Despite the loss, Hader praised his children for their resilience
Actor and comedian Bill Hader described being left “speechless” after returning to his Pacific Palisades neighborhood following the January wildfires that swept through parts of Los Angeles.
Hader recounted the experience during an appearance on Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Entertainment Weekly reported, recalling how he was filming a commercial parody with SNL alum Kristen Wiig on Jan. 7 when the fires began. “Kristen said that morning she was worried about fire danger,” Hader said. “Later, we saw smoke, and someone mentioned the Palisades. I said, ‘That’s where I live.’”
Unable to gain access to his home due to evacuation orders, Hader convinced a news crew to bring him in by offering an interview. “That was the only way I could get up there,” he said. What he found was a home still standing—but filled with dust and toxic debris. “It was unlivable,” he said.
Hader’s ex-wife, filmmaker Maggie Carey, lost her home entirely. Despite the loss, Hader praised his children for their resilience. “I get inspiration from them,” he said. He also credited girlfriend Ali Wong for her support during the recovery. “She took me shopping because all I had were sweats,” he said. “It meant a lot.”
Hader called seeing the destruction around his neighborhood “the hardest part.”
