"It was one of the oldest homes in the Palisades and so spectacularly beautiful," the actress wrote, calling her childhood home a "sanctuary where we felt most safe," and where we "celebrated the best moments of our lives."
Zooey Deschanel is opening up about the devastating loss of her childhood home, revealing that it was one of the many that burned down in the Los Angeles wildfires.
On Friday, the actress took to Instagram to share the heartbreaking news that the Pacific Palisades home she and her sister Emily Deschanel grew up in had been destroyed in the Palisades fire.
In her post, Zooey, 45, shared photos of the gorgeous 1920s Spanish-style home before and after the fire, along with photos of herself, Emily, 48, and their family over the years at the home.
“My childhood home. A marvel of 1920s Spanish revival architecture,” she began in the post’s caption. “Full of too many incredible memories to count, it was one of the oldest homes in the Palisades and so spectacularly beautiful. It was not a mansion but it was cozy and lovely and unique and perfect to me.”
“One of my friends growing up called it ‘The Church’ because the 14 foot ceilings with stained glass windows in the living room cast colorful shadows at the end of the day. And to me it was holy, a sanctuary where we felt most safe,” she continued, before recalling family memories. “The Christmas dinners, Easter egg hunts, trick or treating, weddings, birthdays, baby showers… we celebrated the best moments of our lives there.”
The New Girl star went on to reveal the special possessions that now have been lost.
“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,” she said.
Zooey noted that she and her family “are not alone,” referring to other neighborhoods that have been tragically destroyed.
“Along with another beautiful LA neighborhood, Alta Dena, the streets of my childhood in Pacific Palisades have been all but erased as we knew them. So many people have lost so much,” she wrote.
She then shared her gratitude towards the Los Angeles community, the firefighters, and her friends who have supported her during this difficult time.
“To all the people who have shown up for us and our community and Los Angeles in general: Thank you,” Zooey said. “To the firefighters who have been working around the clock to keep everyone safe: You are our true heroes. To the friends who have been so wonderful to think of us during this time: you have texted and called, come to visit, you have made us meals, you have sent clothes to my parents who left with nothing, you have distracted us with humor and you have cried with us when we needed. Your kindness is the salve that has made this bearable.”
“To the strangers who have lifted our spirits with kind gestures: you are the true meaning of community. Thank you all for showing us the goodness in your hearts,” she added. “You have no idea how much it means to us.”
The Elf actress went on to add more to her caption in a comment, sharing that Friday was her 45th birthday.
“Ok and for the last part… yeah… today is my birthday. And I feel kind of weird celebrating,” she said, before noting how her followers can mark her special day. “Maybe today you could do something for someone who has lost their home. Just a text or a call? Or if you’re able to- I’d be honored if you supported the LA firefighters relief association, which supports our firefighters, and/or Baby2Baby which has been supplying underserved communities who have been affected by the fires with essentials.”
“I know this is long, if you’re still reading, thank you for commemorating this beautiful home. 💔,” she concluded her emotional post.
Fans and Deschanel’s celebrity friends alike took to the comments section of her post to offer their condolences.
Melanie Lynskey wrote, “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.”
“Sending you so much love and I’m so sorry for your loss. ❤️,” Amanda Kloots commented.
“Love you ❤️,” Kate Hudson said, while Josh Gad wrote, “I am so sorry.”
Deschanel’s New Girl costars Max Greenfield and Damon Wayans Jr. shared heart emojis to show their support.
Meanwhile, Deschanel’s fiancé, Property Brothers star Jonathan Scott, also commented with a heartwarming message, assuring her that he’ll do whatever he can to “restore” the home’s “original beauty.”
“💔so many fond memories. Absolutely heartbreaking,” he wrote. “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. ❤️.”
The wildfires destroyed entire neighborhoods and have, so far, claimed the lives of at least 27 people, according to Los Angeles County officials.
As of Saturday, the Palisades Fire was at 43% containment with 23,713 acres burned, according to Cal Fire. The Eaton Fire was nearly 75% contained. It has burned more than 14,000 acres. Nearly 12,000 structures have been destroyed.
The wildfires led to the evacuation of over 100,000 residents, and left hundreds of thousands without power.
Other stars who have lost their homes include, Joshua Jackson, Ricki Lake, Cameron Mathison, Billy Crystal, Anna Farris, and more, while others have taken to social media to reveal they evacuated their neighborhoods.
