Once a heartthrob on Friday Night Lights, actor Taylor Kitsch has found solace living far from the bustling lights of Hollywood.
“I’d rather be in the wild chasing animals with my camera than going to clubs or bars or Hollywood parties,” Kitsch, 44, told The Guardian in a profile published on Friday, August 22, detailing his passion for wildlife photography.
Kitsch also recently filmed Terminal List: Dark Wolf opposite Chris Pratt, where they bonded over their respective down-to-earth demeanors.
“We get along really well,” Kitsch told the outlet. “I think there’s a mutual respect. [Having that level of fame,] you often wonder where you’d even be living. I bet you I wouldn’t even be living in Montana.”
Kitsch moved to rural Montana in 2021 after selling the lake house in Austin, Texas, where he lived for a decade.
“I got a later start in the business, and I was able to have a sense of who I was and what I needed,” Kitsch told The Hollywood Reporter in 2023. “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.”
Kitsch also self-funded a nature retreat in Bozeman, Montana, to help individuals seeking healing.
“I’m just really excited about this, about it being a base camp for people to empower themselves,” he added to THR. “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.”
Kitsch’s nonprofit, Howlers Ridge, opened earlier this year to support veterans and survivors of trauma.
“I think I’ve grown up a little bit,” he told The Guardian. “In my 20s, I would see people who’d be, like, ‘Well, why aren’t you doing more? You have the means to help people.’”
In addition to helping others, Kitsch enjoys being able to reconnect with nature while out in Montana.
“I love wildlife photography and I miss the mountains. I miss the seasons. I built my dream home in Austin and then ended up obviously selling it and just simplifying everything in my life,” he told People in January. “It brings a lot more peace being in the wild, in the wilderness, a lot more quiet, and it reminds me of home a lot more.”
For Kitsch, his Montana compound provides the perfect place to take “a breath” in between acting projects.
“You want to go hike, fish, hang out, do nothing, write, read, anything? It’s all up there for you,” he added.
