Los Angeles fires deliver latest blow to embattled Hollywood

LOS ANGELES – As

Los Angeles is gripped by wildfires

that resemble a Hollywood disaster movie, the city’s vast entertainment industry is already counting the costs of yet another drastic setback that its workers can ill-afford.

Actors, crew, writers and producers have lost their homes; film and television productions have been temporarily halted; and calls are mounting for Hollywood’s awards season to be cancelled.

This comes at a time when LA’s entertainment sector – worth US$115 billion (S$157.69 billion) to the region’s economy – is already in dire straits, as some film and TV productions abandon the city over high costs.

The Covid-19 pandemic and recent labour upheavals have also taken their toll in recent years.

“Hollywood, as everyone, was hit by the pandemic with severe consequences. The strikes, obviously, affected the industry, probably forever,” said Mr Marc Malkin, senior culture and events editor for trade magazine Variety. “Add the fires to that, and Hollywood is just being hit over and over again.”

Stars including actors Anthony Hopkins, Mel Gibson and

Billy Crystal have lost their homes

to the past week’s blazes.

But that is only the tip of the iceberg, with thousands of houses destroyed across a city that is home to 680,000 people employed in the entertainment industry or service jobs directly supporting it.

NCIS (2003 to present), Grey’s Anatomy (2005 to present), Hacks (2021 to present) and Fallout (2024) are among more than a dozen LA-based TV productions that have seen their sets go dark since the fires broke out.

Parts of the city where major soundstages are located, including Burbank, were threatened by the fires, but have so far been spared.

But Film LA, which handles permissions for outdoor movie and TV shoots, warned producers working in or near evacuation zones to “expect to have your permit cancelled”, and advised others that on-set safety supervisors would be in short supply.

With dense smoke and soot cloaking the entire region, even productions hoping to film farther afield are affected.

“If you’re shooting outside in LA right now – not great. The air quality is that bad,” said Mr Malkin.

There is no word yet on when productions will resume.

Aside from the many logistical issues, the industry must consider the optics of returning to normal while swathes of LA are aflame.

Nowhere is this issue more delicate than with Hollywood’s ongoing awards season – an endless series of swanky premieres, galas and prize-giving ceremonies that is currently on hold.

Events including the Critics Choice Awards show have been delayed, and LA premieres for films such as Pamela Anderson’s The Last Showgirl and the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man were scrapped last week.

The cancellations even extended to New York, where a premiere for hit Apple TV show Severance (2022 to present) was aborted.

“The studios, the streamers, are having the right response by cancelling or postponing glitz-and-glamour events,” said Mr Malkin.

“For people to walk the red carpet, all glitzy and glamorous, while LA is literally and figuratively burning... it would be a little disconcerting to hear people either talking about their fashion or that ‘silly story from set’.”

Even the televised announcement of the 2025 Oscars nominees has been delayed.

“So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the LA area, and we are thinking of you,” academy chief executive Bill Kramer wrote in a message to members.

Hacks actress Jean Smart has advocated going a step further, and scrapping the entire season.

“With all due respect, during Hollywood’s season of celebration, I hope any of the networks televising the upcoming awards will seriously consider not televising them and donating the revenue they would have garnered to the victims of the fires and the firefighters,” Smart wrote on Instagram.

While few in Tinseltown are in the mood for celebrating, Mr Malkin warned that cancelling the entire season would have devastating ripple effects on hair-and-make-up artists, waiters, drivers and security staff.

“Yes, the celebrities are going to be okay, financially,” he said. “But when you think about all the people who staff these various award shows, these are gig workers who rely on these pay cheques... it would have a devastating effect.” AFP