John Legend and Chrissy Teigen are considering permanently relocating their family back east due to the increased frequency of deadly wildfires battering Southern California in recent years.
The couple of more than 10 years have lived in Beverly Hills since 2020 with their four small children: Luna, eight; Miles, six; Esti and Wren, both one. In that time, the region has faced several deadly blazes, including the 2020 Bobcat Fire and, most recently, the January Palisades, Eaton, Hurst and Sunset fires.
Speaking in a new interview with the Wall Street Journal, Legend, 46, described the “shock” he and his family felt upon returning home last month during the Palisades fire after a family vacation.
“On our ride home to Beverly Hills from the airport, we could see the flames and billowing smoke from the Palisades fire,” the EGOT singer-songwriter said. “Watching TV in the family room, our fears grew. When the Sunset fire began to expand on January 9, the danger felt too close for comfort.”
That night, Legend said he and Teigen “gathered our four kids, four dogs and bearded dragon and drove south to a hotel in Carlsbad.”
“We didn’t return until the following week,” the “All of Me” artist added. “Our home was safe, but many weren’t so fortunate, and the threat still looms. The fires were a collective trauma that shook everyone, including our kids.”
Legend and Teigen, who have been married since 2013, previously owned a pair of New York City penthouses. However, they sold them for a whopping $18 million in 2022 after realizing that most of their time was spent in L.A.
“Chrissy and I have always considered returning to New York, where we once lived,” he told the WSJ. “We probably will, once our youngest ones grow up a bit. Every time nature shows its wrath, we wonder if it’s time to head back East. Who knows.”
The recent wildfires that engulfed the Los Angeles area collectively burned more than 35,000 acres and resulted in at least 29 fatalities, according to Cal Fire.
The most destructive fire, the Palisade fire, ripped through the affluent Pacific Palisades neighborhood, destroying the homes of many celebrities.
Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton, Anna Faris, Mandy Moore, Miles Teller, Adam Brody, and Anthony Hopkins are among the A-listers who lost their home to the Palisades fire.
Despite the devastation, some stars were more fortunate. Jamie Lee Curtis, Ben Affleck, Bill Hader, and Star Wars actor Mark Hamill were among those whose properties escaped the flames. Hamill described the disaster as the “most horrific fire since ’93” in an Instagram post, assuring fans of his safety.
