As wildfires continue to ravage areas of Los Angeles, thousands have tragically lost their homes, including several Hollywood stars.
The fire started Tuesday in Pacific Palisades, before spreading to parts of Malibu and Santa Monica overnight. Though the Palisades and Eaton fires were at zero containment for days, As of mid-day Saturday, the L.A. Fire Department said the Palisades Fire was 11 percent contained. The Eaton fire in Altadena was 15 percent contained on Saturday. The Kenneth Fire is 80 percent contained, and the Hurst fire is 76 percent contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
On Wednesday night, another fire, named the Sunset Fire, broke out in the Hollywood Hills, endangering the iconic landmark the Hollywood Bowl, among other tourist destinations. On Thursday morning, all evacuation orders were lifted after firefighters got the blaze under control. Also later Wednesday night, a sixth fire, named the Sunswept Fire, broke out inside a Studio City home before spreading to nearby houses and brush. The Los Angeles Fire Department quickly contained most of the blaze.
Mandy Moore, Anna Faris, Paris Hilton, Bozoma Saint John, Jeff Bridges, Billy Crystal, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, Cary Elwes, Diane Warren, Cameron Mathison, Ricki Lake, Jhené Aiko and record producer Lou Adler are among the luminaries who have confirmed that they have lost their homes. James Woods initially indicated he lost his home in the fires but later discovered it was “still standing,” saying “a miracle has happened.”
TMZ has reported that the homes of Adam Brody and Leighton Meester, Eugene Levy, John Goodman and Anthony Hopkins have also burned down. (The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to their respective reps to confirm.)
This Is Us star Moore shared that her Altadena, California, home was burned down in the Eaton Fire. “This is Altadena. Leveled. My sweet home,” she wrote on her Instagram Story. “I am devastated and gutted for those of us who’ve lost so much. I’m absolutely numb.”
Moore’s This Is Us co-star Milo Ventimiglia told CBS News that he and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, also lost their Malibu home. The actor said his family evacuated Tuesday and watched on security cameras as the flames took over their home. “I think there’s a kind of shock moment where you’re going, ‘Oh, this is real and this is happening,’ and then at a certain point, we just turn it off,” Ventimiglia said. “It’s like, what good is it to continue watching, you know. We kind of accepted the loss.”
Crystal and his wife Janice confirmed that the Pacific Palisades fire destroyed their home of nearly five decades. “Words cannot describe the enormity of the devastation we are witnessing and experiencing. We ache for our friends and neighbors who have also lost their homes and businesses in this tragedy,” the couple shared in a joint statement.
Hilton said she is “heartbroken beyond words” after learning her Malibu home was destroyed in the wildfires. “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,” she wrote in part 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.”
Bridges’ rep told THR that the Malibu home he shared with his family after his late parents bought it had been destroyed in the Palisades Fire.
Mel Gibson said on NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas Reports that his house was burned to the ground in the fires while he was taping with Joe Rogan in Austin, Texas. “It’s kind of devastating. It’s emotional,” he shared. “You know, you live there for a long time, and you had all your stuff. You remember George Carlin talking about your stuff? I had my stuff there, and it’s all like, I’ve been relieved from the burden of my stuff, because it’s all in cinders.”
Miles Teller’s wife Keleigh confirmed on Instagram that their Pacific Palisades home was destroyed from the flames. She shared a photo she took of their home writing, “snapped this driving out.. To everyone reaching out I can’t thank you enough, your kind hearts have meant the world, I’ll never forget them. Community has come out stronger than I could imagine, pacific palisades I love you beyond measure you are a little slice of heaven, we will come back stronger than ever. If you’re in the LA area PLEASE get out if you can. I wish I grabbed my wedding dress .. wish I did a lot different but it doesn’t matter, stay safe, get out. there are no words. THANK YOU to the first responders fighting.”
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star and marketing executive Bozoma Saint John took to Instagram to say that the house she “prayed for. The house I worked in blood, sweat and tears for” is now gone. “This is the house where I found peace after battling with racist neighbors and a community that made me have to buy it in a trust within a trust so no one would know that widowed, single Black woman with a teenager was buying on the exclusively-held beach. This was my EFF YOU I’m here house,” she wrote. “This is an unimaginable loss. I grieve with the rest of Los Angeles as it burns… and even though I’ve found even words to write here, there’s nothing that I could say in this moment to describe this feeling.”
Faris’ home was burned down in the Palisades Fire, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed on Wednesday. “Anna and her family are safe and grateful,” the Scary Movie star’s rep shared.
Warren shared that the beach house she’s had for 30 years has been lost in the devastating wildfires. “This is the last pic I took of Leah’s rock from my beach house. I’ve had this house for almost 30 years. It looks like it was lost in the fire last nite,” she wrote on Instagram. “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.”
Beyoncé’s mom Tina Knowles shared on Instagram Thursday that her “little bungalow on the water in Malibu” was destroyed. “It was my favorite place, my sanctuary , my sacred Happy Place,” she wrote in part. “Now it is gone !! God Bless all the brave men and women in our fire department who risked their lives in dangerous conditions . We Thankyou for your dedication and bravery and for saving so many lives . This could have been so much worse with out the dedication of the disaster workers and first responders. I’m so sad for the people who lost the five family members. My deepest Prayers are with you.”
