'Come Hell Or Hollywood' -

At the beginning of this year, while in Los Angeles, I witnessed firsthand the devastating wildfires that tore through the city. I was struck by how quickly circumstances can change and felt compelled to capture not just the physical destruction but also the deeper societal contrasts and realities the fires exposed.

Hollywood has always embodied a striking duality. On one hand, it is seen as the land of dreams, where people sacrifice everything in the pursuit of success. Yet, beneath the glamour, there exists a stark and often overlooked reality—one where many fall through the cracks, left behind by an industry and a city that so often glorifies only its winners. This contrast became even more apparent in the aftermath of the fires. While much of the public discourse centred on the ultra-wealthy who lost their homes—often dismissing their losses as negligible given their vast resources—there was far less attention given to the devastation faced by working-class communities. Places like Altadena, a diverse and hardworking neighbourhood, suffered not only the loss of homes and possessions but also the destruction of a community that had long provided a rare sense of affordability and stability in an increasingly inaccessible city.

Experiencing the disaster from different vantage points revealed a stark contrast in mentality. I had been staying with family friends in the Hollywood Hills—a world away from the sense of community I had felt in Altadena. In this more affluent area, the response to the crisis was far more individualistic; self-preservation seemed to override any sense of collective concern. The evacuation itself felt almost dystopian—Hollywood had transformed into a scene reminiscent of The Purge, with cars running red lights, others abandoned in the streets, and looters breaking into vacated homes. It became clear that, just as in the industry itself, surviving here required a certain ruthlessness—one that, in this moment of crisis, revealed itself in full force.

The title Come Hell or Hollywood reflects this harsh reality. While it acknowledges the city’s cutthroat nature, it also carries a sense of resilience. If one can endure Hollywood—the trials, the upheavals, the unpredictable nature of life here—perhaps survival is possible even in the face of overwhelming destruction. My hope is that this moment serves as a wake-up call, urging people to rethink their values and priorities, and to cultivate empathy in a city that so often thrives on detachment. Because whether millionaire or working-class, the pain of losing a home and the memories within it is a shared human experience—one that transcends wealth, status, and circumstance.