With wildfires sweeping across parts of Los Angeles County, Hollywood stars are among the many who have lost homes amid the destruction.
Billy Crystal, the star of Before, and his wife, Janice, lost their home of 46 years in Pacific Palisades, where the Palisades Fire has been deemed the most destructive in L.A. history.
“Words cannot describe the enormity of the devastation we are witnessing and experiencing,” the couple said in a joint statement to the Hollywood Reporter. “We ache for our friends and neighbors who have also lost their homes and businesses in this tragedy. 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. We pray for the safety of the fire fighters and first responders. The Pacific Palisades is a resilient community of amazing people and we know in time it will rise again. It is our home.”
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Scary Movie actress Anna Faris also lost her home in that area but updated that she was unharmed.
“Anna and her family are safe and very grateful,” her spokesperson told People.
Similarly, Adam Brody, the star of Nobody Wants This, and his wife, actress Leighton Meester, saw their Pacific Palisades home destroyed, according to TMZ.
Melissa Rivers, also of Pacific Palisades, lost her home but was “deeply grateful to be unharmed.”
Paris Hilton shared that her vacation home in Malibu is gone.
“Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience,” the Paris & Nicole: The Encore star wrote on Instagram. “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. While the loss is overwhelming, I’m holding onto gratitude that my family and pets are safe.”
This Is Us actress Mandy Moore was “absolutely numb” after losing her home and seeing video of her neighborhood that has been “leveled.”
(Mandy Moore via Instagram)
The Princess Bride actor Cary Elwes was “grateful to have survived this truly devastating fire,” but lost his home.
The Pacific Palisades home of The Hills stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag was destroyed by fire. Pratt shared social media videos as flames encroached on the home they share with their two young children.
“Nightmare came true,” wrote, Pratt. His parents also lost their nearby home.
Soap star and TV host Cameron Mathison posted a video on Instagram of his house destroyed and still burning.
Ricki Lake shared that her “dream home” was now “gone.”
James Woods posted a photo of fire spreading up a hill to the deck of his newly renovated Pacific Palisades home — and later updated that his house was gone.
The actor broke down discussing the loss on CNN.
Dan Levy, whose dad, Eugene, was photographed in gridlock while evacuating Pacific Palisades, shared a photo, writing he was “heartbroken for my family, my friends and the people of L.A. affected by these catastrophic fires.”
The songwriter Diane Warren shared that she believes she lost her home of 30 years in the fires. She wrote on Instagram, “I’ve had this house for almost 30 years. It looks like it was lost in the fire last nite. There’s a rainbow shining on it which I’m taking as a sign of hope for all creatures who have been affected by this tragedy.”
Celebrity chef Sandra Lee said she’s still not 100% sure the status of her home. She was initially told it was gone, but has since been given some information that it survived the blaze.
Known as the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst Fires in L.A., the wildfires have been devastating to the region, spreading rapidly by winds of up to 99 miles per hour, making it challenging for firefighters. There has been 0% containment of the fires as of press time. Mandatory evacuations were issued for more than 130,000 residents and nearly 2,000 homes, businesses and other structures have been destroyed. California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency.
On the evening of Jan. 8, another fire — known as the Sunset Fire — erupted in the Hollywood Hills near the Hollywood Bowl and Hollywood Walk of Fame, prompting a new round of mandatory evacuations.
Many celebrities were among the residents called on to evacuate. Jamie Lee Curtis shared to Instagram an image by photojournalist Ethan Swope of the “terrifying situation” on Jan. 8. The actress initially thought she lost her home, but updated that, “My family is safe” though “many of my friends will lose their homes.”
Amanda Kloots wrote about about evacuating, reflecting on other scary times she’s lived through, like the pandemic in L.A, when her husband Nick Cordero died from COVID complications, and 9/11 when she lived in New York City.
Maria Shriver posted video, captured by CBS News’ Jonathan Vigliotti, of the devastated Pacific Palisades. The journalist wrote, “Heartbreaking, devastating, beyond belief. Everything is gone. Our neighborhood, our restaurants. All our friends have lost everything. We have evacuated, but are safe. But people have lost everything.”
Mark Hamill branded it the “most horrific fire since ’93” as he evacuated from Malibu with his family.
Steve Guttenberg, who lives in Pacific Palisades, said on CNN that the fire is “the most unbelievable I’ve ever seen.” As he evacuated, he helped clear the cars abandoned on the Pacific Coast Highway so that firefighters could get through.
Jennifer Love Hewitt wrote: “I have no words. Only prayers and holding as much hope as I can for our home and our kids while we watch everything burn. Thank you to every first responder fighting so hard for all of us. Thank you to every friend who reached out and new person I have hugged in tears in the last 24 hours.”
Minnie Driver wrote that she “spent a long night watching my friends’ homes burn.”
Chet Hanks — son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, who have a home in Pacific Palisades — wrote that the “neighborhood I grew up in is burning to the ground.”
Eric Braeden, star ofThe Young and the Restless, shared a video of fire “behind my house!” He called it “the worst EVER in LA!” He later shared a video he captioned “saying goodbye” as flames neared his property, but he hasn’t shared a more recent update.
Once she evacuated, Molly Sims shared a video to Instagram Stories of the fire behind her home.
Travis Barker’s children, Alabama and Landon, said that they evacuated.
Alabama Barker via Instagram
Sheryl Lee Ralph posted a video clip on Threads from what appears to be Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, where Abbott Elementary shoots, with smoke overhead and flames in the distance. (On Wednesday, studio tours there were canceled.)
She also shared a video driving in Hollywood with flames and smoke in the distance in front of her. “This is absolute madness right now,” she said. “This place is on fire, honey.”
Rosie O’Donnell said she was safe in a hotel.
Jay Pharoah shared an aerial video, saying it was captured from a plane over L.A.
Miles Teller and his wife, Keleigh Sperry Teller, live in Pacific Palisades. She posted photos of the devastation on her Instagram Stories and urged people fleeing to leave out water for animals that are also on the run.
Keleigh Teller via Instagram
Ben Affleck was photographed evacuating his Pacific Palisades home and going to ex-wife Jennifer Garner’s nearby residence, which wasn’t under a mandatory evacuation.
Meanwhile, the Palisades Fire burned down the Palisades Charter High School, which is a popular movie location, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The school was a setting for films including Carrie, Crazy/Beautiful, the 2003 remake of Freaky Friday and the Teen Wolf TV series.
The Screen Actors Guild nominations were supposed to be announced live on Jan. 8 but were made public via a press release “due to the wildfires and adverse wind conditions in Los Angeles.” Many upcoming awards shows, nominations announcements and film premieres were postponed or rescheduled as well.
—Laura Clark contributed to this report
Update, Jan. 9, 2025, 10:05 a.m. ET: This story was originally published on Jan. 8, 2025, at 12:12 p.m. ET and has been updated with new information.
