‘You could put it in an urn’: Mel Gibson’s house destroyed
Mel Gibson has revealed his Malibu home burned down while he appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast as another Aussie star said his home “is gone” as fires continued to rage in Los Angeles.
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Mel Gibson has revealed his Malibu mansion burned down while he appeared as a guest on Joe Rogan’s podcast in Texas.
The Australian star was in Texas, recording a podcast with Joe Rogan when the fires started.
In an interview with NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas Reports on Thursday local time, the Oscar award-winning actor and director said he felt “ill at ease” during the recording session because he knew his “neighbourhood was on fire” and he wondered if the house would “still be there”.
“When I got home, sure enough, (the house) wasn’t there,” he told Vargas. “I have never seen a place so perfectly burnt. … You could put it in an urn.”
Gibson also spoke about the “devastating” feeling of losing the home he had lived in for 15 years.
“Obviously, it’s kind of devastating. It’s emotional,” Gibson said. “You live there for a long time, and you had all your stuff. You remember George Carlin talking about your stuff? I had my stuff there, and it’s all like, I’ve been relieved from the burden of my stuff, because it’s all in cinders.”
Gibson tried to make light of the situation, joking “at least I haven’t got any of those pesky plumbing problems anymore”.
Gibson said that his wife, Rosalind, and their son, Lars, were safe as they had evacuated before the fires hit. He also revealed that fellow actor Ed Harris’ home, down the street from Gibson’s, was also burned down. Despite the devastation, Gibson said his chickens survived the fire but that he lost most of his belongings.
“I had a lot of personal things there that, you know, I can’t get back … All kinds of stuff, everything from photographs to files to, you know, you know, just personal things that I had from over the years, and clothing, you know, pretty cool stuff, you know, but you know that can all be replaced,” Gibson said.
“These are only things. And the good, the good news is that, you know, those in my family and those I love are all well, and we’re all happy and healthy and out of harm’s way, that’s all I can care about, really.”
BENJAMIN RIGBY
The former Neighbours star has spoken about his devastation after his home was destroyed in the LA fires.
Benjamin Rigby shared an image of the remains of his home, which burned down leaving nothing but a charred staircase, to Instagram.
“My heart is absolutely and completely broken. Our home is gone,” the Aussie actor wrote alongside the devastating photo.
The Queensland-born star also posted a link to a fundraising site where people can donate.
“Hi it’s Belinda, dear friend of Ben, from Australia, and I’m trying to help Ben and Daren with any emergency relief funds possible as their home was destroyed in the fires happening this week in Pacific Palisades’ the charity page reads.
“The staircase in this image led to their home. There’s not much more I can say. Thankfully they were both away at the time and are physically safe.”
“As this is emergency relief the funds will be used for anything they need after this loss – food, accommodation, clothing, vehicles, anything they need.”
As of Friday night AEDT, nearly $32,000 had been raised to help the actor.
LA-based Rigby has appeared in major films such as Alien: Covenant and Ford v. Ferrari.
He briefly starred on Neighbours back in 2011, where he played David Sheridan.
MILO VENTIMIGLIA
This Is US star Milo Ventimiglia became visibly emotional when he returned to the charred remains of his Malibu home.
He said he and pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, wife and their dog had evacuated but had watched their home burn down in terrifying security camera footage.
The star told CBS News that he and Mariano had been excited about raising their baby in the beachside home and got visibly emotional talking about their loss — which included the crib and “everything [that] was set up” for the arrival of their first child together.
About seeing their home burn down with their own eyes, he talked about how difficult it was for them to process.
“I think there’s a shock moment where you go, this is real and this is happening. Then, at some point, you just turn it off. What good is it to continue watching?”
He said they then “kind of accepted the loss” and returned to the area two days later but even though they knew the home was gone, seeing it in person felt “heavy”.
“You start thinking about all the memories in different parts of the house and what not,” he said.
“And then you see your neighbours’ houses and everything kind of around and your heart just breaks. But we’ve got good friends, and we’ve got good people we’re working with,’ he said. “We’ll make do. Wife and baby and dog are most important.”
Ventimiglia’s former onscreen wife Mandy Moore was also one of the many who were forced to evacuate amid the ravaging fires.
JENNIE GARTH
An emotional Jennie Garth has revealed she took refuge in the home of her ex-husband after she evacuated her home.
The former Beverly Hills, 90210 star said her Twilight star ex-husband, Peter Facinelli, and his family had sheltered her and that her family home “had been spared”.
“I wanted to let you know that we are safe,” Garth said in a video posted to social media. “Peter and his family took us in and have been so kind.”
Garth said she was “deeply saddened for our city and just feel numb”.
“Our home was spared but so much to clean up and ready to get active to help our neighbours and friends and fellow Angelinos,” she said.
She then said her husband Dave Abrams had been “amazing transporting all our bags and boxes, loading and unloading”.
“Just keep everyone here who is suffering in your heart and prayers. I am grateful we are all OK and have a home to return to. This will effect people differently, so reach out, and offer to help, it really does mean so much. Thank you for all the love that is being sent this way.”
GARY HALL JR
It comes as former US Olympian Gary Hall Jr who won 10 Olympic medals and six world championship medals in his swimming career said he’s lost them all in the Palisades fires.
“I thought I had more time,” Hall said. “I saw the fire charging down the hill and knew that I had to get out of there. I opened up the back of my SUV, I loaded a painting, one other object.
“The medals were in a closet in my bedroom, 70 feet away, and I didn’t have time to go get them. From the time that I saw the first plume of smoke at the top of the hill … I had about three minutes between then and when it came charging towards me.
“By the time I was going back in from that run, hot embers were raining down from the sky. I knew at that point that I just didn’t have much time. I could see the embers hitting the roofs of the houses around me and made that decision: it’s time to go.”
Hall, known for his speed and showmanship, represented the US in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics. He won 10 Olympic medals, including five gold medals. He also won three gold and three silver world championship medals.
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