'Selling Sunset' star Jason Oppenheim says they've paused filming season 9 as they work out how to cover the LA fires
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- Jason Oppenheim said filming for "Selling Sunset" season nine is on hold because of the LA fires.
- He said the Oppenheim Group has instead focused on efforts to help those who have lost their homes.
- He told BI it's unclear if and how the fires will be addressed in the coming season.
Jason Oppenheim, the star of "Selling Sunset," said filming for season nine of the Netflix show has been paused as fires continue to devastate parts of Los Angeles.
In a conversation with BI, Oppenheim confirmed that filming had commenced and then abruptly halted because of the ongoing natural disasters.
Netflix has not officially announced that the show has been renewed for a ninth season, but several cast members, including Mary Bonnet, Chelsea Lazkani, and Amanza Smith, have suggested on social media that production was underway. The streaming platform declined to comment.
The fires, which have been raging for nearly a week, have burned more than 40,000 acres in Los Angeles County, displacing more than 100,000 residents and killing at least 24 people.
"I don't know if or how we'll address it on camera," said Oppenheim, who runs the real-estate brokerage the Oppenheim Group with his twin brother.
"We've paused filming so we can focus on our efforts right now," he added.
Oppenheim said the efforts include a donation drive at his office, financial contributions to the Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments, and a pledge to represent fire victims who have lost their homes for free.
In an Instagram post over the weekend, Oppenheim announced that the Oppenheim Group would refund any commissions it received from transactions involving fire victims.
The fires have destroyed more than 12,300 structures, local authorities have said.
Many celebrities, including some Oppenheim Group agents, have lost their homes in the fires, though Oppenheim did not specify whether any cast members were affected.
Oppenheim said representing people who've lost their homes has taken up considerable time and contributed to the pause in filming.
"We've had dozens and dozens of people reaching out to us that are needing houses for themselves and their family," he told BI. "Many of them are wanting to be in the same or near the same communities where they lost their homes."
This surge in demand for rental properties in areas like Santa Monica, Brentwood, and Pacific Palisades has led to price gouging, which Oppenheim is trying to draw attention to.
"Landlords that think they're going to get away with this will end up in a lawsuit where they'll be receiving a letter from an attorney in six months or three months, or whatever it is, and those tenants will be calling back that money," he said.
"So just this is a time for people to put aside any opportunities for financial gain," Oppenheim added. "If anything, we should be giving back financially, not trying to be rewarded financially from the situation."