Wendell Pierce isn’t mincing his words regarding the Los Angeles wildfires, and he feels there are similarities to Hurricane Katrina. On Thursday (Jan. 9), the Superman actor took to X/Twitter, where he unloaded his thoughts regarding the devastation in LA.
Pierce, who has witnessed both natural disasters firsthand, asserted that he sees no difference between Katrina and the fires. The Wire entertainer also describes what he feels is happening with insurance companies as they desert their middle-class customers, but honor their wealthier counterparts in time of dire need.
“The fires of Los Angeles 2025 are exactly like Hurricane Katrina 2005,” he began. “I have been in both. Devastation across the entire city. Tens of thousands evacuated and displaced. Danger is ever present. All citizens are in peril. Lives have been lost. Thousands have lost their homes. Insurance companies abandoning clients.”
“This tragedy will be defined by how we respond to this devastation. 20 years later and the Lower 9th Ward has been ignored. Will we ignore Altadena? The affluent Pacific Palisades will have their insurance honored. Will the Altadena neighborhood, middle class, receive the same?”
Pierce then looked at his own life, recalling how Allstate failed to adequately compensate his family during Katrina—even after being a loyal customer for five decades. He urged the insurance companies to show compassion and to learn from the shortcomings during the natural disaster that rocked Louisiana twenty years ago.
“In New Orleans, after 50 years of premiums paid to Allstate, my family received only $400. Citizens in Altadena should receive the same treatment as the affluent citizens of Pacific Palisades. Citizens of Lakeview in New Orleans had their insurance honored. The disparity was clear. Los Angeles heed the lessons of Katrina,” he added.
“I’m in Los Angeles in the middle of a great disaster. It feels the same way it did 20 years ago in New Orleans. Pray for us. The lesson learned from back then and today: love those around you and create loving memories. They will sustain you in difficult times. They will fuel your restoration, recovery and resilience. Also, tragedy is defined by how you respond to it. Not how it defeats you. We will rebuild our right of self-determination,” the acclaimed actor concluded.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Los Angeles wildfires began as a brush fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood at approximately 10:30 AM on Tuesday (Jan. 7). NBC reports that almost 180,000 people were ordered to evacuate their premises after the devastating spread of the Eaton, Hurst, and Lidia fires in Los Angeles County. As of Friday (Jan. 10), there have been at least 10 deaths as a result of the natural disaster.
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