The Big Picture

Celebrities on
Celebrity IOU
show selflessness by renovating homes for those who impacted them, showcasing a new side to their caring nature.
Drew and Jonathan Scott dish on the show’s challenges like tight timelines, unexpected weather, and celebrities doing manual labor, creating a unique bond.

Celebrity IOU
goes beyond star power, revealing heartfelt stories, surprises, and challenges faced during meaningful home renovations.

Since first bursting onto the scene with their runaway hit, Property Brothers in 2011, beloved twins Drew Scott and Jonathan Scott have transformed hundreds of homes and lives across multiple franchises on HGTV — and now Max. But with Celebrity IOU, they take things to a whole new level, working closely with A-list stars to offer viewers a front-row seat to an emotional, and often, deeply personal ride. With each episode finding celebs undertaking a home renovation to express their gratitude for those who’ve impacted their life, the series is one rooted in a sincere heart. While in an exclusive conversation with Collider for Season 8 premiering August 12, Jonathan admits it’s a “beautiful” project that lets the audience see “the side of celebrities you never get to see; and see how much they care.”

“When you hand the keys over, and you transform a family’s lives, I think that also impacts everyone around them,” he says. “You really are paying it forward that way. These celebrities come in, and they are selfless. They are willing to go way outside their comfort zones and do something they’ve never done before, and it does really create a bond. We’ll go to events years later and we’ll bump into Viola Davis, Brad Pitt, you name it, and it’s like a family reunion because you’ve really experienced something special with all of these folks.”

Drew adds the one thing they don’t usually talk about is the generosity behind the stars, who he discloses don’t get paid anything to be on the show. Instead, it’s just another example of how big a heart they have. “They’re just doing this out of the kindness of their heart. There is no fee. You think about it, these celebrities going to do some sort of a guest spot or a cameo on a show, and they make a lot of money. They don’t get anything from this aside from the satisfaction that they’re doing something good for someone they love.”

As they gear up for another round of heartwarming transformations following the show’s premiere four years ago, they share with Collider what it’s like to work alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest names among the likes of Mandy Moore, Zach Braff, and Danny Trejo, the challenges they faced during these renovations, and the joy of helping stars give back in such a meaningful way.

Celebrity IOU In this reality TV series, Hollywood stars give back to the people who have impacted their lives by surprising them with home renovations. With the help of Drew and Jonathan Scott, better known as the Property Brothers, celebrities roll up their sleeves and get involved in the renovations, creating heartwarming moments as they transform spaces for their loved ones.Release Date April 13, 2020 Seasons 8 Main Characters Production Company Network

‘Celebrity IOU’s Season 8 Premiere Brought Some “Stress” – Sort Of
In the August 12 premiere, Moore is stepping into a whole new role as a builder and designer. She’s surprising her longtime friend Celina, who’s been like family to her for 15 years, with a stunning backyard makeover. As the brothers help Mandy, they quickly realize the covered patio is far from safe. Determined to create a beautiful, upgraded oasis for her friend, Mandy gets her hands dirty, tackling everything from jack-hammering cracked concrete to tearing off old shingles and even mastering a power saw — all while battling weeks of unexpected rain, an element the brothers admit brought about anxiety.

“We had a lot of stress on that because it was an outdoor space that we were doing in the pouring rain that entire week,” Jonathan says. “I think we maybe had one dry day the entire time we were doing that project. Then when that wasn’t causing problems, Drew was trying to slip in lyrics from Mandy’s pop songs into everything he was saying. That caused problems.”

Drew chimes in that it’s a “good thing” she loves her fans because he was giving it his all while on set. “Mandy thought it was funny, but whether it was her lyrics from her songs from A Walk to Remember, or in the scene, I’m like, ‘Oh, guys, it’s raining so much. This Is Us. Look at us. It’s gonna be a Walk to Remember. One day we’ll look back…” Just then Jonathan interjects jokingly, “Don’t worry, guys, when this project’s done, it’ll be ‘Sweet as Candy.’ I’m like, ‘Stop!’”

Related ‘Celebrity IOU’ Gets a Surprise Makeover From Actors Milo and Camryn Manheim HGTV Scott brothers are teaming up with the A-list actors for a kitchen renovation for a family friend.

But it wasn’t all fun and games, as the three had to deal with a strict timeline amid the rainfall – a factor outside their renovation control. “That’s the thing, most of the celebrities we have, they haven’t done big renovations before. They’ve never done it, and they have no idea,” Drew says. “They’re just like, ‘Is this something we can do in two weeks?’ I’m like, ‘No, this should be 10 months, but we’re going to try and get it done in five weeks,’ or whatever it might be.”

