Vivian Wilson, Elon Musk’s daughter, lives with roommates in Los Angeles due to financial constraints, despite assumptions about her wealth.

Estranged from her father after coming out as transgender, she legally changed her name and seeks to distance herself from him.

Wilson focuses on building her own life, navigating online harassment, and pursuing personal goals independent of her father’s influence.

Vivian Wilson, daughter of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, said she shares an apartment with three roommates in Los Angeles because it is “cheaper,” and she often worries about money.

In an interview with New York magazine recently, Wilson said “People assume I have a lot of money.

I don’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars at my disposal”. She added that, despite being the eldest of Elon Musk’s 14 children, she does not benefit financially from his fortune and is trying to build her own path.

Vivian Wilson’s strained ties with Elon Musk

Vivian Wilson was born to Elon Musk and novelist Justine Wilson. Their marriage ended in divorce in September 2008.

After her parents divorce, Wilson studied at several schools, including Crossroads in Santa Monica.

She recalled her experience there as “exactly what you’d expect of a private high school filled with nepo babies,” saying she felt like an outsider.

Her relationship with Elon Musk deteriorated after she came out as transgender at 16.

In 2022, she filed a petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court to legally change her name and gender, writing, “I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form.”

Elon Musk has publicly commented on their rift. In a 2024 interview with psychologist Jordan Peterson, he said his daughter had been “killed by the woke mind virus.”

Wilson later responded on Threads: “Last time I checked I am, indeed, not dead.” In another interview with NBC News, she described Musk as “quick to anger,” “uncaring,” and “narcissistic.”

Biographer Walter Isaacson also noted in his 2023 book on Elon Musk that their strained relationship influenced some of the billionaire’s political and cultural views.

Despite the attention, Wilson has sought to build a life separate from her father’s reputation.

She has studied languages in Quebec and Tokyo before returning to Los Angeles.

She told New York magazine she continues to face online harassment, receiving “disgusting, unhinged things” in her direct messages.

Wilson now says she is focused on her own goals, while keeping distance from her father’s influence.