A home reportedly belonging to Hollywood actors Leighton Meester and Adam Brody is one of more than 1,000 homes destroyed in Los Angeles by wildfires that have been raging through the city and surrounding areas since Tuesday.
Jamie Lee Curtis, Mandy Moore, Mariah Shriver and other celebrities are among more than 100,000 residents forced to evacuate their homes to escape out-of-control wildfires raging through some of LA’s most desirable neighborhoods.
The largest fire has burned nearly 12,000 acres in Pacific Palisades, a picturesque neighborhood between the coastal cities of Santa Monica and Malibu that is home to many film, television and music stars.
Brody, best known for his roles in the TV series “The O.C.” and “Nobody Wants This” star and “Gossip Girl” actress Leighton Meester bought a home in Pacific Palisades in 2019 for $6.5 million, according to real estate websites.
Shriver, a journalist and former first lady of California when she was the wife of former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, told reporters that the extent of the destruction in the upscale residential area was devastating.
“Everything is gone. Our neighborhood, our restaurants,” she wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. “Firefighters are doing their best, but this fire is huge and out of control,” she said.
Actor James Woods, who was evacuated from his home a day earlier, said that all the houses around them were on fire.
“When the fire started, we were literally in the middle of it. It was chaos, it was like hell,” Woods said.
Fire engulfs Hollywood Hills
A fire broke out in Hollywood Hills on Wednesday night, and its destructive power quickly doubled, forcing other residents to evacuate the area synonymous with the entertainment industry.
Although a relatively small area compared to the others, the Sunset Strip, a section located above the 2.7-kilometer-long Hollywood Boulevard, LA’s cultural attraction with museums, landmarks and the famous Walk of Fame, is also burning.
It is just short of ‘crossing’ the 101 Freeway, threatening the Hollywood sign and the Griffith Observatory in the hills.
The area is also home to the Dolby Theater, where the Oscars are held. The announcement of Oscar nominations, which was scheduled to take place next week, has been postponed due to the fire, organizers said.
The Critics’ Choice Awards, which were scheduled to take place this weekend, have also been postponed.
With an average home price of $4.5 million, the Palisade is home to celebrities and is home to the Getty Villa, one of LA’s most popular museums.
Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis said she was safe, adding that her neighborhood and home were on fire.
She wrote on Instagram that the situation is terrifying. “Pray if you believe, and even if you don’t believe, pray for those who believe.”
Mandy Moore, known for the TV series “This Is Us”, said that due to the proximity of the fire, she and her family were evacuated.
“I am so devastated by the destruction and loss,” she wrote on Instagram.
Among the burned homes is the Paris Hilton. It is about a villa on the beach in Malibu, which, according to the media, was bought for 8.4 million dollars. Hilton said she was “speechless and heartbroken.”
“Sitting with family members, watching helplessly on live TV news as our home in Malibu is completely destroyed is something no one should ever have to experience,” Hilton wrote on Twitter.
Several more fires broke out around the city. Film permits have been revoked in the Pasadena area and other areas east of L.A. at the request of fire officials, according to the permit organization FilmLA.
Recordings of numerous TV shows and series, including “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and “Grey’s Anatomy” were interrupted on Wednesday, and several movie premieres were canceled.
Actor Mark Hamill, known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the movies Star Wars said it was the worst fire since 1993.
He announced on Instagram that he was evacuated from his home in Malibu with his wife and dog on Tuesday night.
“As we approached the Pacific Coast Highway, we saw a lot of small fires on both sides,” he said.
