Since 7 January 2025, the Los Angeles area has been ravaged by devastating wildfires, considered to be the most destructive in California’s history.
On Wednesday evening, another fire broke out in the hills, near the famous Walk of Fame, after having ravaged neighbourhoods such as Pacific Palisades, the San Fernando Valley and Altadena. These fires have affected the homes of celebrities, including those of Adam Brody and Leighton Meester in Pacific Palisades, as well as Anna Faris. Diane Warren, the Oscar-winning songwriter, shared devastating images on Instagram of her beach house destroyed by the flames. Paris Hilton’s home in Malibu was also destroyed, whilst Mandy Moore expressed her sadness on Instagram, announcing that Altadena had been “razed to the ground”. The home of Laeticia Hallyday, Johnny Hallyday’s widow, was destroyed.
The death toll has risen to 10 today, with hundreds injured; according to CNN, around 150,000 people have been evacuated, and an area equivalent to 12,000 hectares has been destroyed by the flames in three days.
Laeticia Hallyday, Johnny Hallyday’s widow, announced on Instagram on Thursday 9 January that she had lost her home in Pacific Palisades in the devastating wildfires. “We’ve lost everything… There’s nothing left,” she wrote, sharing a heart-wrenching video of her house in flames. “I watched our house go up in flames, powerless against the fire that took everything away.”
Film premieres postponed
In the wake of the disaster, several events in Hollywood have had to adjust their schedules. The Oscars, for example, have changed their dates due to the critical situation. Voting for nominations, originally scheduled to run until 12 January, has been extended until 14 January, and the announcement of the nominations, scheduled for 17 January, has been postponed until 19 January. Furthermore, the Academy sent its condolences to the victims in an email, highlighting the impact of this crisis on many members and colleagues in the film industry.
The fires have also disrupted the schedules of many other events, leading to the cancellation of film premieres and the closure of various venues, including Universal Studios Hollywood. Bill Kramer, director of the Academy, informed voters of these changes by email, expressing his condolences: "We would like to offer our deepest condolences to those affected by the devastating fires." Meanwhile, the screenings of the films shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film category, which were postponed this week in Los Angeles, are nevertheless going ahead as planned in New York and London.