Emmy-nominated actors Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore are among the celebrities who lost their homes in the California wildfires, like the characters they once played on a hit television show.
The two starred as Jack and Rebecca Pearson on the critically acclaimed drama series “This is Us,” which aired on NBC from 2016 to 2022.
Their characters on the show dealt with a tragic house fire, which was among the most watched episodes in the series. Ventimiglia said the irony was not lost on him when his real-life home burned down.
“It’s not lost on me — life imitating art,” Ventimiglia said in an interview with CBS Evening News.
The 47-year-old father-to-be and his pregnant wife took only what they could before evacuating their home in Los Angeles.
Later on, they could do nothing but watch through security cameras as flames engulfed their property and all their belongings.
Despite feeling ‘heavy,’ the actor said he and his wife Jarah Mariano have accepted the loss and are moving on from the tragedy.
“We’ve got good friends, and we’ve got good people we’re working with. We’ll make do. Wife and baby and dog are most important,” Ventimiglia said.
Also reeling from a real-life house fire experience is Ventimiglia’s co-star on the show. Moore lost her home in Altadena. She and her family moved to a friend’s house for safety.
“Our community is broken but we will be here to rebuild together. Sending love to all affected and on the front lines trying to get this under control,” Moore said in an Instagram post.
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