The exodus from California includes one actor known in part for his role on “Friday Night Lights.”
Taylor Kitsch confirmed he moved away from Los Angeles in a profile with The Hollywood Reporter on Saturday.
The actor also sold a lake house in Austin, Texas, in the midst of a pandemic-era relocation — to rural Montana.
In spite of his career in entertainment, Kitsch says that Los Angeles never really felt like home.
Montana is much different.
“Being in L.A. was never a great thing for me, and I love being out here — there’s just so much peace to grasp.”
“That’s what this place represents to me: It’s not going to solve every problem, but hopefully it will help at least one person work toward what they need.”
The “Lone Survivor” actor is also eyeing ways to give back to his new community.
Kitsch is building a “base camp” in Bozeman, Montana, where he will provide services to veterans and the sober living community.
“I’m just really excited about this, about it being a base camp for people to empower themselves.”
Kitsch is adamant that “every f***ing nickel” for the project comes from his own pocket.
Veteran’s issues first surfaced on the actor’s radar during the production of “Lone Survivor” — a film in which he worked with Navy SEAL and decorated Afghanistan veteran Marcus Luttrell.
Kitsch was pictured in Montana’s verdant mountain landscape in one picture posted to a Twitter fan account.
A few photos of Taylor with friends this past week in Montana. #taylorkitsch pic.twitter.com/JYZKeS8qBn
— yourdailyKitsch (@YourdailyKitsch) August 19, 2023
Montana is one of several American states on the receiving end of the COVID-era exodus from California.
California’s population declined for the third straight year in 2022, according to The New York Times.
Many former residents of California cite the state’s unaffordability and extremist political culture as justification to move away.
California was ranked the nation’s second most unaffordable state (just behind of Hawaii) in a 2023 CNBC index.
The state — long the largest in the country by population — lost a seat in the House of Representatives for the first time as a result of the 2020 U.S. Census, according to CalMatters.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.