Certain celebrities look around at Los Angeles traffic and think: “What if… fewer people?” The result is a quiet migration from red carpets to green living. Here are some stars who swapped flashing cameras for fresh air – and seem very pleased about it.
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford owns a massive 800-acre ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, half of which he placed into a conservation easement to protect the wild landscape from development. Boasting birch groves and crystal-clear streams, the landscape allows him to enjoy nature and maintain his privacy, offering the space for him to "walk out the door and keep walking".
His home, which he shares with wife Calista Flockhart, is distinctly un-Hollywood, featuring a simple, timber-framed cabin, a large granite chimney and grazing horses. Ford famously spent decades flying planes in the area but now spends his days outdoors mountain biking, walking in the woods and doing his own chores. It’s rugged, practical and very on-brand.
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Daryl Hannah
Daryl Hannah didn’t just leave Hollywood, she basically unplugged from modern life altogether. The stunning Splash actress has long embraced eco-conscious living, opting for an off-grid lifestyle that prioritises sustainability. Think solar panels, recycled biofuels and geothermal insulation. Dividing her time between Colorado and California, she drives a biodiesel-fueled vehicle, runs an organic permaculture farm and lives alongside a menagerie of rescue animals.
Hannah found love with legendary Canadian rocker Neil Young in 2014, after the couple bonded over their deep commitment to environmental advocacy. They married in 2018 and have since maintained a private life, frequently residing in a rural cottage in Ontario, Canada, and travelling together on tour.
Nicole Kidman
When she’s off-duty, Nicole Kidman heads to her rural property in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia. Her 110-acre estate features a historic 1878 Georgian mansion, a herd of Black Angus cattle and resident alpacas.
Kidman has frequently shared glimpses of her countryside chores, raising alpacas, herding cattle, bottle-feeding lambs and goats and collecting fresh eggs. It’s less Oscar campaign and more “did we feed the animals?” She has said that farm life keeps her grounded, which makes sense when you’re surrounded by soil.
Chris Pratt
Chris Pratt owns a working, 100-acre farm in Washington State. The ranch is full of animals – 160 sheep, 30 pigs, 60 chickens, cattle and goats, in fact – and the actor is hands-on, involved in feeding, fixing fences, managing breeding programs and shearing. He takes his farm life seriously enough that his livestock have won blue ribbons at local events like the Washington State University Country Living Expo. Social media features clips of him enthusiastically doing farm things, with lots of “look at this egg I just collected” wholesomeness.
Daniel Day-Lewis
Acting giant Daniel Day-Lewis has lived a private, rural lifestyle in County Wicklow, Ireland, for over two decades. Residing on a Georgian estate in a peaceful village, he uses the quiet countryside as a refuge to mentally recharge. His daily life centres on craftsmanship, nature and community.
Far from being a hermit, he is accepted and well-regarded in Wicklow. Locals often spot him having a pint of Guinness, dropping into the newsagents or shopping for groceries. He frequently rides his bicycle through the bleak mountains or motors around on his vintage motorcycles.
Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep raised her family in rural Connecticut, proving you can be one of the greatest actors alive and still prioritise school runs and a bit of peace and quiet. In 1985, she and her then-husband, sculptor Don Gummer, bought a secluded, 90-acre, private estate in Litchfield County, which served as their primary family home where they raised their four children.
Featuring a lake, barns and an artist's studio, the estate is almost idyllic, although Streep has revealed that its guest house is rumoured to be haunted. The talented actress isn't afraid to get her hands dirty and is a passionate advocate for Connecticut's local agriculture, serving as the Honorary Chairwoman for the 2002 Celebration of Connecticut Farms and supporting the Connecticut Farmland Trust.
Jacob Elordi
Jacob Elordi divides his time between Los Angeles and a tranquil rainforest estate in the Byron Bay hinterland in New South Wales, Australia. The native Australian bought the secluded rural property in 2020 to stay grounded and reconnect with his roots. Located about 25km inland from Byron Bay, the eco-conscious property is set on 5.7 acres of rainforest-fringed land, relies on 115,000 litres of rainwater storage and solar panels, and offers privacy, verdant views and glimpses of the ocean. Who needs Hollywood glitter when nature beckons?
Josh Hartnett and Tamsin Egerton
Actor Josh Hartnett and his wife, British actress Tamsin Egerton, traded the Hollywood spotlight for a grounded, family-focused rural lifestyle in the Hampshire countryside in England. They raise their four children away from the glare of paparazzi, prioritising privacy, a sense of community and an active outdoorsy routine.
Their mornings start with feeding dogs, guinea pigs, chickens and a small herd of pygmy goats that Hartnett counts as his favourites, a stark contrast to the red-carpet glamour of Hollywood. Outside of taking care of the animals and their children, Hartnett’s personal pastimes include painting and operating a classic Lamborghini tractor on his property.
Mark Ruffalo
The Hulk actor trades the chaos of Hollywood for a quiet, self-sufficient, 50-acre farm in New York’s Catskill Mountains, where he grows strawberries, leases land to local farmers, and engages in environmental activism. Ruffalo and his wife, Sunrise Coigney, sought out country living to raise their three children away from the Hollywood spotlight.
Living on a former dairy farm, the family embraces hands-on outdoor living, farming, foraging and appreciating the local wildlife. Ruffalo has joked in press interviews that his rural retreat is so disconnected that he struggles to maintain a reliable Wi-Fi connection.
So… why are they all doing this?
Because rural life offers things Hollywood doesn’t, such as actual privacy, space that doesn’t cost £10 million per square metre, a chance to remember what quiet sounds like, and the ability to wear the same jumper three days in a row without it becoming a headline. Turns out, once you’ve “made it,” the real luxury isn’t fame – it’s peace, quiet and maybe a chicken coop.
