Josh Duhamel left Hollywood behind to live off-grid in Minnesota

Hollywood star Josh Duhamel is living the good life.

Duhamel, 52, left Los Angeles behind to live off-grid in a Minnesota home he spent 15 years building.

“Part of the reason I built my place out in Minnesota, deep in the woods, is it’s removed from everything,” the “Safe Haven” star told Parade.

“The closest store is 40 miles away,” he explained. “Once we get there, it’s really about everybody taking care of each other – making memories, spending time with family and friends.”

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While it took years for Duhamel to build the off-the-grid spot for his family, he is grateful to have the opportunity to “get back to the basics.”

“You’re not consumed by all these other distractions,” he told the outlet. “When you’re out there, it’s really about having fun, making sure everybody’s warm, everybody’s got food and water.”

His Minnesota home is enjoyed by the actor plus his wife Audra Mari and their 1-year-old son Sheperd. The actor’s 11-year-old son with ex-wife Fergie also spends time at the home.

“My son is going to have memories of this place forever. He’s not on his iPad when he’s out there,” he said of his son Axl. “He’s out there in the boat with me, or he’s playing soccer on the beach, or he’s out there in the woods doing whatever I’m doing.”

“And then I have a little baby who’s going to experience the same thing. Someday, I hope to pass this on to them [so] they’re able to share it with their kids. It’s really important to me that they have this. It’s not just about having all the amenities and all the luxuries that we become so used to. It’s really about family. It’s about legacy,” he concluded.

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Duhamel opened up about his disinterest in Hollywood in a 2023 interview with “In Depth with Graham Bensinger.”

“I don’t think I ever really got comfortable with all of it. It was just a lot. I missed the simplicity of who I really am,” he said at the time. “I’m just not a guy who is comfortable doing red carpets, doing all the Hollywood stuff. I don’t hate it, I’m better at it now than I was, but it just took me a long time to really feel like I belong, like I fit in.”

“You know Hollywood and L.A., that whole lifestyle can suck the soul out of you if you’re not careful.”

Duhamel began his career modeling and later transitioned into acting with a role on “All My Children.” He became a household name while starring in “Las Vegas” for the show’s five-year run. The actor solidified his Hollywood status with his portrayal of Colonel William Lennox in the “Transformers” franchise.

Duhamel explained his approach to fame differed from ex-wife Fergie, leading to the end of their eight-year marriage. The two married in 2009 before calling it quits in 2017. Fergie and Duhamel finalized their divorce in 2019. 

“We had a great time, but I think we kind of just outgrew each other and had very different interests,” he said. “The older I got, the more I wanted to come back here … [but] this is not for her. But I’ve got no hard feelings for it. I truly don’t.”

“I’m very lucky that she’s a kind human, I really am.”