Mark Wahlberg, 55, has opened up about his decision to leave Los Angeles, saying he moved to put his children first—even as he admitted he still misses the city.
On Monday's episode of "The Shop" podcast, Wahlberg said he doesn't believe living in Hollywood is necessary for success in the entertainment industry. "I think in this day and age, you can self-tape, and you can audition from anywhere. You can be anywhere," he said. He also noted that movies are increasingly being filmed abroad, in places like Australia and the UK, or "wherever the tax credits are more competitive."
Wahlberg, who moved to Las Vegas in 2022, said he misses Los Angeles, especially the weather, the variety of restaurants, and his friends. But he explained that his children's well-being drove his decision. "But my kids were getting exposed to a lot and getting in a lot of trouble," he said. "The best thing was to say, 'OK, let's put them first. I don't have to be here. I can always come back.'"
He added that returning to Los Angeles regularly is "the goal." "Summertime in California, man, there's nothing better," he said.
Wahlberg shares four kids with his wife, Rhea Durham. When he announced the move in 2022, he said it would allow his children to better pursue their hobbies, including golf, horseback riding, and basketball. In 2025, he also purchased a seven-bedroom mansion on Billionaires Row in Delray Beach, Florida, for $37 million.
Broader Celebrity Moves
Wahlberg is not the only public figure to speak about leaving Los Angeles. Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake have spent most of their time since 2018 in Tennessee and Montana, away from Los Angeles, in an effort to give their children more privacy from the paparazzi.
In May 2025, Lindsay Lohan, who has lived in Dubai since 2014, said she has fewer worries as a mother there than in New York and Los Angeles. "It's hard in LA. Even taking my son to the park in LA, I get stressed. I'm like, 'Are there cameras?'" she said.
In October, George Clooney said his kids have a "much better life" living on a farm in France than in Los Angeles. "I don't want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don't want them being compared to somebody else's famous kids," he said.