‘Selling Sunset’ star Jason Oppenheim says they’ve paused filming season 9 as they work out how to cover the LA fires

Jason Oppenheim says filming for Season 9 of “Selling Sunset”i s on hold.

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

Jason Oppenheim said filming for ‘Selling Sunset’ Season 9 is on pause due to the Los Angeles fires.He said the Oppenheim Group is 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 upcoming season.

Jason Oppenheim, star of “Selling Sunset,” says filming for season 9 of the Netflix show is on pause 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 multiple cast members including Mary Bonnet, Chelsea Lazkani, and Amanza Smith have suggested that production was underway on social media. The streaming platform declined to comment.

The fires, which have been burning for nearly a week, have burned more than 40,000 acres in Los Angeles County, displacing hundreds of thousands of residents and killing at least 24 people.

“I don’t know if or how we’ll address it on camera,” said Oppenheim, who co-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 explained that these 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 commission 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.

Representing those who have lost their homes is taking up considerable time, which Oppenheim said has contributed to the need for a filming pause.

“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.”