Having their expertise of more than two decades under their toolbelt, it’s good they are an efficient pair who work well together. “We have a big team, a strong team, and that’s what helps expedite. And also the fact that the celebrities are willing to get their hands dirty,” he adds. “Literally, we had Tony Hawk, Wanda Sykes, and I’m sure a couple of others I’m forgetting up on the roofs of the buildings, like, ripping off the old shingles. Wanda had a torch, we were calling it a blowtorch, and she’s up there, like, laughing maniacally with this flamethrower on the roof. There are things that they’re willing to do that I didn’t think they would do, and it’s hilarious to see.”

Jonathan adds that there was also stuff that slowed them down this season, like Mira Sorvino and Drew, who were both on Dancing With the Stars. “Every two seconds, I’d turn around, and they’re dancing during the renovation, which was entertaining, but not getting stuff done.”

‘Celebrity IOU’ Is More Than Its Star-Studded Appeal

One of the more charming aspects of Celebrity IOU is how it’s not just about its star-studded appeal. As the brothers share, it’s all “real life” that they’re coming in and helping make better for individuals who’ve had a big impact on their celeb clients. “Sometimes it’s a total surprise, so the recipient might be away for whatever reason for four weeks, and that’s all we have because when they come back, they’re going to discover what’s happening,” Jonathan says. “Sometimes they’re aware of it, and we put them in a temporary place, and we just have to delay them. The Zach episode, for example — that project was just a nightmare. We had so many problems, illegal work, you name it. It had been hidden from the family when they bought the house, and we were going to make sure that it was done right. So that project ended up taking over twice as long as it was supposed to. But Zach was great. He was there all the time.”

Drew admits that Braff was there even when he “wasn’t supposed to be,” which was hilarious to the younger twin. “That was like Jay Leno. When we shot with Jay, we would show up and they were already on the construction site, ready to work,” he says, adding how it’s an aspect he loves.

With the renovations getting dramatic across the show’s seven episodes this season, Drew adds how the Trejo renovation was its fair share of a “headache.” The pair helped the Machete actor convert a garage into a living space, but it wasn’t really secure. “The family that he was giving back to, the house was really, really tiny, and Maeve [his friend] wanted to have a space for her kids. So, converting this garage was one thing, but we went in there and found out that, structurally, it wasn’t exactly safe because the neighbor had planted bamboo next to the garage. If you’ve ever worked with bamboo, it grows very crazy, very fast.”

The plant being an invasive species was a challenge for the three as when they opened up the wall on one side, the bamboo shoots were thick, and inside the wall, according to Drew. “It had taken over the wall, and it was all corroded and broken away, so we had to actually tame that and get the bamboo out of the wall.” Thankfully, as Jonathan adds, Trejo is “good with a machete, and so he was able to chop that all down.”

Drew and Jonathan Tease What’s Ahead for ‘Celebrity IOU’ Season 8

As the season follows more celeb-led home overhauls on strict timelines, including a primary suite transformation that boasts a high-end wet room with a soaking tub and a custom built-in closet as well as a detached garage facelift, the two admit to Collider you’ll see another, very layered side to your favorite celebs.

“You don’t expect to see this other side of those celebrities. Everybody sees Danny as super serious,” Drew says. “Day one, Jonathan said to Danny, ‘Danny, I’m afraid of you.’ But he’s such a teddy bear and he’s a sweetheart, and to see that side of him. Or even Mandy, who is a sweetheart, but then you see this badass side of her that comes out there, and she’s just swinging a sledgehammer. It’s pretty fun.”

Jonathan admits it was the “same thing” with Jennifer Jason Leigh, who is known to be quiet and kind. But as their time with The Hateful Eight star progressed, they said there was a real deeper side to her when tackling the demo. “I love just getting people out of their shells,” he says. “Some of these folks, we unleashed a monster and I’m pretty sure they’re going around smashing houses.”

Drew admits he had to laugh with Leigh because of her excitement. As she has known the recipient for 40 years, the actress wanted to get into the vibe of helping. “When we were telling her about what we can do potentially for the space, Jennifer was just like, ‘Let’s f—ing do this!’ This little quiet cute mouse, she’s so sweet.” It was a moment Jonathan laughs about, saying he “did not expect that” to come out of her as Drew adds the entire moment was “hilarious!”

Celebrity IOU airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on HGTV and Max.

Watch on Max