CORONAVIRUS ATTACKS HOLLYWOOD
Showbiz crisis: Celebs infected! Shows shut down!
The glitz and glamour were gone. Instead of photos emerging from Hollywood of stars decked out in designer gowns and dripping in diamonds, the images in mid-March were disturbing and all too real.
On March 10, supermodel Naomi Campbell, 49, showed up to Los Angeles International Airport in a hazmat suit. On March 15, singer Demi Lovato, 27, was photographed walking into an LA market clad in a mask and gloves. That same day, supermodels Kaia Gerber, 18, and Cara Delevingne, 27, hit the same store with the Brit’s gloved girlfriend, Ashley Benson, 30, and came out with three trolleys piled high with bags of food preparing to isolate with the rest of the country as the coronavirus pandemic grew more dire.
More and more, COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, was making its presence known.
On March 16, UK actor Idris Elba, 47, who just days earlier posed for pictures at a London event with Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, 44, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s wife, who has the virus, had himself shared that he too tested positive for coronavirus.
“He’s not showing any symptoms so far, but when it comes down to it, he’s fighting for his life because this virus can be deadly,” says an insider.
Other actors, including Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson, both 63, and Bond girl Olga Kurylenko, 40, also have publicly revealed COVID-19 diagnoses.
Hundreds of TV shows – like NCIS to Grey’sAnatomy – have shut down, and movies have postponed premieres and release dates.
“This is a terrifying time for a lot of people,” says the source. “But Hollywood is very resilient. They, like the rest of the world, will band together to overcome this crisis.”
Even everyone’s favourite action hero is nervous. On March 12, a little over two weeks after Mission:Impossible7 was shut down in Italy, Tom Cruise, 57, was seen fistbumping someone instead of shaking hands before climbing into a private helicopter to flee London.
“Tom is braver than most stars, but he isn’t taking any chances with this virus,” says a source. “He’s told friends that everyone should follow the guidelines and stay away from large crowds. He plans to lay low.”
Justin Bieber also refuses to gamble with his health. On March 13, the “Sorry” singer, 26, made a secret trip to a medical clinic wearing a surgical mask.
“He’s terrified of catching the coronavirus, especially since he has Lyme disease, and people with underlying health issues are
more at risk of complications if they get the virus,” explains a music insider.
Other A-listers like Angelina Jolie, 44, are taking more precautions too. A source tells, “Ange has been caring for her two older daughters [Zahara, 15, and Shiloh, 13], who were hospitalised for recent surgeries, so she’s been vigilant.
“She knew what the world was dealing with early on – her son Maddox [18] is in college in South Korea, one of the early hard-hit countries – so she’s been taking the virus very seriously. But she’s also trying not to panic.”
As the stars stock up and lock down, new fears have emerged.
The industry reportedly as a whole could take a $35 billion hit by the time the crisis begins to subside. Amazon’s Lordofthe RingsTV series, being made in Auckland, has been suspended.
And they’ve postponed blockbusters like the James Bond film NoTimetoDie, and insiders predict that dozens of projects could be sent to streaming services instead of ever opening in theatres.
Disney released FrozenII on its Disney+ streaming service on March 15, a full three months earlier than planned, which means the film – the highest-earning animated movie in history – will miss out on millions in rental and purchase sales.
But according to Disney, the company felt it was ultimately more important to give people “some fun and joy during this challenging period”.
While Hollywood has been on a 15-day lockdown at home since US President Donald Trump, 73, made the call to contain the virus on March 16, the showbiz world has vowed to get through the crisis together.
Pop stars such as John Legend, 41, Chris Martin, 43, and Miley Cyrus, 27, have given free concerts online to lift people’s spirits, and talk-show hosts Jimmy Fallon, 45, and Stephen Colbert, 55, have done live streams from home.
“Celebs are leaning on each other and navigating a way to get through this – personally and professionally,” shares the showbiz source. “This virus is going to change Hollywood forever, like it will the rest of the world. But rest assured, it will be defeated.”