‘E.T.’ writer Melissa Mathison sells Malibu beach house

Screenwriter Melissa Mathison has sold her Malibu home for $9.6 million to commercial real estate developer and USC benefactor Sonny Astani.

The Zen-inspired home, built in 1973, incorporates fireplace stone, Balinese wood and other materials gathered from around the world by earlier owner Gail Zappa, wife of the late musician Frank Zappa.

The 3,940-square-foot home contains six bedrooms and five bathrooms. The property has 84 feet of ocean bluff frontage and deeded beach access.

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Mathison, who wrote “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” purchased the house in 2003 for $5.8 million.

This is Astani’s third property in the Point Dume area. He owns another house nearby and a 10-acre horse property.

Jeffrey Chertow and James Rapf of Pritchett-Rapf & Associates were the listing agents. Mark Gruskin of Westside Estate Agency represented Astani.

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