California fires: Beyonc, Paris lead relief push

American singer Beyoncé. [File, Standard]

Hollywood stars are coming together to support Los Angeles, reeling from devastating wildfires that have already claimed 24 lives and displaced thousands. Many of the city’s most famous faces are opening their hearts—and their wallets—to help those in need.

Some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Beyoncé, Paris Hilton, Jennifer Garner and Jamie Lee Curtis, are leading the way in fundraising and donating large sums of money to aid those affected by the fires.

The celebrities, along with others like Miley Cyrus, Mel Gibson and Billy Crystal, have also experienced personal loss, with several losing their homes in the flames.

The wildfires have had a far-reaching impact on both the city and the entertainment industry. Major Hollywood events, such as the 2025 Critics’ Choice Awards and the Oscars nominations voting, have been delayed due to the crisis. The Grammy Awards will still take place as scheduled in February, but the event will now also serve as a fundraiser for wildfire relief efforts.

Beyoncé, through her charity foundation BeyGOOD, has pledged a generous $2.5 million to the Los Angeles Fire Relief Fund. The donation will assist families in the Altadena and Pasadena areas who lost their homes, as well as support local churches and community centres. In a statement shared on Instagram, BeyGOOD expressed solidarity with the people of Los Angeles, saying, “We stand with you.”

Jamie Lee Curtis, who was forced to evacuate her Pacific Palisades home, has also joined the cause. The 66-year-old actress announced that she would donate $1 million to establish a “fund of support” for wildfire victims.

Beach house

“I have been in touch with state and city leaders about how my donation might be distributed for the most impact,” she said on Instagram.
Paris Hilton, another celebrity who lost her Malibu beach house in the Palisades fire, has taken a proactive approach by launching an emergency fund to help displaced families.
The 43-year-old mother of two wrote on her Instagram, “I’m starting with a personal contribution of $100,000, and will be matching additional dollars raised up to $100,000 more. I am looking for others to donate and match alongside me to do our part!”

Eva Longoria is another star who has shown her commitment to supporting those affected by the fires. The actress donated $50,000 to the organisation This Is About Humanity, which focuses on helping frontline workers and families impacted by the wildfires. Longoria has been actively collecting donations, even going as far as emptying her pantry to contribute essential goods.

Longoria added that the donations would “support all of these families working tirelessly to keep us sustained with food. These farm workers are still going out there and producing and picking our produce and dangerous conditions.”

Halle Berry, who has also been impacted by the fires, took action by donating the contents of her entire closet. She brought clothing items to Beverly Hills home goods store +Coop, which is serving as a fire relief pop-up location.

In a message shared on Instagram, Berry encouraged others in Southern California to do the same writing, “This is something we can do right now today to help all of the displaced families that are in need of the basics today!”

The entertainment industry has not only seen individual efforts from celebrities but also significant corporate donations. Netflix, through its co-CEO Ted Sarandos, committed $10 million to various organisations, including the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and the California Community Fund Wildfire Recovery Fund.

“Beyond this financial contribution, we are directly assisting all of our impacted employees at this incredibly difficult time, including assistance with temporary housing needs for those who lost their homes. We are also continuing to double-match all employee charitable contributions through our employee giving programme,” said Sarandos.

Awards nominations

Warner Music Group has made a similar contribution, donating $1 million through the Warner Music Group/Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund. The funds will go towards supporting community wellbeing, music industry professionals, and first responders.

Meanwhile, the Walt Disney Company has pledged $15 million to be distributed to organisations like the American Red Cross and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, which are on the ground providing much-needed relief.

Despite the overwhelming crisis, Hollywood’s response shows the entertainment industry can rally together in times of need. The upcoming awards season, usually a time for glitz and glamour, has taken a backseat as the focus shifts to aiding wildfire victims.

The Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America have both postponed their awards nominations in response to the ongoing disaster.