As wildfires continue to rage in Los Angeles County, acclaimed actor Jamie Lee Curtis has taken to Instagram to update her followers about the “terrifying experience.”
On Tuesday morning, a fire in Pacific Palisades was the first of several major blazes to rapidly spread in the Greater Los Angeles area amid heavy Santa Ana winds. The Eaton and Hurst fires quickly joined the Palisades fire, burning down structures and forcing widespread evacuations. Another blaze, the Woodley fire, ignited on Wednesday alongside several smaller fires.
Mandatory evacuation orders were quickly issued for those living in the affected areas, including Pacific Palisades. The apocalyptic inferno has torn through the affluent neighborhood, forcing various celebrities to flee.
Newsweek emailed a spokesperson for Curtis for comment on Thursday outside of normal business hours.
Jamie Lee Curtis attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023, in Hollywood, California. As wildfires continue to rage in Los Angeles County, Curtis has taken to Instagram to update her followers about… Jamie Lee Curtis attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023, in Hollywood, California. As wildfires continue to rage in Los Angeles County, Curtis has taken to Instagram to update her followers about the “terrifying experience.” Mike Coppola/Apu Gomes/Getty Images
“My community and possibly my home is on fire. My family is safe. Many of my friends will lose their homes. Many other communities as well,” the Oscar-winning actor posted on January 8.
Curtis also implored her followers to spread helpful information during confusing and difficult times.
“There are so many conflicting reports. With all the technology there seems to be very little information. PLEASE POST FACTS! IT WILL HELP THOSE WONDERING!” she said. “It is 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. Neighbors have taken care of neighbors.
“We ALL take everything for granted because we are all living our lives but when it hits your community, it’s particularly shocking. Life on life’s terms. If ever there was need for the use of the phrase MY HAND IN YOURS, it is right now. Take care of each other. Stay out of the way and let the firefighters do their work. Pray if you believe in it and even if you don’t, pray for those who do.”
In a follow-up post, she shared a video of the fire and the destruction it has caused. She said that while she hadn’t lost her home, that wasn’t the case for many others.
“Our beloved neighborhood is gone. Our home is safe. So many others have lost everything. Help where you can. Thank you to the first responders and firefighters,” she said.
The Freaky Friday star said she had “no words” in another post, where she reshared a video of some of the destruction. She also shared a photo encouraging her followers to “Pray for California.”
At the time of writing, the final post Curtis has made is her sharing the news that a church in Palisades, where she “got sober,” has burnt down. Alongside a photo of the ruins, the actor wrote: “This is the church in the Palisades that had a beautiful Sunday school and school and was a gorgeous house of worship and is the building that I got sober in 25 years ago.
“I think of all of the souls who came there for comfort and solace and all the baptisms and funerals and weddings and the thousands of people who reclaimed their lives through Sobriety. Also, the women’s club in the Palisades where I met many sober people. Both are gone. Tough times. We will persevere. God bless you all.”
Curtis flew out to New York City to appear on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as the fires started spreading. The actor appeared on the show to promote her new film The Last Showgirl but she became emotional when she started talking about the fires.
“I’m literally just about to cry. Mostly because of that beautiful welcome,” Curtis said as she began to tear up. “As you know, where I live is on fire right now. Literally, the entire city of the Pacific Palisades is burning. I flew here last night. I was on the plane, started getting texts. And it’s f****** gnarly, you guys. It’s just a catastrophe in southern California.
“Obviously, there have been horrific fires in many places. This is literally where I live. Everything. The market I shop in. The schools my kids go to. Friends, many, many, many, many, many friends now have lost their homes.”
The Hollywood star added: “So it is—it’s a really awful situation. I am, you know, obviously going to go home first thing tomorrow and be with my family and try to help my friends.”
Which Celebrities’ Homes Have Been Impacted by the Wildfires?
James Woods’ home was destroyed after he was forced to evacuate, and he has shared multiple updates to X (formerly Twitter).
“All the smoke detectors are going off in our house and transmitting to our iPhones,” he wrote. “I couldn’t believe our lovely little home in the hills held on this long. It feels like losing a loved one.”
Only 10 minutes later, the Once Upon a Time in America star shared another update, writing alongside a video: “I took this last night from our beautiful little home in the Palisades. Now all the fire alarms are going off at once remotely. It tests your soul, losing everything at once, I must say.”
Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, who rose to fame on The Hills, also lost their home. Pratt revealed he was packing up in a video he shared on Snapchat.
“Well, this isn’t looking good,” Pratt said in the clip, showing the fire approaching their home. “First time I’ve seen the flames coming over. Aw, man. OK, I’m going to go pack up, I think.”
Later, his sister and fellow reality star Stephanie Pratt confirmed the news on Instagram.
“I am beyond heartbroken for my brother, Heidi & the kids. And to all of our friends and neighbors who have lost their houses today. Just spoke to my dad—he tried to save my brother’s house but the wind is so strong there was nothing he could do. Even the fire station in the palisades has burned down,” she wrote.
Other celebrities to be evacuated from their homes include Star Wars actor Mark Hamill and Schitt’s Creek star Eugene Levy. At the time of writing the fate of their properties remained unclear.
“Evacuated Malibu so last minute,” Hamill wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday night. “Small fires on both sides of the road as we approached (the Pacific Coast Highway).”
Levy spoke to the Los Angeles Times about his evacuation, saying: “The smoke looked pretty black and intense over Temescal Canyon. I couldn’t see any flames but the smoke was very dark.”
Mandy Moore, singer and actor in TV drama This Is Us, also had to flee her house and updated fans with her status on Tuesday. At the time of writing, she was unsure of the state of her family’s home.
“Evacuated safe with kids, dogs and cats. Praying and grateful for first responders,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories.
General Hospital actor Cameron Mathison shared a video of his home on Instagram.
“We are safe,” Mathison said. “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.”
Actors Adam Brody and Leighton Meester also lost their home in the fire, according to TMZ. Mom Actor Anna Faris suffered a similar fate, the outlet reported.
