Author: Lisa Richwine
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Actress Jamie Lee Curtis, one of many Hollywood celebrities who lived in California neighborhoods ravaged by wildfires this week, said on Thursday her family would donate $1 million to help.
The Oscar winner said she and her husband, actor and director Christopher Guest, and their children have pledged $1 million to support “our great city and state and the great people who live there.”
Curtis said she is in contact with officials about “where these funds should be directed for the greatest impact.”
Her post included a picture of smoke billowing over the famous Santa Monica Pier.
On Wednesday night, Curtis fought back tears as she described the devastation in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood during an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
“Where I live right now is on fire, literally the entire town of Pacific Palisades is on fire,” she said. “I literally live here – everything, the market where I shop, the schools my children go to. Friends, many, many, many, many, many friends have now lost their homes.”
“It’s just a disaster,” Curtis said.
Other celebrities such as Billy Crystal, James Woods, Paris Hilton and Mandy Moore said their homes were destroyed.
The Palisades fire and another fire east of Los Angeles were still burning Thursday.
CORE, a charity co-founded by Sean Penn, said it was distributing masks and other supplies to help people in areas with poor air quality due to wildfire smoke.
“Hacks” star Jean Smart has called on TV networks to drop plans to televise upcoming Hollywood awards shows and donate to fire and emergency relief instead.
“ATTENTION,” the Emmy winner wrote on Instagram. “With all due respect during Hollywood’s holiday season, I hope that any of the networks that carry the upcoming awards will seriously consider NOT airing them and donating the proceeds to fire victims and firefighters.”
One upcoming show, the Critics Choice Awards, was delayed two weeks because of the fire, and next week’s Oscar nominations were pushed back two days. Several film premieres have been canceled and some TV productions have been paused.
