Eric Christian Olsen breaks silence on ‘tears’ brought by Kathy Bates’ generosity after family home burned down: ‘So emotionally blindsided’
It has been a difficult start to the year for Eric Christian Olsen, but there are silver linings.
The NCIS: Los Angeles alum was one of thousands of Los Angeles residents to lose their home during the recent wildfire crisis, which also left fellow celebrities such as Billy Crystal, Martin Short, Leighton Meester and Adam Brody, Mandy Moore, Paris Hilton, and Miles Teller, among many others, without a home.
However, in spite of the heartbreak, there have been bright spots, and among a flurry of support from friends and family, the Matlock producer got a “life-affirming” moment from the show’s lead star, Kathy Bates.
During the Critics Choice Awards last week, Kathy gifted her win for Best Actress In A Drama Series for Matlock to Eric, in honor of the loss of his home. In return, Eric penned a lengthy tribute to the moment on Instagram.
“Everybody that knows me knows I’m too pragmatic to cry over the loss of our home,” he first admitted, explaining: “My brain immediately makes a list of the next 1000 things that need to be done and I get to work. An unshakable belief that all problems are just Act 2 obstacles that you can drive and hustle into their 3rd Act resolution. I’m sure it is a survival mechanism, that action alleviates uncertainty and gives us the semblance of control in the chaos.”
“I do take moments to digest, to acknowledge and authentically process what is lost — for me, that doesn’t come with tears,” he continued, before confessing: “BUT, I have been perpetually blown away, eyes pooled, tears racing by the kindness, thoughtfulness, and generosity of our friends, family and complete strangers.”
© Getty ImagesEric went on to reveal how his brother, David Paul Olsen, who is married to his former NCIS: LA co-star Daniela Ruah, took in his wife Sarah Wright and their three kids, as well as their dogs — “two of which who wanted to murder the others,” he said — with “such effortless grace.”
He then listed just some of the ways his family has been supported through this difficult time, including friends that offered their homes, did shopping for them, helped clean their truck, replaced some of their kids’ toys and clothing, and “endless hugs and notes and emails and social media comments and gestures of pure fearless generosity.”
© Getty ImagesThen highlighting the especially generous moment from Kathy, he further wrote: “These acts of love came to a stunning crescendo at the Critics Choice Awards on Friday, where Kathy, my partner on Matlock and one of my legit heroes in this business, gave an acceptance speech that I can only describe as one of the most life-affirming and work-affirming moments ever. I found myself watching it, kids snuggled in, as tears streamed down my face. So emotionally blindsided by the absolute beauty of my friend’s stunning thoughtfulness.”
© Mark Von Holden/Shutterstock“An overwhelming moment of third act resolution, where the character finds love that he hadn’t even dreamt of when the journey began. There is an overall philosophical belief about how we view these types of catastrophes — that we can either concentrate on the tragedy itself, victims of our circumstances, or we can focus on those people that stepped in to hold our hands, our heads, our hearts.”
© InstagramHe concluded: “That instead of concentrating on things and stuff we invest in the beauty of relationships. That we double down on family and friends, and strangers that revealed the best of us as a species.That we can reframe these moments of loss as true moments of victory for the human experience. I love and celebrate all of it.”
