What We Know About Josh Duhamel's Affinity For Doomsday Prepping
Josh Duhamel is obviously not hoping for the collapse of civilization — but if it happens, he's going to be very ready for it. The "Shotgun Wedding" star has been an avid and self-proclaimed doomsday prepper for several years, and even bought a lakeside home in the woods, at an undisclosed location between North Dakota and Minnesota, which he's outfitted to survive the end times, should they happen to come. Duhamel got candid about his remote cabin estate in an appearance on "In Depth With Graham Bensinger" in October 2023.
"I have this fear of having to move out here and live off the land," explained Duhamel — who shares 11-month-old son Shepherd, with wife Audra Mari, and 11-year-old son Axl with ex-wife Fergie. "I don't know if that's ever gonna happen, but I feel like it's a skill I need to learn how to do ... I just wanted a place to be able to get away to until things get back to normal."
To this end, Duhamel has been putting in work and getting his hands dirty. In an interview with Inverse in May 2023, Duhamel explained, "I'm learning how to hunt. I fish ... This year I'm gonna grow pumpkins and corn." Duhamel said that he's obsessed with the possible collapse of modern civilization, and how he'll keep his family safe and fed when "s*** hits the fan in L.A." and they have to flee to their forest oasis.
Josh Duhamel has worked hard to retrofit his property to be apocalypse-ready
When Josh Duhamel first bought a parcel of land in the wilderness, it was nothing but a small cabin with big potential. Although, as the actor told Inverse, the original abode had no water, no electricity, and it was run down. Then, the neighboring plot of land went up for sale, and he quickly snatched it up to start building his dream escape, because "suddenly, I had 54 acres out there." To take advantage of it, he began transforming the landscape around his properties.
"I have a tractor. I have a skid steer. I'm changing tires. I'm changing oil. I'm fixing things. I'm moving dirt, I'm popping rocks," Duhamel reflected. "We shaped the land. We created trails through it." Apart from installing a well to get water for his cabins, he's also gotten them connected to electricity, as well as modern plumbing, and he's even got Starlink to connect to the internet from satellites.
The prepping itself has become a primary hobby for Duhamel, and he's espoused his desire to be ready for any eventuality. Speaking with Jimmy Kimmel in October 2023, Duhamel beamed as he talked about his hobby and explained, "I'm preparing for whatever may come. It's turned into my passion ... I love it [out there], it's my happy place."