned for him ) has shaped her own activism. She's essentially positioned herself in direct opposition to her father's political sphere.
Life Today & What's Next
So where is Vivian now? She's currently living abroad in Tokyo, studying languages . She's sharing an apartment with three roommates back in LA but is overseas for her education .
She's got this interesting balance between wanting a normal life and embracing the opportunities her fame provides. On one hand, she misses being treated as a regular person . On the other, she recognizes that her platform provides income and opportunities that help maintain her independence .
She's thinking about returning to college but is worried about the cost . She's also considering Twitch streaming, modeling, and maybe even reality TV . Honestly, with her wit and online presence, I could totally see her killing it on any of those platforms.
Despite all the drama and very public family issues, she's trying not to let Elon occupy too much mental space: "I'm not giving anyone that space in my mind. The only thing that gets to live free in my mind is drag queens" . Which might be the most iconic thing any Musk has ever said.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Vivian Wilson have any contact with Elon Musk?
No, she cut off contact completely after legally changing her name and gender in 2022. She stated in her petition that she no longer wishes to be related to her biological father "in any way, shape or form" . Musk has said he's "made many overtures, but she doesn't want to spend time with me" .
How does Vivian support herself financially?
She's been financially independent since coming out as trans in 2020 . She makes money through social media, her recent Teen Vogue cover, and modeling opportunities . She lives with three roommates in LA to keep costs down .
What's Vivian's relationship with her mother like?
Much better than with her father. Justine Musk was supportive when Vivian came out, apparently not being surprised at all by her transition . Vivian has said they're on good terms, though her mother gets stressed about Vivian's public presence .
How many siblings does Vivian have?
Elon Musk has at least 14 children with four different women , but Vivian has admitted she doesn't actually know how many siblings she has . She found out about three of her siblings (with Shivon Zilis) after the fact .
Why does Vivian blame AI for dropping out of college?
She's mentioned that artificial intelligence "killed her motivation" to continue studying , though she hasn't provided more specific details. She's hoping to return to college to continue studying languages .