Sawt Falasteen - Los Angeles fires deliver latest blow to embattled Hollywood

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

It comes with Los Angeles's entertainment sector -- worth $115 billion to the region's economy -- already in dire straits, as some film and TV productions abandon the city over high costs. The Covid-19 pandemic and recent labor 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 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 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.

"Grey's Anatomy," "NCIS," "Hacks" and "Fallout" are among more than a dozen Los Angeles-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 canceled," 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 further afield are affected.

"If you're shooting outside in Los Angeles right now, not great. The air quality is that bad," said Malkin.

- 'Glitz-and-glamor' -

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 swaths of Los Angeles are aflame.

Nowhere is this issue more delicate than with Hollywood's ongoing award 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 Los Angeles premieres for films like 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" was aborted.

"The studios, the streamers, are having the right response by canceling or postponing glitz-and-glamor events," said Malkin.

"For people to walk the red carpet, all glitzy and glamor-y, while Los Angeles 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 this year's Oscars nominees has been delayed.

"So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you," Academy CEO 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, Malkin warned that canceling the entire season would have devastating ripple effects on hair-and-makeup 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 paychecks... it would have a devastating effect."

S.AbuJamous--SF-PST