The homes of A-list actors, musicians and other celebrities were among that of tens of thousands of people affected by deadly wildfires in Los Angeles Wednesday, as the entertainment industry screeched to a halt.
Multiple out-of-control infernos have besieged the showbiz capital, with Hollywood events including a glitzy awards show and a Pamela Anderson film premiere among those cancelled as firefighters battle flames in hurricane-force winds.
Hundreds of homes were razed in the swanky Pacific Palisades area, a favourite spot for celebrities where multimillion-dollar houses nestle on beautiful hillsides. At the same time, other infernos sprang up across the north of the city.
Mandy Moore, the singer and “This Is Us” actress, told followers on Instagram she had fled with her children and pets from the path of the fire that had left her Altadena neighbourhood “levelled.”
“My sweet home. I am devastated and gutted for those of us who’ve lost so much. I’m numb,” she wrote, in a caption to footage of the destruction.
Emmy-winning actor James Woods shared a video on X showing flames engulfing trees and bushes near his Pacific Palisades home as he got ready to evacuate, and shortly afterwards said all the fire alarms were going off.
“I couldn’t believe our lovely little home in the hills held on this long. It feels like losing a loved one,” Woods said.
“Star Wars” star Mark Hamill told followers on Instagram that he had fled his Malibu home with his wife and pet dog, escaping down a road flanked by active fires.
Fellow Emmy-winning actor Billy Crystal said the Pacific Palisades house he and his wife lived in for 46 years was razed on Wednesday.
“Words cannot describe the enormity of the devastation we are witnessing and experiencing,” he said in a statement to People magazine. “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,” he said.
Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis, who was also forced to evacuate, later wrote on Instagram: “Our beloved neighborhood is gone. Our home is safe. So many others have lost everything.”
However, next week’s unveiling of the Oscar nominations was pushed back until January 19 to give Academy members affected by fires more time to cast their ballots this week.
