‘Gladiator’ Actor Spencer Treat Clark on Altadena’s ‘Unique Charm’ and Losing Personal Letters and Sketches After His Family Home Burns to the Ground

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Spencer Treat Clark‘s family home burnt down in the Eaton fire in Altadena, Calif.

Clark shares with EbMaster over the phone that a multitude of friends and relatives have contacted them. Being a resident of this town for fifteen years, he feels appreciative for the friendships formed, and at present, they are heavily relying on these relationships.

On Thursday morning, the actor, known for movies such as “Gladiator” (2000), “Glass” (2019) and an upcoming film titled “Salem’s Lot” (2024), was sorting through what remained of his family’s house. As he assessed what had once been his home, he stumbled upon a sake glass in the shape of his pet dog, a keepsake given to him at a friend’s wedding. “This is one of the few items that I can truly identify,” he said.

He makes a light-hearted comment about misplacing “the only T-shirt I have,” but his face falls as he reminisces about other lost items. “My wife is a designer and architect, and she created these incredible sketches, illustrations, and letters during our relationship’s early days,” he explains. “I can’t help but feel sad about those being gone.”

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He jokes about losing “the single T-shirt I possess,” but his mood darkens as he talks about additional lost belongings. “My wife is a designer and architect, and she created these magnificent sketches, illustrations, and letters during our relationship’s start,” he admits. “I can’t help but feel down about those being gone.”

Both versions aim to convey the same idea while using different words and sentence structures for variety.

For the past few years, Clark has considered Altadena his home. He initially fell in love with it after filming an episode of “Criminal Minds”. He recalls, “I was captivated by the community and thought to myself, if I ever get the chance to buy a house, I’d love to establish roots there.” Additionally, he mentions, “In this industry, you often find yourself filming in Altadena. It has a special charm that doesn’t quite resemble Los Angeles. At times, it feels like a quaint mountain town.

They discovered a property in need of repair (a fixer-upper) and undertook most of the remodeling work by themselves. The installation of vital pipes and plumbing fittings was done by professionals, though. Clark takes great pride in the DIY abilities he developed along the way. “We handled all the tasks like hanging drywall, painting, repairing, installing siding, and more – it was us who did it. We felt (and still feel) very proud of our work.

Last Tuesday, January 7th, come midnight, I found myself fleeing my home. Earlier that day, a tree had toppled on Mariposa Street, and the wind carried an ominous, end-of-the-world vibe. It wasn’t long before the fire broke out, spreading swiftly. Hearing rumors of fires in our neighborhood, I returned at 11 a.m. the next day, feeling a growing unease. I never thought our home would be part of this calamity. The sight of it all left me a bit jittery.

Clark, along with his spouse and their one-year-old child, are safe and currently residing with relatives in Highland Park, a district nestled in Los Angeles’ northeastern area. When posed the question about potentially returning to the East Coast following this ordeal, given that he is originally from New York, Clark responds, “I adore Los Angeles… The fires won’t drive us away. This place is our home and where our family thrives. If we were ever to relocate back to the East Coast, it wouldn’t be due to this reason.

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2025-01-10 22:46