Add The California Post on Google Malibu’s ultra-wealthy playground has been blocked off after a monster sinkhole ripped through a private road, forcing dozens of properties in the secluded celebrity enclave into mandatory evacuation.
And sitting perilously close to the gaping crater is Nicolas Cage’s $10.5 million cliff-top mansion.
“I don’t think this is a single, isolated event for Malibu,” Malibu City Manager Joseph Irvin warned.
That’s a chilling message for the stars and deep-pocketed homeowners who call this exclusive stretch of coastline home.
The disaster struck around 5:45 a.m. Tuesday, when a beachfront driveway on Sea Level Drive collapsed and the erosion spread into the roadway.
The collapse left residents stranded and emergency access cut off along the private road, which has just a single entry and exit.
Cage’s four-level, 3,900-square-foot oceanfront mansion was left sitting beside the crater. The Oscar winner bought the spectacular property in 2024.
The modern mansion features walls of glass, dramatic Pacific views and a private rooftop deck.
His home was reportedly undergoing renovations and appeared to be empty when the driveway collapsed.
Cage, 62, has not publicly commented on the damage through his representative, who also has not commented.
And he is hardly the only celebrity with a stake in this slice of Malibu paradise.
Sea Level Drive runs alongside famed Broad Beach, a star-studded stretch of multimillion-dollar homes where Pierce Brosnan, Dustin Hoffman, Ray Romano, Danny DeVito, Valerie Bertinelli and Mindy Kaling are among the current residents.
Now, the glitzy enclave has been transformed into an evacuation zone.
The City of Malibu proclaimed a local emergency and issued a mandatory evacuation order covering 31 parcels.
All 31 properties have been red-tagged over hazardous conditions and the loss of access for firefighters, sheriff’s deputies and other emergency personnel responding to medical, fire or law enforcement calls.
Seven homes were initially red-tagged because of hazardous conditions caused by the sinkhole.
Another 24 were red-tagged because the collapsed roadway left fire trucks, ambulances and sheriff’s vehicles unable to safely reach them.
“The intact portion of the roadway is too narrow to accommodate emergency response vehicles, including fire engines and other large apparatus,” officials warned.
The collapse also damaged a half-inch natural-gas line, forcing SoCalGas to shut off service Tuesday evening to address a gas leak and prevent further leaks.
Waterworks District 29 shut off water service to prevent water main breaks.
Two Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department patrol cars stood guard Wednesday afternoon at the entrance to Sea Level Drive.
Meanwhile, the homeowners association that controls the private roadway sprang into action, beginning repairs with city permits within hours of the incident.
Crews are now working to shore up the roadway and protect the surrounding properties.
The repairs are expected to take about five weeks, depending on conditions, with homeowners expected to pick up most of the bill.
The city said the sinkhole and erosion did not significantly expand overnight.
The mandatory evacuation and red tags remain in place as officials work to stabilize the area and get residents home as quickly and safely as possible.
The sinkhole was caused by severe coastal erosion from powerful high surf, high tides and pounding waves associated with Hurricane Marie.
The Palisades Fire tore through Pacific Palisades and parts of Malibu in January 2025, destroying thousands of buildings and the homes of stars including Mel Gibson, Paris Hilton and Anthony Hopkins.
Cage won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in the 1995 drama “Leaving Las Vegas.”
He is also known for blockbusters including “National Treasure,” “Face/Off,” “Con Air” and “Gone in 60 Seconds.”
Now the city is coordinating with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, SoCalGas, the American Red Cross and the homeowners association as crews race to stabilize the battered roadway.
Officials are also monitoring other vulnerable points along the coast, including coastal erosion along PCH in the Palisades Fire burn area and Point Dume State Beach.
The city is preparing for potential strong storms, high surf, heavy rain, mudslides and coastal erosion this winter associated with forecast El Niño conditions.
