Can you guess the iconic actor who went from living in a rundown New York “flophouse” for just $150 a month to owning a peaceful farm with his family?
This actor’s humble beginnings are a far cry from his current life of farm animals and fresh home-grown veggies. Growing up, he knew from an early age that he wanted to be an actor.
After trips to the movie theater, he would come home and immediately dress up as one of the characters from the film, fully immersing himself in the world of make-believe. His favorite childhood toy? A box of old clothes his mom had saved for him, which he used to fuel his imagination and creativity.
Wanted the ”real thing”
In 1976, fresh out of Philadelphia, he moved to New York City to chase his dream of acting. He spent months crashing on his sister’s couch before finding a cheap place through an ad in the Village Voice – a no-frills, budget-friendly “artist’s residence.”
Though the place was far from glamorous, it was exactly what he could afford at the time. In fact, the actor shared that it wasn’t even a single room – he had to move in with a roommate.
His roomie was a classical pianist, and the two shared the space for four years. In interviews, the actor fondly reminisces about the calming sounds of the piano that filled the apartment late at night.
While living in The Big Apple, the actor appeared in a production at the Circle in the Square Theater School. ”I wanted life, man, the real thing,” he later recalled to Nancy Mills of Cosmopolitan.
”The message I got was ‘The arts are it. Business is the devil’s work. Art and creative expression are next to godliness.’”
So, can you guess who this determined actor is?
He has a tall, lean frame and a signature look that’s a mix of rugged and charming.
With a square jaw and high cheekbones, he’s got a face that can go from intense to relatable in an instant. His light brown hair is often casually styled, and his deep-set eyes add a mysterious vibe. You might recognize his easy-going, yet timeless style that’s made him a fan favorite for decades. Can you guess who he is?
Alright, we won’t drag this out any longer.
While this Golden Globe Award winner was living in that tiny, $150-a-month space, he was also preparing for his big break.
Household name
Fast forward a few years, and he would go on to star in iconic films like Footloose, Beauty Shop, and The Woodsman, becoming a household name.
So here it is – it’s Kevin Bacon! From his early days as a young actor in New York to now living on a farm with his wife and their animals, his journey has truly been one to follow
Now, the actor is living a completely different life. He and his wife, fellow actress Kyra Sedgwick, now shares a 40-acre farm in Sharon, Connecticut. They have several animals, including goats, pigs, alpacas, and miniature horses.
”I love animals, they are a joy to be around, and they’re very, very calming for me,” Bacon said. ”But we also really love to go into the garden and get fresh herbs or tomatoes or basil or peppers or zucchini.”
And talk about how Bacon is living a completely different life today compared to his bachelor days in New York. He’s got more millions in the bank now – and doesn’t have to rely on his old roommate’s cooking skills anymore.
”He would cook,” Bacon said of his former roommate in New York.
”I didn’t know anything about cooking since I was used to going to the store and getting a sandwich or eating a slice of pizza.”
He added, ”And I watched my roommate, and he was a very frugal man so he was not going to go out and spend money to eat in a restaurant or even get something to go. He would make his own food and I got very inspired by that.”
Gradually, both Kevin and Kyra shares snippets of their daily lives on social media, with Sedgwick posting so many videos of her and their goats to TikTok that people now recognize her for it, rather than her acting roles.
“People were like, ’We love you singing with the goats.’ Kevin and I are like, ’Great, have you seen our movies or TV shows?’ But it makes people happy,” the actress and producer told People.
They even shared that his relationship with his animals has caused a shift in his eating habits — he no longer eats goat or pig products.
”It’s all about the animals,” Kevin says, adding that his wife won’t let him get any more animals, as he’d likely stop eating even more types of food. The couple also loves tending to their garden, growing fresh herbs, tomatoes, and peppers.
Interestingly, the Footloose star and Sedgwick aren’t the only celebs drawn to farm life. In fact, famed actress Jennifer Garner decided to buy back the farm her mother grew up on and transform it into an organic produce project for baby food.
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In 2008, the whole world was shocked by actor Heath Ledger’s tragic death. It’s hard to believe, but it has been over 16 years since the talented Australian actor passed away, leaving many people in mourning.
The reasons behind 28-year-old Heath Ledger’s struggles are still unclear, but one thing we know for sure is that he loved his daughter, Matilda, more than anything.
