Academy Award-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis sparked controversy during a Q&A session for "The Last Showgirl" by drawing parallels between the fire-damaged Pacific Palisades and Gaza. Her remarks quickly went viral across social media platforms, generating significant debate and criticism regarding the appropriateness of such a comparison.
In viral footage, Curtis, seated beside actress Pamela Anderson, discussed the devastating impact of the Los Angeles fires that erupted earlier this week.
"The entire Pacific Palisades looks like, you know, unfortunately, Gaza or one of these war-torn countries where awful things have happened," the actress remarked while describing the fire's destructive path through the city, including her neighborhood.
Jamie Lee Curtis comments on the Los Angeles fires during a Q&A:
"The entire Pacific Palisades looks like, you know, unfortunately Gaza or one of these war-torn countries where awful things have happened"
— Pop Base (@PopBase) January 10, 2025
The social media response was swift and largely negative, with users criticizing Curtis for drawing what they deemed an inappropriate parallel. Critics particularly focused on the contrast between comparing natural disaster damage to human-caused conflict, with one user commenting: "While the fire is devastating, making comparisons to Gaza from a position of extreme wealth and privilege is deeply problematic."
The backlash intensified due to Curtis's comments about the war in Gaza. In the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023 events, the actress had previously posted an image of Palestinian children, mistaking it for a post intended to demonstrate solidarity with Israel. Although she later addressed this error, she did not comment on or express support for Palestinian children.
In a related development, Curtis has made a commitment to donate $1 million to support those affected by the Los Angeles fires.