Pratt’s sister Stephanie posted a photo of Spencer with fire in the background on Instagram, sharing: “I am beyond heartbroken for my brother, Heidi & the kids. And to all of our friends and neighbors who have lost their houses today.” The Pratt siblings’ parents also lost their home.
Woods CNN on Wednesday said that his entire street was burning down. “There was so much chaos, it was like an inferno. Every house was on fire around us,” he said of fleeing his home. “We were evacuated with the clothes on our back.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick confirmed that he and his family lost their Pacific Palisades home in the fires. “We were renting [in the Palisades] for the year to try to figure out where to be long-term, and everything we own that was of importance to us — almost 20 years of being together and 10 years of parenting — was in that house,” he told members of the press Friday. “There’s certain things you can’t replace. They’ll never be replaced.”
Elwes shared in an update on Wednesday that he and his family were safe, but that their home had been destroyed. “Sadly, we did lose our home but we are grateful to have survived this truly devastating fire,” the Princess Bride star wrote on Instagram. “Our hearts go out to all the families impacted by this tragic event and we also with to extend our gratitude to all the firefighters, first responders and law enforcement who worked so tirelessly through the night and are still at it.”
TV host and actress Lake revealed on Instagram Wednesday that she “lost our dream home” in the Palisades fire. “It’s all gone. I can’t believe I am typing these words,” she wrote. “After a valiant and brave effort by our friend and hero @kirbykotler_ Ross and I lost our dream home. This description ‘dream home’ doesn’t suffice. It was our heaven on earth. The place where we planned to grow old together. We never took our heavenly spot on the bluff overlooking our beloved malibu for granted, not even for one second. I shared our sunset views almost daily with all of you. This loss is immeasurable.”
Candy Spelling’s Maliby house was also destroyed in the fires. Spelling, mother to Tori Spelling and her brother, Randy, owned the house with her last husband, TV producer Aaron Spelling, for 50 years. “I’m in shock and processing this massive loss for our family,” Spelling told TMZ. “I am beyond grateful for the memories. It was truly a wonderful gift to have.”
General Hospital actor Mathison shared a video on his social media of the devastation left behind by the fire, revealing that his house had burned down: “We are safe But this is what’s left of our beautiful home. Our home where our kids were raised and where they wanted to raise their own someday.”
The Young & the Restless star Melissa Claire Egan shared on her Instagram Story that the home they recently purchased was destroyed. “We hadn’t moved in yet but it’s gone,” she wrote. “We are devastated and this is all so horrific.”
R&B singer Aiko posted to Instagram Stories that she had too lost her home. “burned to the ground with all of our things inside. Lord have mercy 🙏 Thankful we still have eachother 💙 starting from scratch. My heart is so heavy 💔,” she wrote.
Jennifer Grey’s daughter Stella Gregg shared on her Instagram Story Wednesday that her mother’s home was “burnt to the ground.” She added that the Dirty Dancing star and her dog Winnie were safe and told everyone to “give your loved ones an extra squeeze today.”
Star Trek actress Denise Crosby shared that the “beautiful Spanish cottage that gave me endless joy, where I met my husband and raised my son, the only house I’ve ever owned, with fruit trees I grew, with a garden of native plants” is now ashes. “I am heartbroken,” she wrote.
Adler’s son Cisco posted a video showing the loss of his childhood home on Instagram. “We are one of many families dealing with this,” he wrote. “Blessed in so many ways and safe. My Dads house which is my childhood home and one of the only constants in my life is currently safe. For that I am grateful…The studio house and all that is in it is gone physically but the memories and music reman…
“WE made so much music here. And had so many amazing times here with so many amazing people. And we will again…I don’t think I ever locked the place once in my life…it was protected by those who shared good times there and their love for it…”
Melissa Rivers, daughter of the late Joan Rivers and Edgar Rosenberg, called into CNN Wednesday night to confirm she had lost her home, saying she grabbed the necessities and “my mom’s Emmy, a photo of my dad and a drawing my mother had done of me and my son. … I went for a drawing of my mother’s rather than a photo, because I know I can find the photos.”
Comedian and co-creator of the sitcom Bob Hearts Abishola, Gina Yashere shared her reflections on losing her home in the wildfires in a social media post. “Despite this fuckin devastating loss, I’m glad all our friends and neighbours are safe. We put our hearts & souls into our home, & built many beautiful memories there & we are heartbroken, but at the same time we feel lucky. Love you all,” Yashere wrote.
Top TV director and Directors Guild president Lesli Linka Glatter also revealed that she lost her Palisades home in the fires. She also shared a letter to DGA members on Friday in which she further reflected on the tragedy and expressed her appreciation for the people in the guild and shared resources and ways they can help with recovery efforts.
Joshua Jackson’s Topanga Canyon home also burned down in the Palisades Fire. “First and most importantly, all the people closest to me affected by the fire are OK,” he said in a statement shared via his rep. “My daughter, my family, my neighbors all made it out safely. Sadly my beautiful home did not survive the fires. But today, I feel incredibly lucky to be surrounded by the people I love.”
Below, those Hollywood notables and more share firsthand accounts about the fires and their impact on their homes and communities.
This is a developing story.
