Twin Peaks and The Addams Family Actor Loses Home in California Wildfires

Twin Peaks and Addams Family Star Carel Struycken Loses Home in California Wildfires

"Twin Peaks" and "The Addams Family" actor Carel Struycken and his wife, Tracey, lost their home in the devastating Eaton wildfire that recently ravaged Southern California. Despite having lived in their Altadena, Calif. home for over 12 years without experiencing an evacuation, the erratic winds of this particular fire forced them to leave within minutes.

Struycken, who played the Giant in "Twin Peaks" and reprised the role in "Twin Peaks: The Return," had prepared for potential fires in the past, but the sudden and unexpected nature of the Eaton wildfire left him and his wife with nothing but a bear-proof enclosure for their garbage cans.

In the aftermath, Struycken's son-in-law, Michael Anspach, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist the actor and photographer in rebuilding their home. The campaign has already raised over $75,000 towards its $90,000 goal.

Struycken has expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support, including fellow "Twin Peaks" co-stars Michael Horse and Adele Jones. Jones, who is also known for her role in "The Addams Family," took to Instagram to request clothing for Struycken, who has acromegaly and requires custom-sized clothing. She later announced that he had received a large donation of clothing.

The fires also resulted in the tragic death of David Lynch, the visionary filmmaker who created "Twin Peaks" and directed surreal films like "Blue Velvet." Struycken recalls the director's welcoming words on his first day on set: "Everything is going to be peachy keen." He also shares memories from the unexpected production of Season 2, when the network abruptly shut down filming and forced Lynch to rewrite the script on the fly.

Despite the loss of his home, Struycken has felt connected to the "Twin Peaks" community through the outpouring of support. Retrospective screenings of Lynch's work have been selling out across Los Angeles, including a fundraiser for Struycken.

As Los Angeles rebuilds, Struycken and his wife are staying in a Long Beach rental. He hopes to use the funds raised through the GoFundMe campaign to purchase a new suit for his son-in-law's upcoming wedding in March.

"To my surprise, the insurance is starting to come together," says Struycken. "As far as other people coming to our help, it's been a great experience."