Josh Duhamel and His Family Have Been Living Off the Grid in the Woods of Minnesota — in a House He Built Himself

Josh Duhamel is pulling back the curtain on the private life he’s created for himself and his family out in Minnesota. 

The Ransom Canyon actor, 52, opened up about his “off-the-grid” lifestyle in the Midwest during an interview with Parade on Thursday, April 10. In addition to sharing a rare glimpse of what his life away from Hollywood looks like, Duhamel also explained his reasoning for wanting to live a quieter life in the first place. 

“Part of the reason I built my place out in Minnesota, deep in the woods, is it’s removed from everything,” he begins.

“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,” said Duhamel, who shares one-year-old son Shepherd with wife Audra Mari, as well as son, Axl, 11, with ex Fergie. 

The Transformers star says his home away from home helps him enjoy a simpler life while also encouraging him to focus more on community.

“You really get a chance to get back to the basics,” he continued. “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.”

Duhamel spent 15 years turning his plot of land in Minnesota into the ultimate escape. Having built his cabin from the ground up, he told Parade that he even had to wash dishes in the lake near his home at one point before his home had all the necessary amenities.

Of his cabin and off-the-grid lifestyle, he added, “It really got me back in touch. There’s something about it that fulfills the soul in a lot of ways.”

The actor is no stranger to spending time in the great outdoors, as he was born and raised in North Dakota and enjoyed horse riding growing up there. Now, he finds peace when he’s out on his tractor in Minnesota. 

“I’m always out there doing something, dillydallying,” he said of his land. “It’s like a big playground.”

While he’s enjoyed transforming it into a haven for himself, he says it also brings him joy knowing that his sons hopefully feel the same way about it. 

“My son is going to have memories of this place forever. He’s not on his iPad when he’s out there,” he said, referring to 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.