A huge sinkhole has swallowed the driveway in front of a multi-million-dollar oceanfront home in Malibu owned by Hollywood star Nicolas Cage.

The hole, possibly caused by coastal erosion and estimated to be around nine metres square, was discovered by Los Angeles County Fire Department units responding to reports of a gas leak.

Local broadcaster KTLA 5, which didn’t name the property’s owner, reported that there was substantial damage to the house – “or at least the driveway” – in a gated community.

“It doesn’t appear that anybody was home,” said KTLA’s Rich Prickett.

“As a matter of fact, the house looks like it is under some sort of renovation.”

Public records show the home is owned by 62-year-old Cage, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Oscar-winning actor – known for films such as Leaving Las Vegas, Face/Off, Moonstruck and The Rock – reportedly bought the 372sqm property in 2024 for $US10.5 million ($A14.5 million).

The sinkhole opened up in front of Nicolas Cage’s Malibu mansion. Photo: AP

Pieces of the road, part of a glass fence and what looks like a portaloo can be seen in widely shared photos and videos of the sinkhole in the home’s driveway.

A row of orange cones line the edges of the chasm, which has also affected access to nearby homes.

The City of Malibu said in a social media post that five homes had been “red-tagged”, meaning residents were barred from entering them while its building safety division and the Southern California Gas Company assessed the situation.

It added that it was “actively monitoring and responding to coastal erosion issues” after a weather warning of strong waves and high tides in a number of areas in the wake of Hurricane Marie, which formed off the Pacific coast.

CITY OF MALIBU STATEMENT ON DRIVEWAY COLLAPSE AND GAS LEAK AT SEA LEVEL DRIVE SEPT. 8, 2026

The City of Malibu is responding to the collapse of a driveway on a beachfront property and resulting gas leak on Sea Level Drive in western Malibu reported at approximately 5:45 AM… pic.twitter.com/w522ejkTQp

— City of Malibu (@CityMalibu) September 8, 2026

“The City is preparing for potential strong storms, strong waves, heavy rain, mudslides, and coastal erosion that are possible along the entire Southern California coast due to the forecast strong El Niño conditions.”

At the time Cage bought the Malibu home – from Liberman Broadcasting co-founder Lenard Liberman – realtor.com described it as a mansion in an “exclusive California neighbourhood” that was also home to stars such as Beyoncé, Robert Downey Jr and Ellen DeGeneres.

It was said to come with a secluded beach, with photos showing luxurious interiors and floor-to-ceiling windows offering ocean views, as well as a roof deck and sun-drenched terrace.

Before Cage purchased the home, it had been offered for rent for $US25,000 ($A34,600) a month.

There has been no comment from representatives for the actor, whose recent credits include the 2025 Australian film The Surfer, horror flick Longlegs, and new Amazon series Spider-Noir.