The wildfires burning in and around Los Angeles have destroyed vast swathes of land and impacted countless lives. As of Thursday morning, at least five people are dead, tens of thousands of acres including thousands of homes have been razed, and Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Joe Biden have declared, respectively, a state of emergency and major disaster.
Read More: How to Help Victims of the Los Angeles Wildfires
The first and largest of multiple fires raging in the region is the Palisades fire, which broke out Tuesday due to a confluence of factors including strong winds and has devastated the celebrity-filled community of Pacific Palisades. On Wednesday night, a fifth major fire in Los Angeles county broke out near Runyon Canyon, potentially endangering some of Hollywood’s famous landmarks like the Hollywood Bowl, the Walk of Fame, and the Dolby and TCL Chinese theaters. The so-called Sunset fire has already torched 43 acres and remains wholly uncontained, according to CAL FIRE.
The Sunset fire erupts in the Hollywood Hills on Jan. 8, 2025.Mpi34/MediaPunch/IPx/AP
With the greater Hollywood area ablaze, here’s how parts of the entertainment industry have been affected by the fires so far.
Celebrities evacuated and homes damaged
Some celebrities shared on social media how the Los Angeles wildfires damaged their homes and neighborhoods, and forced their evacuation.
In an interview on CNN, Once Upon a Time in America actor James Woods broke down in tears talking about how his home had been destroyed by the Palisades fire. “One day you’re swimming in the pool and the next day it’s all gone,” the 77-year-old Woods said. On X, the actor said, “It tests your soul, losing everything at once, I must say.”
On Instagram, Paris Hilton shared a news clip of the fires with the caption, “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.”
Oscar-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis also shared on Instagram images of how the fires burned through her neighborhood. “Our beloved neighborhood is gone,” she wrote in one post. “Our home is safe. So many others have lost everything. Help where you can. Thank you to the first responders and firefighters.”
Cary Elwes of The Princess Bride fame shared on Instagram that he and his family had lost their home to the Palisades fire, though they are “grateful” to have survived the “truly devastating” fire.
Grammy-winning songwriter Diane Warren posted on Instagram a photo of a rock alongside an update about her beach house in the Los Angeles area, saying: “I’ve had this house for almost 30 years. It looks like it was lost in the fire last nite.” Warren, who also owns a ranch for rescued animals in nearby Malibu added, “The animals and the rescue ranch are OK tho which is the most important thing.”
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill shared an update on Instagram. “Evacuated Malibu so last minute,” he wrote. “Small fires on both sides of the road as we approached [the Pacific Coast Highway].”
This Is Us star Mandy Moore and her family, who were affected by the Eaton wildfire further east in Los Angeles, also evacuated their home in Altadena. In an Instagram post, Moore shared video clips of the fires, stating: “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.”
Hollywood’s peak award season disrupted
The wildfires have also disrupted many of Hollywood’s scheduled big events—and they may impact even more as awards season fast approaches.
Nominations for the Academy Awards, which opened on Jan. 8 and was set to close on Jan. 12, had been extended for two days, and the announcement of the nominees has been pushed to Jan. 19 as a result of the fires. Variety reported that Academy CEO Bill Kramer sent an email to members that read: “We want to offer our deepest condolences to those who have been impacted by the devastating fires across Southern California. … So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you.”
The in-person announcement ceremony for the Screen Actors Guild award nominations, scheduled for Jan. 8 in Los Angeles, was canceled, and nominations were instead unveiled on SAG’s website.
The Critics Choice Awards, slated for Jan. 12 in Santa Monica, was postponed to Jan. 26. “This unfolding tragedy has already had a profound impact on our community,” Joey Berlin, CEO of the Critics Choice Association, said in a statement. “All thoughts and prayers are with those battling the devastating fires and with all who have been affected.”
The yearly American Film Institute (AFI) Awards luncheon, which was scheduled for Jan. 10 in Beverly Hills according to Deadline, was also postponed. The British Academy for Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Tea Party, another key event where celebrities gather in the lead-up to the Oscars, had been originally scheduled for Jan. 11, but was canceled. “The safety of our colleagues, friends and peers in Los Angeles remains our utmost priority and our thoughts are with everyone impacted,” organizers said in a statement.
Thick smoke from wildfires passes over the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles on Jan. 8, 2025.Richard Vogel—AP
Productions delayed
The wildfires have also caused disruptions in ongoing productions. According to The Hollywood Reporter, shows like ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Apple TV+’s Loot, CBS’s After Midnight, NCIS, NCIS: Origins, The Neighborhood, and Poppa’s House, Max’s Hacks, NBC’s Happy’s Place and Suits LA, and Peacock’s Ted, as well as many others, paused production in light of the fires.
FilmLA, the film office of Los Angeles city and county, issued a statement on Jan. 8, saying that permits issued for filming in the communities of Altadena, La Crescenta, La Cañada Flintridge and Unincorporated Pasadena—popular filming locations that have been affected by the Eaton fire—have been withdrawn and that other permits may be revoked.
