This TRANSFORMERS Star Left LA to ‘Do The Basic Things We Take for Granted’

Published: August 19, 2025

By Michaela Gordoni

TRANSFORMERS star Josh Duhamel is sharing why he left Hollywood to get his hands dirty.

“I make movies and TV shows, and I love it, I truly do love it,” he said. “But, I had this calling to go and really do things with my hands again — fix things, make things and just do the basic things that we take for granted.”

He continued, “I’m really more of a guy who wants to stay true to my roots, get back to the basics, hone whatever basic skills I need in this world of massive technology, to do the basic things to provide for my family. That’s really what it’s about for me.”

The star, who’s from North Dakota, moved to Minnesota and built a cabin in the woods.

“It’s so back to the basics,” he explained. “We get so accustomed to all these luxuries and these amenities that we have, and I think that’s what this is for me. It’s an opportunity to get back to the basics and really enjoy the simple things in life, and that’s family, that’s friends, that’s making memories.”

He says he built his cabin deep in the woods to get away “from everything.”

The closest store is 40 miles away. Once we get there, it’s really about everybody taking care of each other — making memories, spending time with family and friends,” he said. “You really get a chance to get back to the basics.”

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

Now that he’s away from the big city, he spends more time with his parents, wife and two kids.

“My dad absolutely loves coming out there to hang out,” he said. “We’ve spent more time together in these last five, 10 years than we ever did growing up. I’m much closer to my dad.”

“My mom now loves coming out there. It’s become a real, central hub for all of us,” he added.

Duhamel said his “doomsday cabin” was a homestead for the first 12 years after he bought the land.

“For the longest time, we didn’t have plumbing. We were using outhouses and washing dishes in the lake,” the actor told People in April. “I feel so connected to it — I didn’t just buy the place, I shaped this place. While we’ve made a lot of improvements, you still feel like you’re roughing it, and I love that.”

“Part of being out here, I have a fear of having to move out here and live off the land,” he explained in an episode of IN DEPTH WITH GRAHAM BENSINGER. “I don’t know if that’s ever going to happen. But I feel it’s a skill I need to learn.”

Duhamel says that he will “never sell” the 26-acre property but will leave it as a legacy for his oldest son. For him, his cabin is more than a dwelling space. It’s a return to simpler things and a way to provide for his family without depending on outside resources, and a special place to build memories.

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