Los Angeles witnessed a major crisis in recent time after its suburbs were engulfed in wildfires on Tuesday (January 7), which exploded to 27,000 acres by Wednesday.
At least five people were killed, and countless injured as 150,000 residents were forced to evacuate. A state of emergency was also declared by the government.
The worst impacted areas are the neighborhoods of Altadena and Sylmar as well as the exclusive Pacific Palisades, where a number of Hollywood A-listers and celebrities reside in their luxurious mansions.
Here’s a look at the Hollywood stars who have narrated the ordeal on social media:
Ben Affleck, reportedly, acquired a 20.5m dollar “bachelor pad” between Brentwood and Pacific Palisades last July, according to The Daily Mail. The Argo director, 52, was evacuated from his house on Tuesday and went to his ex-wife Jennifer Garner’s nearby home, according to TMZ. Though it’s not confirmed if he went to check on his wife or he would stay at his place.
Ben Affleck joined Jamie Lee Curtis, Mandy Moore, Mark Hamill, Eugene Levy and James Woods on the growing list of celebrities who have evacuated their homes in Pacific Palisades and its neighbouring areas due to the dangerous wildfire.
Mandy Moore, the singer and “This Is Us” actress, wrote on Instagram about the devastating situation in which they are trapped.
“I love you, Altadena. Grateful for my family and pets getting out last night before it was too late (and endless gratitude to friends for taking us in and bringing us clothes and blankets).
Honestly, I’m in shock and feeling numb for all so many have lost, including my family. My children’s school is gone. Our favorite restaurants, leveled. So many friends and loved ones have lost everything too. 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,” she wrote.
Emmy-Award winning actor James Woods shared a series of posts on his X handle describing the situation he’s caught in.
“To all the wonderful people who’ve reached out to us, thank you for being so concerned. Just letting you know that we were able to evacuate successfully. I do not know at this moment if our home is still standing, but sadly houses on our little street are not,” he wrote in one of his posts.
To all the wonderful people who’ve reached out to us, thank you for being so concerned. Just letting you know that we were able to evacuate successfully. I do not know at this moment if our home is still standing, but sadly houses on our little street are not. pic.twitter.com/xZjvsIg6Fg
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) January 7, 2025
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill told followers on Instagram that he had fled his Malibu home with his wife and pet dog. He called this fire the “most horrific since ’93” in his Instagram post.
Paris Hilton also lost her home in the devastating fire. She wrote a long note on X. An excerpt from her note read, “Heartbroken beyond words. 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. 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.”
Heartbroken beyond words ? 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.? This home was where we built so many precious memories. It’s where Phoenix took his first steps… pic.twitter.com/aeJAgJrymA
— Paris Hilton (@ParisHilton) January 9, 2025
Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis was also forced to evacuate. She wrote on Instagram, “Our beloved neighbourhood is gone. Our home is safe. So many others have lost everything.”
The comic actor Steve Guttenberg of the Police Academy series and Three Men and a Baby, has already leapt to aid firefighters by helping to move cars out of the way. “What’s happening is people take their keys with them as if they’re in a parking lot. This is not a parking lot. We really need people to move their cars,” the actor told KTLA 5.
Other stars who live in Pacific Palisades include Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Steven Spielberg and Michael Keaton.
Tom Hanks’ son, Chet, wrote on his Instagram Story on Tuesday, “The neighborhood I grew up in is burning to the ground. Pray for Palisades.”
Meanwhile, Priyanka Chopra has also been actively sharing updates on her Instagram stories.
Hailing the rescuers, she wrote, “A huge shout out to the incredibly brave first responders. Thank you for working tirelessly overnight and continuing to help families affected.”
Amid this crisis, the unveiling of the Oscar nominations were pushed back until January 19, to give Academy members affected by fires more time to cast their ballots this week.
