Reality TV star Paris Hilton has said she is feeling “truly indescribable heartbreak” after her Los Angeles home burned down as wildfires spread across the US city.
The 43-year-old said she was in “complete shock” when she first saw the news, and expressed sympathy for others who had been affected by the blaze.
A series of major wind-driven fires in California have killed 10 people, ravaged communities, and sent thousands of people frantically fleeing their properties, including areas dotted with celebrity homes.
Speaking about losing her home, Hilton said in an Instagram post: “I’m standing here in what used to be our home, and the heartbreak is truly indescribable.
“When I first saw the news, I was in complete shock — I couldn’t process it. But now, standing here and seeing it with my own eyes, it feels like my heart has shattered into a million pieces.”
She described the home as “where we dreamed, laughed, and created the most beautiful memories as a family”, adding that “to see it reduced to ashes” was “devastating beyond words”.
“It’s not just walls and roofs — it’s the memories that made those houses homes. It’s the photos, the keepsakes, the irreplaceable pieces of our lives.
“And yet, in this pain, I know I’m incredibly lucky. My loved ones, my babies, and my pets are safe. That’s the most important thing, and I’m holding onto that gratitude with everything I have.
I’m standing here in what used to be our home, and the heartbreak is truly indescribable.?? When I first saw the news, I was in complete shock—I couldn’t process it. But now, standing here and seeing it with my own eyes, it feels like my heart has shattered into a million… pic.twitter.com/mJcFjQVVX7
— Paris Hilton (@ParisHilton) January 10, 2025
“And beyond grateful to all the the firefighters, first responders and volunteers risking their lives to fight these fires.
“To everyone who has sent love, prayers, and kindness — you’ve reminded me that even in the ashes, there is still beauty in this world.
“Thank you from the deepest part of my heart. And to everyone going through this pain, please know you’re not alone. We’re in this together. We will rebuild, we will heal, and we will rise stronger than before.
US actor Milo Ventimiglia drew parallels between watching his Malibu home burn in the Californian wildfire and the fate of his character in TV drama This Is Us.
His character Jack Pearson suffers from smoke inhalation after his home burns down in the hit series.
“It’s not lost on me, life imitating art,” the 47-year-old said.
Ventimiglia and his wife evacuated their home on Tuesday and watched on security cameras as the flames took over.
“I think there’s a kind of shock moment where you go: ‘Oh this is real, this is happening.’
“And then a certain point we just turn it off. What good is it to continue watching? We kind of accepted the loss,” he added.
Mandy Moore, who plays his on-screen wife in This Is Us, also lost part of her home in the flames.
Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges is also among the most recent stars to confirm the family home that his parents bought in Malibu years ago, and he owned, was destroyed in the Pacific Palisades fire, a spokesperson told the PA news agency.
Meanwhile, Gilmore Girls star Ventimiglia, whose wife Jarah Mariano is due to give birth imminently, became emotional as he returned to see his home had burnt to the ground.
In an interview on US outlet CBS News, he said: “You start thinking about all the memories in different parts of the house and whatnot and then you see your neighbours’ houses and everything kind of around and your heart just breaks.”
US actor Billy Crystal, The Princess Bride star Cary Elwes, talk show host Ricki Lake, The Hills stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag and Oscar-winning songwriter Diane Warren also lost their homes in the fires.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are also understood to have donated supplies to people affected by the weather event.
The Sussexes also invited into their home friends and loved ones who had been forced to evacuate, it is understood.
The fires have thrown Hollywood’s awards season into disarray, with the Critics Choice Awards and the Oscar nominations among events rescheduled as firefighters attempted to battle the blaze.
