Jennifer Garner disclosed that she had suffered the loss of a friend in the Palisades Fire, which broke out this week and wreaked havoc on the surrounding wealthy enclave.
"I did lose a friend, and for our church, it's really tender so I don't feel like we should talk about it yet," the actress said to Katy Tur, a reporter for MSNBC, on Friday.
Chef José Andrés of World Central Kitchen was also present as they stood in the Palisades, surrounded by homes that had burned down.
"I did lose a friend. She didn't get out in time," she continued as she became emotional.
The 52-year-old "Alias" alum expressed her deep sympathy for her friends, mentioning that she could think of 100 families and 5,000 homes lost. She added that without even thinking, she could easily write a list of 100 friends who had lost their homes.
Jennifer also highlighted that the Palisades neighborhood they were in, particularly Fiske Street, was once a lively community where children would play.
She remembered that her best friend's house was down the street, and they had a gong in their front yard, which the kids would hit at the end of the day to call everyone home.
This was the street they ran down during 5Ks and where the firetruck went during the Fourth of July parade, she said, thanking the firefighters.
According to Page Six, the "13 Going on 30" actress also mentioned feeling "almost guilty" walking through her house, which had been spared from the destructive fire.
"You know, what can I do? How can I help? What can I offer? What do I have to offer with these hands, these walls, and the safety that I have?" She rhetorically asked.
Following the conclusion of her divorce from Ben Affleck in 2018, Jennifer moved into a farmhouse that she had constructed for a total cost of $7.9 million. She built her home to her specifications in the affluent suburb of Brentwood, just southeast of the Palisades.
Affleck, who is 52 years old, was forced to evacuate his $20.5 million estate owing to the threat of the fires, and she made it possible for him to seek sanctuary in her cherished living space. On Thursday, he was fortunate enough to be able to return to his residence without any damage.
As part of her volunteer work with Andrés' World Central Kitchen on Friday, she assisted in providing food to firemen who were putting their lives in danger to put out the fires in Los Angeles County.
"You're never going wrong if you donate to World Central Kitchen," Jennifer enthusiastically told Tur.
"I've lived in and around the Palisades for 25 years, so I just think all of us want to get our hands working somehow to be helpful," she added at another point in their interview.
The fire destroyed about 5,000 homes, businesses, and other structures on 20,000 acres, fueled by 100-mph winds.
Affleck's home survived the fire, while many of his colleagues lost everything.
Famous people like Adam Brody, Leighton Meester, Anna Faris, Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Miles Teller, and Paris Hilton lost their homes.
Business Times has reached out to Jennifer Garner for additional comments.