If he could see how she is doing today and what she looks like, I’m sure Heath would be incredibly proud of his daughter.
Heath Ledger’s sister inspired him throughout his life. His acting skills took him from school plays in Western Australia to some of the biggest movies in the world. Even though he died at just 28 years old, Heath achieved more than many actors do in a lifetime.
He was born in 1979 in Perth, Australia. His mom was a French teacher, and his dad was a racing car driver and a mining engineer. From a young age, Heath showed a strong interest in acting, and he was a natural talent.
Heath was very close to his older sister, who inspired him to pursue acting. As a handsome twenty-year-old actor, he quickly made a name for himself after moving to Los Angeles.
His big break came in 1999 with the romantic comedy *10 Things I Hate About You*. The following year, he gained praise for his role in the blockbuster movie *The Patriot*.
However, it would take a few more years before he was cast in the film that truly changed his life forever.
When Heath Ledger was offered the role of Ennis Del Mar in *Brokeback Mountain* in 2004, he almost turned it down. However, his then-girlfriend, Naomi Watts, encouraged him to take the role, and he decided to give it a try.
That choice had a big impact on his career.
His performance as Ennis Del Mar, the tough and quiet cowboy from Wyoming, became one of the defining roles of Heath Ledger’s career.
While working on the set of *Brokeback Mountain*, Heath Ledger fell in love with actress Michelle Williams.
Sparks flew when they met during the summer of 2004; Michelle played Alma, the wife of Heath Ledger’s character.
Years later, director Ang Lee revealed that their love story began when Michelle was sent to the hospital on the first day of filming. She had twisted her knee, and Heath Ledger held her hand all the way to the hospital. He “tried to comfort her, and it was pretty obvious he was interested in her,” Lee told *USA Today*.
The two actors became very close while making the iconic movie. In fact, Heath and Michelle lived in the same small trailer while filming.
“It was really beautiful. It was very romantic. We were suddenly thrown into a little husband-wife situation. Our bed was honestly no bigger than that little round table there. My legs would hang off the end, but it was worth it. And it was comfortable, somehow,” Heath told journalist Christine Spines in 2005.
Heath Ledger had fallen deeply in love with Michelle Williams, who was one year younger than him. It didn’t take long for them to start planning their future together.
“We talked about having children very early. I have always known that I wanted to become a young father,” Ledger said in an interview, according to the Australian site News.
Just one year after her parents began dating, Matilda Rose Ledger was born on October 28, 2005. She arrived just before *Brokeback Mountain* premiered.
Four months after his daughter’s birth, Heath decided to become a stay-at-home dad so that Michelle could focus on her movies.
“I’m going to try not to work at all this year and send Michelle out to bring in the cash. I’ll be Mr. Mom. It’s something that’s very important to me—something that every dad, if he can, should do his best to achieve,” Heath said. He continued:
“My life right now is, I wouldn’t say reduced to food, but my duties are to wake up, cook breakfast, clean the dishes, prepare lunch, clean those dishes, go to the market for fresh produce, cook dinner, clean those dishes, and then sleep if I can. And I love it. I actually adore it.”
Becoming a father exceeded all of Heath’s expectations, and he once said it was “the most remarkable experience I’ve ever had.”
“Matilda is adorable, beautifully observant, and wise. Michelle and I love her so much. Becoming a father exceeds all my expectations. It’s the most remarkable experience I’ve ever had—it’s marvelous,” Ledger said in 2005.
At the same time, Heath had mixed feelings about the deeper meaning of becoming a dad and provider for his child.
“It’s like a Catch-22: I feel good about dying now because I feel like I’m alive in her, you know? But at the same time, you don’t want to die because you want to be around for the rest of her life,” Ledger said after Matilda’s birth.
In 2007, Ledger and Williams decided to end their three-year relationship, choosing to go their separate ways. However, the former couple remained close friends right up until Ledger’s untimely and tragic death.
When he passed away, Matilda was just two years old, so Williams made sure to keep her out of the press as much as possible.
At the time, the actress, who preferred doing small-scale independent films, was in Sweden working on the movie *Mammut* when she learned about Ledger’s passing. “Please respect our need to grieve privately,” Williams said at the time.
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