Zachary Levi calls California a “failed state” and says it is “literally and figuratively on fire” after moving to Texas to build a new Hollywood.
Zachary Levi is taking aim at his home state of California after moving to Texas, calling the Golden State a “failed state” and saying it is “literally and figuratively on fire.”
The 45-year-old actor, best known for Chuck and the Shazam! franchise, opened up about his decision to leave California during a recent interview with Fox News Digital alongside his The Fix co-star Liam Neeson.
Levi grew up in California and said he still loves the state, but his frustration with the entertainment industry and the direction of California ultimately helped push him toward Texas.
Zachary Levi explains why he left California
Levi said he had been thinking about creating a different model for Hollywood since he began working in the industry.
“I grew up in California, I love California, it is a failed state,” Levi said. “It is literally and figuratively on fire.”
The actor said his decision to relocate was not simply about leaving California behind. Instead, he wanted to build something he believed could offer a different future for filmmakers, actors and other entertainment professionals.
Levi said he felt compelled to create a new type of Hollywood community where artists could have greater ownership and where people could work and live in the same environment.
Levi wants to build a ‘better Hollywood’
The Shazam! star explained that he had become increasingly frustrated with what he saw as problems within the entertainment business.
He envisioned creating something similar to the old United Artists model, with artists having more control over the production process and fewer intermediaries between creators and audiences.
Levi said the idea eventually grew into a larger vision involving housing, schools, an organic farm and other community-focused facilities.
“That all culminated in nine years ago, me finding 75 acres outside of Austin, Texas to buy,” Levi explained.
The property became the foundation for his ambitious plan to create a new entertainment hub outside the traditional Hollywood system.
Zachary Levi builds Wyldwood Studios in Texas
Levi is now developing Wyldwood Studios, a planned $100 million film and lifestyle campus on his 75-acre property in Bastrop County, outside Austin.
The project is designed to combine film production facilities with residential and wellness spaces, creating what Levi sees as a more complete creative community.
The first two soundstages are expected to open in 2027, according to Fox News.
The Texas project represents Levi’s effort to turn his long-standing vision for a different kind of Hollywood into reality.
His move also comes as Texas continues attempting to attract film and television production away from California, while Hollywood faces growing competition from other states and production hubs.
Levi admits leaving California was difficult
Despite his criticism of California, Levi acknowledged that leaving his home state came with significant personal sacrifices.
The actor said he left behind family, community and Southern California’s famously mild weather.
He ultimately decided that pursuing his larger vision was more important than holding onto the life he had built there.
Levi said Austin has been a positive experience despite the weather extremes, joking that the Texas climate can be hot in the summer and cold in the winter.
“There’s no thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing,” he said.
Zachary Levi’s Hollywood career continues
Levi’s comments come as he prepares audiences for a different side of his career in The Fix, an action thriller in which he stars opposite Liam Neeson.
The project represents a shift from some of Levi’s best-known roles, including his work in Chuck and the Shazam! movies.
At the same time, his focus on Wyldwood Studios suggests that Levi’s ambitions extend beyond acting.
By establishing a production and lifestyle campus in Texas, the actor is attempting to create the kind of entertainment community he believes Hollywood has been missing.
For Levi, the move away from California is therefore about more than relocation. It is part of a broader effort to reshape how he believes movies and television can be made — and to build what he describes as a better Hollywood in Texas.
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