Oscar-winning actor Jamie Lee Curtis is facing backlash for drawing a comparison between the destructive wildfires in the Los Angeles area and the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Also read: Jamie Lee Curtis pledges $1 million for LA wildfire relief after losing her neighbourhood to the fires.
What did she say
As per RadarOnline.com, the 66-year-old actor stirred up controversy when she made the comparison during a recent Q&A for her upcoming film The Last Showgirl.
During the session, the actor shared, “I am born and raised in the City of Angels. And the entire City of Angels is on fire, everywhere. The entire city of the Pacific Palisades is gone. I mean literally my neighborhood – gone. My house tonight is still there but I live in a different canyon. But the entire Pacific Palisades looks like, unfortunately, Gaza, or one of these war-torn countries where awful things have happened”.
“And there are now fires breaking out everywhere. So it feels totally bizarre to be talking about a movie, and yet it’s a piece of art, and art will save us no matter what,” she added.
The actor later announced that she made a $1 million donation towards relief funds to support Los Angeles amid the destructive blazes.
Jamie Lee Curtis gets slammed for the comparison
Social media users were enraged by the remarks. They condemned the Hollywood actor for drawing a parallel between the wildfires and the Gaza conflict.
“I live in California, and you would never find me comparing these fires to Gaza … both tragedies but not comparable AT ALL,” one user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Another user commented, “The flippant way people talk about Gaza. As if it wasn’t a real tragedy until those scenes started being reflected in their gated communities. It’s gross.”
“Why would she say that? This is a completely atrocious comparison,” one comment read. One user shared, “This comparison is inappropriate and lacks sensitivity to the actual experiences of those living in war-torn regions”.
Amid the backlash, some social media users tried to decode the actor’s intent behind the comment.
“I see what Jamie Lee Curtis is saying, and honestly, I kind of get it, the fires are devastating, and sometimes you need a big comparison to really drive the point home. Sure, mentioning Gaza might stir some debate, but I think her heart’s in the right place, she’s just trying to get people to realize how bad things really are,” one wrote.
At the time, the Halloween actor addressed her “error” through a statement, saying: “I took down the post when I realized my error. The other post is a Guy Oseary repost. It’s an awful situation for all the innocent people in the line of fire.”
About LA wildfires
Five devastating wind-fed fires have killed at least 11 people and swept through 37,900 acres in the greater Los Angeles area, destroying entire communities and more than 12,000 structures. They started earlier this week. At least 153,000 residents of Los Angeles have been ordered to evacuate from their homes for their own safety.
