In the heart of the French Quarter, at 1140 Royal Street, stands one of New Orleans’ most infamous houses: the LaLaurie Mansion. From the street, its iron balconies and grand façade reflect the elegance of 19th-century Creole architecture. Yet, behind its walls lies a history marked by cruelty and tragedy. For a brief period in the 2000s, the mansion drew headlines again when actor Nicolas Cage became its owner, an investment that proved short-lived.