Los Angeles Wildfires: Celebrities Among Those Who Lost Their Homes

Stars including Mandy Moore, Mark Hamill and James Woods have been evacuated from their homes in the Los Angeles district of Pacific Palisades as wildfires rip through the area

LOS ANGELES (NB360) — Wildfires raging in and around Los Angeles have destroyed the homes of several celebrities, such as Billy Crystal, Mandy Moore, and Paris Hilton.

Firefighters in California are battling wind-driven fires that are tearing through the region, destroying homes, obstructing roads, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate, and straining resources as the fires continued to be uncontained on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Crystal and his wife, Janice, issued a statement announcing that their home of 45 years in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood 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.

The neighborhood they reside in is a coastal hillside area known for celebrity homes and famously mentioned in the Beach Boys' 1960s hit "Surfin' USA." In the urgent rush to reach safety, roads became blocked as numerous individuals left their cars and escaped on foot, some carrying suitcases.

“Evacuated Malibu so last minute,” wrote Hamill in an Instagram post Tuesday night. “Small fires on both sides of the road as we approached (the Pacific Coast Highway).”

Just 72 hours earlier, Hollywood's biggest stars had gathered to grace the Golden Globes' red carpet, marking the first major event of the lively and, for many, victorious awards season. The celebrations of the awards season were swiftly extinguished as well: Premieres of contenders like “Better Man” and “The Last Showgirl” were canceled, the Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations were announced through a press release rather than at a live event, and weekend events like the AFI Awards were preemptively canceled.

The Oscar nominations have been postponed by two days to January 19, and the film academy has lengthened the voting period to assist members impacted by the fires.

Here’s how celebrities and entertainment companies are being impacted by the fires burning in and around Los Angeles:

Stars who lost homes in the wildfires

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 favorite restaurants, leveled. 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.

Elwes, known for his role in “The Princess Bride” and many other films, shared on Instagram Wednesday that his family was safe, although their house had been destroyed in the coastal Palisades fire. “Unfortunately, we lost our home, but we are thankful to have survived this incredibly devastating fire,”

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.

Stars who have evacuated due to Palisades fire

Jamie Lee Curtis said Wednesday on Instagram that her family is safe, but she suggested her neighborhood 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 celebrities with homes in the area include Adam Sandler, Ben Affleck, Tom Hanks, and Steven Spielberg.

Many are waiting to hear if their homes survived the fire.

James Woods shared footage on Tuesday of flames burning through bushes and past palm trees on a hill near his residence. The towering orange flames rose among the landscaped yards between the houses.

“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.”

Impact of the fire so far

Authorities did not provide an estimate of the structures damaged or destroyed by the wildfire, but they reported that at least 70,000 residents were under evacuation orders and nearly 30,000 structures were at risk.

The fire swept through Temescal Canyon, a popular hiking area surrounded by densely packed neighborhoods with multimillion-dollar homes. Flames crossed the well-known Sunset Boulevard and damaged parts of Palisades Charter High School, which has appeared in numerous Hollywood productions, including the 1976 horror film “Carrie,” the 2003 remake of “Freaky Friday,” and the TV series “Teen Wolf.”

The Palisades fire also destroyed the historic ranch house of Hollywood icon Will Rogers. It was one of several structures destroyed at both Will Rogers State Historic Park and Topanga State Park. The historic Topanga Ranch Motel, constructed by William Randolph Hearst in 1929, was also consumed by the flames.

Rogers’ ranch, established on land he purchased in the 1920s, spanned approximately 359 acres in what is now Pacific Palisades. It featured a 31-room ranch house, a stable, a golf course, and riding trails. His wife donated it to California State Parks in 1944.

The Critics Choice Awards, initially set for Sunday, have been rescheduled to Feb. 26.

Due to the fire and windy weather, film studios canceled two movie premieres, the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park closed for the day because of the smoky and windy conditions, and the J. Paul Getty Trust announced that two of its museums, the Getty Villa and Getty Center, would stay closed for the next few days.

Universal Studios also halted filming for several series, including “Hacks,” “Ted Lasso,” and “Suits LA.”

The Walt Disney Co. shut down its headquarters in Burbank and suspended production on various series, including “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Doctor Odyssey.” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” which records in Hollywood, was canceled for Wednesday and will instead broadcast a repeat.

The production halts contributed to further disruptions in the film and TV industry in Los Angeles, including the cancellation of the premiere of Universal’s “Wolf Man” and the postponement of the American Film Institute awards gala, planned for Friday.

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NB360 Entertainment Writers contributed to this report.