NATIONAL NEWS

Milo Ventimiglia, Mel Gibson among stars who’ve lost homes in Los Angeles fires

Jan 10, 2025, 12:18 PM

A staircase is left partially standing in a property in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in the ...

A staircase is left partially standing in a property in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/John Locher)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Pacific Palisades wildfires torched the home of “This Is Us” star Milo Ventimiglia, perhaps most poignantly destroying the father-to-be’s newly installed crib.

CBS cameras caught the actor walking through his charred house for the first time, standing in what was once his kitchen and looking at a neighborhood in ruin. “Your heart just breaks.”

He and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, evacuated Tuesday with their dog and they watched on security cameras as the flames ripped through the house, destroying everything, including a new crib.

“There’s a kind of shock moment where you’re going, ‘Oh, this is real. This is happening.’ What good is it to continue watching?’ And then at a certain point we just turned it off, like ‘What good is it to continue watching?’”

Ventimiglia was struck by a connection to his “This Is Us” character, Jack Pearson, who died after inhaling smoke in a house fire. “It’s not lost on me life imitating art.”

Mandy Moore, who played Ventimiglia’s wife on “This Is Us,” nearly lost her home in the Eaton fire, which scorched large areas of the Altadena neighborhood. She said Thursday that part of her house is standing but is unlivable, and her husband lost his music studio and all his instruments.

Mel Gibson’s home is “completely gone”, his publicist Alan Nierob confirmed Friday. The Oscar winner revealed the loss of his home earlier Friday while appearing on Joe Rogan’s podcast.

Numerous stars have confirmed their homes were lost or sustained damage in devastating wildfires burning in and around Los Angeles. At least 10 people have died, thousands of structures and vehicles have been destroyed and more than 150,000 people remain under evactuation orders.

Billy Crystal and his wife lost their home of 45 years. Paris Hilton, Jeff Bridges and Cary Elwes and R&B star Jhené Aiko have also said their homes are gone.

National News

FILE - Students with the Gaza Solidarity Encampment block the entrance of Hamilton Hall at Columbia...

Associated Press

Many colleges are settling antisemitism cases. Some Republicans blast ‘toothless’ agreements

WASHINGTON (AP) — Many colleges accused of tolerating antisemitism on their campuses have been settling with federal civil rights investigators in the weeks before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who urged a tougher response to campus protests against the war in Gaza. By settling with the Education Department, the schools close the cases against […]

10 minutes ago

Ryan Pearson, a Los Angeles-based entertainment video editor for The Associated Press, sits in fron...

Associated Press

He left his LA-area home to cover the wildfires. But the flames were barreling toward his front door

ALTADENA, Calif. (AP) — The warnings began on Saturday, Jan. 4. Our neighbor, a volunteer at the local sheriff’s station, texted that we should “batten down the hatches” for a “big windstorm.” From there, things moved fast. On Sunday, I put on a bowtie and tux to cover the red carpet at the Golden Globes. […]

12 minutes ago

Rudy Giuliani, center, speaks to reporters after leaving federal court in Washington, Friday, Jan. ...

Associated Press

Rudy Giuliani to be first witness at trial over whether he keeps Florida home and World Series rings

NEW YORK (AP) — Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is set to be the first witness at a trial over whether he can keep his Florida condominium and three World Series rings or must turn them over to satisfy a $148 million defamation judgment awarded to two Georgia election workers. The trial, heard without […]

15 minutes ago

FILE - A TikTok sign is displayed on top of their building in Culver City, Calif., on Dec. 3, 2024....

Associated Press

College students charged in TikTok-inspired ‘catch a predator’ plot expected in court

Five Massachusetts college students are scheduled to make their first appearances in court Thursday, accused of plotting to lure a man through a dating app into visiting campus last fall and then seizing him as part of a “Catch a Predator” trend on TikTok. The students, all teens at Assumption University, a private, Roman Catholic […]

15 minutes ago

FILE - Gov. Doug Burgum, R-N.D., chats at the New York Stock Exchange before President-elect Donald...

Associated Press

Trump’s pick to oversee US public lands faces Senate hearing

Former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is due before a Senate committee Thursday as lawmakers consider the Republican’s nomination to be chief steward of U.S. public lands and waters. President-elect Donald Trump in November tapped Burgum to be interior secretary and to lead the new National Energy Council, which is charged with promoting oil, gas […]

16 minutes ago

FILE - Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, left, attends a Rainbow Pride flag raising, June 1, 2022 at the C...

Associated Press

Battle over ‘conversion therapy’ ban, separation of powers before Wisconsin Supreme Court

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Thursday over whether a Republican-controlled legislative committee’s rejection of a state agency rule that would ban the practice of “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ+ people was unconstitutional. The challenge comes amid the national battle over LGBTQ+ rights. It is also part of a […]

19 minutes ago

Milo Ventimiglia, Mel Gibson among stars who’ve lost homes in Los Angeles fires