Paris Hilton posted a news video clip on Instagram and said it included footage of her destroyed home in Malibu. Photo: AP
Wildfires that are burning in and around Los Angeles have burned the homes of several celebrities, including Billy Crystal, Mandy Moore and Paris Hilton.
California firefighters are battling wind-whipped fires tearing across the area, destroying homes, clogging roadways as tens of thousands fled and straining resources as the fires burned uncontained Wednesday.
Crystal and his wife, Janice, released a statement Wednesday saying their home of 45 years in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood was lost.
"Janice and I lived in our home since 1979. We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our house was filled with love. Beautiful memories that can’t be taken away. We are heartbroken of course but with the love of our children and friends we will get through this,” the Crystals wrote in the statement.
Their neighbourhood is a hillside area along the coast dotted with celebrity residences and memorialised by the Beach Boys in their 1960s hit Surfin’ USA. In the frantic haste to get to safety, roadways became impassable when scores of people abandoned their vehicles and fled on foot, some toting suitcases.
Less than 72 hours before, Hollywood’s highest-wattage stars had convened to walk the Golden Globes’ red carpet, the first major event of the exuberant and, for many, triumphant awards season. The revelry of awards season had quickly been snuffed out, too: Premieres of contenders like Better Man and The Last Showgirl were cancelled, the Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations were announced via press release instead of at a live event and weekend events like the AFI Awards were preemptively scrubbed.
The Oscar nominations are also being delayed two days to Jan 19 and the film academy has extended the voting window to accommodate members affected by the fires.
Here's how celebrities and entertainment companies are being impacted by the fires burning in and around Los Angeles:
Moore lost her home in the Altadena neighborhood near Pasadena.
"Honestly, I’m in shock and feeling numb for all so many have lost, including my family. My children’s school is gone. Our favourite restaurants, levelled. So many friends and loved ones have lost everything too,” the actor-singer wrote on Instagram in a post that included video of devastated streets in the foothill suburb.
"Our community is broken but we will be here to rebuild together. Sending love to all affected and on the front lines trying to get this under control,” Moore wrote.
The Crystals expressed a similar sentiment about the Palisades. "The Pacific Palisades is a resilient community of amazing people and we know in time it will rise again. It is our home,” they wrote.
Cary Elwes, the star of The Princess Bride and numerous other films, wrote on Instagram Wednesday that his family was safe but their home had burned in the coastal Palisades fire. "Sadly we did lose our home but we are grateful to have survived this truly devastating fire,” Elwes wrote.
Hilton posted a news video clip on Instagram and said it included footage of her destroyed home in Malibu. "This home was where we built so many precious memories. It’s where Phoenix took his first steps and where we dreamed of building a lifetime of memories with London," she said, referencing her young children.
"The devastation is unimaginable. To know so many are waking up today without the place they called home is truly heartbreaking,” she wrote.
Jamie Lee Curtis said Wednesday on Instagram that her family is safe, but she suggested her neighbourhood and possibly her home is on fire. She said many of her friends lost their homes.
"It's a terrifying situation and I'm grateful to the firefighters and all of the good Samaritans who are helping people get out of the way of the blaze."
Other stars who have homes in the area include Adam Sandler, Ben Affleck, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.
Many are awaiting word on whether their homes survived the flames.
James Woods posted footage Tuesday of flames burning through bushes and past palm trees on a hill near his home. The towering orange flames billowed among the landscaped yards between the homes.
"Standing in my driveway, getting ready to evacuate,” Woods said in the short video on X. Later, he confirmed he had evacuated and added: "It tests your soul, losing everything at once, I must say.”
Officials didn’t give an estimate of structures damaged or destroyed in the wildfire, but they said at least 70,000 residents were under evacuation orders and nearly 30,000 structures were under threat.
The fire burned down Temescal Canyon, a popular hiking area surrounded by dense neighborhoods of multimillion-dollar homes. Flames jumped famous Sunset Boulevard and burned parts of the Palisades Charter High School, which has been featured in many Hollywood productions including the 1976 horror movie Carrie, the 2003 remake of Freaky Friday and the TV series Teen Wolf.
The Palisades fire also destroyed the historic ranch house that belonged to Hollywood legend Will Rogers. It was among multiple structures destroyed at both Will Rogers State Historic Park and Topanga State Park. The historic Topanga Ranch Motel, built by William Randolph Hearst in 1929, also burned down.
Rogers’ ranch, built on land he bought in the 1920s, occupied some 359 acres in what is now Pacific Palisades. It included a 31-room ranch house, a stable, golf course and riding trails. His wife donated it to California State Parks in 1944.
The Critics Choice Awards, originally scheduled for Sunday, have been postponed until Feb 26.
Film studios canceled two movie premieres due to the fire and windy weather, the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park closed for the day due to the smoky and windy conditions and the J. Paul Getty Trust said two of its museums, the Getty Villa and Getty Center, would remain closed for the next few days.
Universal Studios also cancelled shooting for numerous series, including Hacks, Ted Lasso and Suits LA.
The Walt Disney Co closed its headquarters in Burbank, and cancelled production on several series, including Grey’s Anatomy and Doctor Odyssey. ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! which tapes in Hollywood, was cancelled for Wednesday and will instead air a repeat.
The production pauses added to further disruptions to the film and TV industry in Los Angeles, including the cancellation of the premiere to Universal’s Wolf Man and postponement of the American Film Institute awards gala, scheduled for Friday. – AP
