"Just Gutted For You": Celebs Are Comforting Zooey Deschanel After She Shared A Photo Of Her Childhood Home Destroyed In The LA Fires
Zooey Deschanel had a tough 45th birthday.
The actor's birthday was Jan. 17, and that same day she shared on Instagram that her childhood home had burned down in the Palisades fire.
The Palisades fire is one of several that have raged across significant portions of Los Angeles County this month. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Palisades fire is just over 60 percent contained as of Tuesday. The other large fire, the Eaton fire, is nearly 90 percent contained.
Zooey posted numerous photos of the home, including what it looked like before and after the fires.
@zooeydeschanel/Instagram / Via instagram.com
She also posted a series of sweet family moments at the house. Her sister, Bones actor Emily Deschanel, and their parents, Oscar-nominated cinematographer Caleb Deschanel and Twin Peaks actor Mary Jo Deschanel, were featured in the photos.
Zooey began her caption by noting the house was a "marvel of 1920s Spanish revival architecture" and one of the oldest in the neighborhood.
"It was not a mansion but it was cozy and lovely and unique and perfect to me," she wrote, noting that a childhood friend used to call the house "The Church" because the living room featured 14-foot ceilings and stained glass windows.
"To me it was holy, a sanctuary where we felt most safe," Zooey continued. "The Christmas dinners, Easter egg hunts, trick or treating, weddings, birthdays, baby showers… we celebrated the best moments of our lives there. The family photos that lined the hallways, the artwork, the piano I learned to play on, the wedding china, the furniture my great great grandfather built… the reminders of generations past: All have vanished into thin air."
Noting her family is far from the only one experiencing the loss of their homes due to the fires, Zooey thanked people who've shown up to support Los Angeles, her family, and her community.
Zooey also shouted out the firefighters who've worked tirelessly to contain the blazes, friends who've stepped in to help her family, and "strangers" who have offered "kind gestures."
"Thank you all for showing us the goodness in your hearts. You have no idea how much it means to us," she wrote.
In a comment on the post, Zooey acknowledged that she felt "kind of weird celebrating" and asked her followers to consider helping in aid and relief efforts, mentioning the Los Angeles Firemen's Relief Association and Baby2Baby as places to provide assistance.
"I know this is long, if you're still reading, thank you for commemorating this beautiful home. 💔," she ended her post.
Celebrities quickly commented with condolences for Zooey and her family:
"Even I have countless happy memories in this beautiful house- I can't stop thinking about all your beautiful family pictures. So much love to all of you ❤️it's really heartbreaking," Melanie Lynskey said. In a follow-up comment, she also wished Zooey a happy birthday and encouraged her to "find a few moments of joy" that day.
Judd Apatow said, "Devastating. So sorry. ❤️"
Kate Hudson commented, "Love you ❤️"
Sophia Bush wrote, "Just gutted for you. I'm so sorry, love. ❤️🩹"
A couple of Zooey's New Girl costars also commented. Max Greenfield sent three heart emojis.
And Damon Wayans Jr. sent a couple of heart emojis, too.
Finally, Zooey's fiancé Jonathan Scott wrote, "💔so many fond memories. Absolutely heartbreaking.Know that I will do whatever it takes to restore its original beauty to the best of my abilities. Nothing can replace the beauty and history of the original home. But it's the best way we can honor it. ❤️"
You can view Zooey's full post here and ways to donate to relief efforts here.