Jamie Lee Curtis has revealed she is donating $1million toward LA fire relief efforts after fighting back tears over the destruction of Pacific Palisades.
The actress, 66, took to Instagram Thursday to announce her donation and reveal she had been in contact with LA governor Gavin Newson to discuss where the funds would be best used.
She wrote: ‘As the fire still rages on and @calfire @losangelesfiredepartment and all the available first responders and agencies involved in fighting fire and saving lives are still hard at work and neighbors and friends are banding together to save each other, my husband and I and our children have pledged $1 million from our Family Foundation to start a fund of support for our great city and state and the great people who live and love there.
‘I’m in communication with Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass and Senator Schiff as to where those funds need to be directed for the most impact.’
This comes after Curtis fought back tears as she admitted the Pacific Palisades fires have been ‘catastrophic,’ during an appearance on The Tonight Show on Wednesday.
The flew out to New York City to appear on the Jimmy Fallon-hosted show, when the fires started spreading through the city she calls home.
She revealed on Instagram earlier on Wednesday that her home is safe but many of her neighbors homes have been destroyed.
The actress appeared on the show to promote her new film The Last Showgirl, in theaters January 10, but before she discussed the film, she became visibly emotional while addressing the fires.
‘I’m literally just about to cry. Mostly because of that beautiful welcome,’ Curtis began, as the audience started to applaud, with one screaming, ‘You’re beautiful!’
She tearfully continued, ‘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***ing gnarly, you guys. It’s just a catastrophe in southern California,’ she said.
‘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,’ she said.
‘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,’ she continued.
‘But it is — just so I can tell you, if you know anybody on the west coast or not, the American red cross, support them,’ she said.
‘They will come in and help people. Do anything you can. Anything in your community to help people, whether you need it or not now, you will need it. Give blood, donate, whatever,’ she said to applause.
‘And remember, since I’m on the middle of a very big television show, for anybody living anywhere, have an emergency kit in your house,’ she added.
‘I’m an American red cross ambassador. Have an emergency kit with prescription glasses, medicines, dog food, baby formula, all the things you need if you have to flee,’ she added.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, she addressed her appearance on the program in a post shared on Instagram.
Jamie penned: ‘Flying to New York and hearing the beginnings of the stories of the fire was very challenging to be far away from my home and family and friends and feeling very powerless.
‘I suited up and showed up for work here in the city, complete with the recreation of the hip, thrusting meme from the movie, Perfect, and was greeted by such warmth from @fallontonight @jimmyfallon and @ questlove and their team.
‘It was complicated to feel like we were making comedy in the midst of such a profound tragedy across the country, but we did.’
Jamie added: ‘The hug he gave me in support of my fragile feelings will always be remembered, and I leave New York City with the hopes and prayers and good thoughts from all in the East Coast as I return home to the best coast and my beloved City of Angels to help start to repair and rebuild.’
Hours before going on the air, she shared a video showcasing the destruction in Pacific Palisades, where she confirmed her home is safe.
‘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. @americanredcross,’ she said.
She also shared another Instagram post, showing her beloved church in Pacific Palisades that had gone up in flames.
‘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,’ she said.
‘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,’ she added.
‘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,’ she concluded.
Hollywood Boulevard has been evacuated with 100,000 people told to flee with six wildfires raging as the apocalyptic skies of Los Angeles continue to fill with smoke.
Two new blazes broke out overnight in the Hollywood Hills and Studio City – forcing first responders to redeploy their already-scarce resources to the burnt landscape.
The National Guard has been deployed and could send in military personnel to assist, amid revelations that heroic firefighters are ‘triaging’ homes and neighborhoods.
The LA Fire Department issued an evacuation order for people in an area within Hollywood Boulevard to the south, Mulholland Drive to the north, the 101 Freeway to the east and Laurel Canyon Boulevard to the west – all iconic addresses in showbiz.
The latest fires mean huge swathes of iconic southern California real estate from Malibu to Santa Monica, and from Pacific Palisades to Runyon Canyon, are ablaze – impacting millions caught off guard by the unprecedented spread and carnage.
At least five people have lost their lives in the disaster so far – with 2,000 structures obliterated and thousands of people left with nothing but ash across the city.
More than 130,000 people are under evacuation orders while Mandy Moore, Cary Elwes and Paris Hilton are among the stars who said they had lost homes. Billy Crystal and his wife Janice lost their home of 45 years in the Palisades Fire.
