Now Danica McKellar joins the Californian exodus: the Wonder Years actress is leaving LA after more than 40 years for a new life in rural Tennessee
- McKellar, 46, was 12 when she rose to fame on ABC sitcom The Wonder Years
- She was born in La Jolla, California and moved to Los Angeles at the age of seven
- The actress has now settled into a rural homestead about an hour outside of Nashville
- She lives with her second husband Scott Sveslosky, their 12-year-old son Draco from their first marriage, and their mother Mahaila
- McKellar told People that she and her husband wanted to trade city life for the great outdoors
She rose to fame at age 13 as one of the stars of the TV sitcom The Wonder Years.
But now, after 46 years in California, Danica McKellar has traded her home state for the quieter rural communities of Tennessee.
McKellar, who tied the knot in 2014 with second husband Scott Sveslosky, a lawyer, told People, “My husband and I have wanted more nature for a long time. We were kind of ready to be out of town.
She and Scott, along with their son Draco, 12, from their first marriage to composer Mike Verta and their mother Mahaila, are now settled on a rural homestead about an hour outside of Nashville.
Big move: Danica McKellar and husband Scott Sveslosky traded Los Angeles for rural Tennessee, where they now own an acre of homestead (pictured in 2018)
The actress – who will next star in the movie Christmas at the Drive-In – told People she’s thrilled to finally have space to roam.
“For me, to be honest, it’s mostly about the backyard,” McKellar explained of the decision to buy several acres after only having a small backyard in LA.
She even installed a giant trampoline in her new home after wishing for one her whole life.
“I jump on that thing all the time,” she said. “We’re thinking about putting in a pool at some point, but I was like, ‘Yeah, you know what? I’m having a lot of fun the way it is.”
California native: Up until last summer, McKellar had lived all of her 46 years in California. She was born in La Jolla and moved to LA with her family when she was seven years old
Still Life: “My husband and I have long wished for more nature. We were kind of ready to be out of one city anymore,” she explained to People about the decision to move
Former child star: She rose to fame at age 13 on TV sitcom The Wonder Years, where she starred opposite Fred Savage. The show ran on ABC from 1988 to 1993
Another attraction of the location was its vibrant music and entertainment culture.
“Memphis and Nashville are both entertainment cities. They’re known for music,” she shared. “Being from LA and being an entertainer, it’s nice to have creative people around.”
McKellar starred opposite Fred Savage in The Wonder Years, which ran on ABC from 1988 to 1993.
Her other on-screen credits include The West Wing and several Hallmark and Lifetime made-for-TV movies.
She is also a math genius and the author of six non-fiction books, all related to math.
Family-focused: McKellar is mother to son Draco, 12, from her first marriage to composer Mike Verta. They can be seen in snaps she shared on Instagram around Halloween
Closing: Also making the move is McKellar’s mother, Mahaila, who lives at the homestead with her daughters and family (pictured in Las Vegas in 2015).
McKellar is the latest celebrity to leave Los Angeles to live elsewhere in the United States.
Just last month, Mark Wahlberg announced he was leaving his longtime home in Los Angeles for income-tax-free Nevada in hopes of giving his children a “better life.”
Wahlberg’s move to Nevada, which borders California, comes after he put his $87.5 million, 12-bedroom, 20-bathroom Beverly Hills mansion on the market in April this year.
Many celebrities have settled in the state, and musicians such as Celine Dion, Criss Angel, The Osmonds, Imagine Dragons and David Copperfield have settled there to take part in lucrative Vegas residencies.
Moved: Just last month, Mark Wahlberg announced he was leaving his longtime home in LA for income-tax-free Nevada in hopes of giving his kids a “better life”.