Mandy Moore faced a torrent of criticism Friday after she shared a GoFundMe campaign for relatives who, like her, suffered damage to their Altadena home in one of the several fires devastating the Los Angeles area.
Moore, who has an estimated net worth of $14 million, shared the GoFundMe, with a $175,000 goal, for her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Griffin and Kit Goldsmith. The couple’s Altadena home was destroyed in the Eaton fire, just as the couple were expected to give birth in a few weeks, Moore and the GoFundMe said.
“With their first baby on the way in a matter of weeks, they need our support now more than ever,” the “This is Us” star wrote on Instagram.
But Moore’s post was immediately filled with scathing comments from people who said such things as, “The audacity of a multimillionaire asking everyday (people) who live paycheck to paycheck to donate to her family member, when she could easily give the full goal amount without it affecting her family financially in anyway.”
Someone else said, “Pretty sure Mandy has boatloads more money than everyone donating to her family. Ridiculous.”
To such comments, Moore proclaimed, “Kindly F OFF. No one is forcing you to do anything.” She said people were not being “helpful or empathetic” by questioning whether she and her husband, Taylor Goldsmith, were helping their own family. “Of course we are,” she said.
Moreover, Moore pointed out that the home she shared with her musician husband, Taylor Goldsmith, and three young children, also was damaged in the fire, to the extent that it’s “not livable.” She said, “We just lost most of our life in a fire too,” she said.
A number people jumped on Moore’s Instagram to defend her sharing the GoFundMe, which was set up by a friend of Griffin and Kit Goldsmith.
“These comments are horrifying,” one person said. Another tried to provide context: “Just a reminder that this is likely Mandy & Taylor’s most devastating life event and they’re choosing to spend this time raising awareness for others. Be just as kind.”
Still another repeated the idea that “You don’t need to donate if you don’t want to/cannot!” He added: “Go help other families, no need to comment such ridiculously cucky things!! Thank you peace and love!!”
In the original GoFundMe plea, the friend wrote: “Without a home or the most basic necessities, the days ahead feel unimaginable” for Moore’s in-lawss.
The friend said that Moore’s brother-in-law is a musician, who has spent the past 20 years as a touring drummer. Actually, Griffin and Taylor Goldsmith perform together in the band Dawes. Now, all of Griffin Goldsmith’s “drums, studio gear … stuff he’s spent his whole life collecting to make a living, was also lost in the fire,” the GoFundMe said.
As of Friday morning, the campaign had raised $161,000, nearly reaching its goal.
On Thursday, Moore shared images from a visit to her “sweet” hometown of Altadena and to her devastated property.
In an instance of life imitates art, Moore’s character in the TV drama “This is Us,” also lost her home in a fire. Even more eerie, the Malibu home of Moore’s TV husband, Milo Ventimiglia, also was destroyed in the Palisades fire. Moreover, Ventimiglia told CBS Evening News during a visit to the charred ruins of his property that the fire happened just as his wife, Jarah Mariano, about to give birth.
As with Ventimiglia’s segment with CBS News, Moore also visited her damaged property on Thursday.
“We were able to park and walk up our street to bear witness to all the loss,” Moore said on Instagram. “Miraculously, the main part of our house is still standing. For now. It’s not livable but mostly intact.”
Moore also confirmed that Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith had lost their music studio, “with every instrument and piece of equipment they’ve ever owned.”
“Feeling weird survivors guilt,” Moore continued. “We love this community and will do everything we can to help rebuild and support. Altadena strong.”
Since the first of a series of devastating wildfires erupted in the Los Angeles area, at least 10 people have been killed and more than 9,000 homes, businesses and other buildings appear to have been damaged or destroyed. Much of the destruction was cased by the Eaton fire in Altadena and Pasadena and by the Palisades fire, which leveled neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades and Malibu.