Vivian Jenna Wilson, the eldest child of Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, says she is not living the high-end lifestyle many assume comes with being the child of a billionaire.

In an interview published Tuesday by The Cut, the 21-year-old model and student described living with three roommates to save money and said she does not have "hundreds of thousands of dollars" at her disposal. Wilson said she is comfortable meeting basic needs and maintaining "some expendable income," adding that her situation is "much more fortunate than most people my age in Los Angeles."


"People assume I have a lot of money. I don't have hundreds of thousands of dollars at my disposal," Wilson told the publication. She noted that her mother, author Justine Wilson, is wealthy, but contrasted that with her other parent's extreme fortune.

Wilson's remarks come more than three years after a public rift between her and Musk. In 2022 Musk publicly rejected Wilson following her legal name and gender change, posting messages that referred to her by her former name and described the transition in disparaging terms. Wilson subsequently filed to change her name and gender in official records, saying she no longer wished to be legally associated with her father.

In the interview, Wilson discussed growing up in affluent settings, including attending private school alongside other children of celebrities. Still, she said she does not aspire to great wealth herself. "I don't have a desire to be superrich," she told The Cut.

Wilson's comments point out a truth that often contrasts with the public perception of celebrity families. Some children of wealthy parents receive large inheritances or live luxurious lives in the public eye. Others, though, decide to forge their own paths. They focus on building careers, getting educated, or creating lifestyles that don't depend on their family wealth.

Her situation also draws attention to legal and personal fallout after high-profile family disputes. Musk's public remarks about Wilson and her transition generated widespread media coverage and debate about parental influence, gender identity and the responsibilities of public figures toward family members.

A representative for Musk did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday. Wilson did not specify her income sources in the interview but described having housing, food and social support — essentials she said many peers may lack.

Wilson's choice to live modestly by comparison, and her insistence on living apart from Musk, reflect broader conversations about autonomy, identity and money in modern celebrity families. As she continues her work as a model and pursues personal goals, Wilson said she is focused on her own path rather than the trappings of inherited wealth.

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