Mark Wahlberg is just one of Hollywood’s big name stars who decided to make a major move out of Los Angeles. The Arthur the King actor shocked fans when he revealed the big decision and the reason behind relocating to Nevada.

Why Did Mark Wahlberg Leave L.A.?

In October 2022, Mark appeared virtually on The Talk, where he dropped a bomb about leaving L.A. with his wife, Rhea Durham, and their kids, Ella, Michael, Brendan and Grace.

“Every free moment that I have, I’m at home,” he said during the episode. “I moved to Nevada.”

Mark explained that he was waiting for a bill to be passed so he could get tax credits for the state and build a state-of-the-art studio in Nevada. He said that he hoped it would be “Hollywood 2.0.”

“I want to be able to work from home. I moved to California many years ago to pursue acting, and I only made a couple of movies in the entire time that I was there,” he explained of the decision. “So to be able to give my kids a better life and follow and pursue their dreams, whether it be my daughter as an equestrian, my son as a basketball player, my youngest son as a golfer, you know this made a lot more sense for us to go and hopefully build a studio as well as a shoe factory and a factory for municipal. So we came here to just kind of give ourselves a new look, a fresh start for the kids and there’s lots of opportunity here, so I’m really excited about the future.”

And Mark shared that he had high hopes for all of the lives that the studio could change.

“We’re looking to create 10,000 jobs in the studio alone. We want to train people both in front of and behind the camera, create jobs, most importantly, first and foremost, for locals … And then, after that, I think we can attract a lot of people. The housing market is great,” he said, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Mark Wahlberg Sold His L.A. Home

It was reported by multiple outlets in February 2023 that Mark and Rhea sold their home in the Beverly Park neighborhood of Los Angeles for $55 million. The Ted actor first purchased the 12 bedroom, 20 bathroom home for $8.25 million in 2009.

He then purchased a 7,327-square-foot home for $14.5 million in August 2022 in Nevada. However, in September 2023, it was revealed that he sold the home for $16.6 million. Mark explained the reasoning behind selling the townhouse, revealing to TODAY.com that it was a “temporary place” before he and his family “moved from one house to another.”

“When we decided to move [to Las Vegas], we wanted to move before school started, so we moved into a temporary place and we now moved into another place,” he told the outlet. “The plan was always to build, not only a studio but a family home. We just moved from one house to another.”

“I miss California, I miss the weather, but the kids are thriving [in Las Vegas],” the Transformers: Age of Extinction actor said.

An insider revealed that Mark wasn’t the only one in the family missing California.

“Mark is getting films made, and of course, they are paying lower taxes,” the source told Closer in October 2024. “They’re getting rich, but Rhea’s the one telling herself this is a temporary thing, and she absolutely misses the Southern California lifestyle.”

“They will be back, eventually, when Mark is satisfied that he’s made a real difference and that their family has reached a new, higher level of financial security,” the insider added of their potential return to California. “That’s going to take a few years.”

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Mark also purchased 2.5 acres of land for $15.6 million in Nevada.

Mark Wahlberg Opened Up About How His Family Was Adjusting to the Move

One year after first opening up on The Talk about the move, Mark gave an update on how his children were feeling about living in Nevada.

“Everybody’s adapted nicely. The kids are all out at school, and everybody’s happy,” the dad of four told People in October 2023.

“Well, I’m constantly busy and traveling, so I’m looking forward to getting home and spending some time with the family,” he added.

And he was still feeling that way when he shared another update on his life in Nevada in March 2024. “It’s a place where my kids can thrive and do their thing and pursue their interests,” he told People at the time.