Shailene Woodley Lived in Cabin With No Phone Service in Her Teens

As Shailene Woodley got her start in acting when she was only four years old, it would be fair to say that she grew up in the spotlight. But Woodley has done plenty to distance herself from the media circus that comes along with being a celebrity. By constantly traveling around, frequently rejecting modern technology like cell phones, and setting strong boundaries with her fans and friends, Woodley has been able to live a life on her own terms.

Shailene Woodley lived a nomadic lifestyle in her early 20s

With a net worth of $12 million, Woodley can certainly afford to invest in real estate. However, the Big Little Lies alum chose to live a nomadic lifestyle in her early 20s rather than putting down roots. The actor made the decision to travel from set to set and actually crashed on her friends’ couches when she wasn’t working. While this decision may seem unorthodox to some, Woodley loved experiencing different people and cultures by embracing a nomadic lifestyle.

‘The O.C.’ star lived in a remote cabin with no cell phone service

But even when Woodley did have a more traditional place to call home, she was still pretty off the grid. When Woodley was just 18, she was a working actor on The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Even though the popular teen drama was filmed in Los Angeles, Woodley chose to live away from the city. Though she was still a teenager herself, Woodley lived alone in a mountain cabin that was so remote, she didn’t even have cell phone service.

“I had to drive a couple of miles to the end of the road to get phone service,” Woodley shared in an interview with The Guardian. While this easily could have been a safety concern, the Endings, Beginnings star recalls living in the cabin as a “magical” time in her life. However, she does realize that it sometimes made the logistics of her work life a bit more challenging. “Looking back, I don’t know how I managed to do that and not not turn up to work.”

Woodley stays off her phone as much as possible

While Woodley has cell phone service in her new digs, she still doesn’t use her phone as frequently as most actors. In fact, the she often deliberately avoids her phone as a way to combat anxiety. “I guess I believe that if something is going to happen, it’s going to happen whether I’m on my phone that second or I’m not on my phone,” Woodley shared with Harper’s Bazaar. “So at the end of the day, I can put my phone away and take time for myself instead of feeling that I have to go through hundreds of text messages or scrolling on Instagram or listening to every voicemail or replying to every single email.”

Woodley admits that her approach to cell phone usage is often frustrating to some people. However, the actor shared that the people in her life who really care about her understand why she has such stringent boundaries. And while Woodley’s habit may seem unfathomable to some, clearly it’s working for her.