Hollywood stars flee Pacific Palisades fire as flames engulf celebrity enclave: ‘Nightmare came true’

Los Angeles declared a state of emergency after its suburbs were engulfed in wildfires Tuesday, which exploded to 27,000 acres by Wednesday.

At least five people were killed, and countless others injured as 150,000 residents were forced to evacuate.

The worst impacted areas are the neighborhoods of Altadena and Sylmar as well as the exclusive Pacific Palisades, where a number of A-list Hollywood stars and celebrities reside, potentially placing their luxury properties in jeopardy.

Here’s a look at some of the famous faces who live in the area as their entertainment industry colleagues send “prayers and strength” to those affected.

Ben Affleck

The actor, who recently separated from Jennifer Lopez for a second time, reportedly acquired a $20.5m “bachelor pad” between Brentwood and Pacific Palisades last July, according to The Daily Mail.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson

The beloved star and his well-known actress wife acquired a sprawling mansion in Pacific Palisades in 2010 for $26m, the property sitting on 1.5 acres of ground and featuring four bedrooms, five bathrooms, a large pool and its own theatre.

Mark Hamill

Luke Skywalker himself reported on Instagram on Tuesday evening that he has been forced to evacuate his family from their Malibu home as a result of the wildfires, saying that doing so had been “so last-minute there were small fires on both sides of the road as we approached PCH [Pacific Coast Highway]”.

Hamill subsequently reported that he and his wife Marilou York and their dog Trixie had safely arrived at their daughter Chelsea’s house in Hollywood.

Mandy Moore

The former pop star and actress also revealed on Instagram that she and her “kids, dogs and cats” had had to leave their home, adding in a message that she is “praying and grateful for the first responders.”

Miles Teller and Keleigh Sperry

The star of Top Gun: Maverick and Whiplash and his model wife Keleigh paid a reported $7.5 million for a home in Pacific Palisades as recently as March 2023, which, like the Hanks home, is packed with amenities, including its own gym and movie screening room.

Eugene Levy

The Canadian comic actor, star of Schitt’s Creek, American Pie and numerous Christopher Guest movies, is jokingly referred to as the “honorary mayor” of Pacific Palisades, where he has lived with his wife Deborah Devine since they acquired a $2.4 million home in 2006.

Levy has already described the scary ordeal he endured attempting to escape the neighborhood amid a gridlock of cars to The Los Angeles Times, telling the newspaper: “The smoke looked pretty black and intense over Temescal Canyon. I couldn’t see any flames, but the smoke was very dark.”

James Woods

The Oscar-nominated actor, best known for his roles in Videodrome, Salvador and Casino, also lives in the area and was busy posting on X on Tuesday evening, wishing fellow residents well and praising the emergency services as he documented the devastation.

“We were blessed to have LA fire and police depts doing their jobs so well,” he wrote.

“We are safe and out. There are several elementary schools in our neighborhood and there was an enormous community effort to evacuate the children safely. Can not speak more highly of the LA fire and LAPD.”

Steve Guttenberg

The comic actor, a long-suffering veteran of the Police Academy series and Three Men and a Baby, has already distinguished himself during the crisis, leaping into action to aid firefighters by helping to move cars out of the way.

“What’s happening is people take their keys with them as if they’re in a parking lot. This is not a parking lot. We really need people to move their cars,” Guttenberg told KTLA 5.

“If you leave your car behind, leave the key in there so a guy like me can move your car so that these fire trucks can get up there.”

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt

The Hills stars are among the first famous names to be directly impacted by the fires, sharing on Snapchat that their home had burnt down, having previously documented their evacuation from the property.

“Update: I’m watching our house burn down on the security cameras,” Pratt wrote.

In another video shared on TikTok, Pratt showed the blaze growing closer, writing: “Nightmare came true.”

Jhene Aiko

The R&B singer has owned a $5.6 million home in the neighborhood since 2023, in which she lives with rapper boyfriend Big Sean.

Kawhi Leonard

The LA Clippers basketball star acquired a $17 million mansion in the area in 2021, buying it from Hollywood producer Ryan Kavanaugh.

Steve Kerr

The NBA legend and Golden State Warriors head coach has revealed that his mother has been forced to evacuate her home in Pacific Palisades and that his team’s video assistant, Everett Dayton, had already lost the family home he grew up in that neighborhood.

“Everything I’m seeing and reading is just terrifying, what’s happening down there,” Kerr told reporters, according to CNN.

“So, just wanted to send thoughts to everyone who’s going through the devastation of the fire.”

JJ Redick

The LA Lakers head coach has also revealed that his family has been affected by the fires.

“It’s where I live, my family and my wife’s family, my wife’s twin sister, they’ve evacuated,” Redick said.

“I know that a lot of people are freaking out right now, including my family. From the sound of things, with the winds coming tonight, I know a lot of people are scared.”