Actor From ‘Boyhood’ Leaves Entertainment Industry Behind for Life in Rural Texas

Ellar Coltrane, who gained prominence playing Mason Evans Jr. in Richard Linklater’s Oscar-nominated drama “Boyhood,” has largely disconnected from the film industry and now resides in a remote area of Texas. The 31-year-old actor, who was cast at age six and appeared in the film throughout its 12-year production span from 2002 to 2014, acknowledged in recent remarks that he now operates “pretty far away from film” and lives “in the middle of nowhere.”

Since stepping back from mainstream entertainment, Coltrane has engaged in occasional independent film projects, including a short film called “El Fantasma” shot in Mexico City and another titled “So, Who Was It This Time?” filmed in El Paso two years ago. He described himself as integrated into the independent film community in El Paso, drawing inspiration from the creative energy he finds there, which he likened to Austin’s atmosphere two decades prior.

The former child actor now dedicates his time to manual labor and volunteer firefighting while pursuing his Emergency Medical Technician license. Despite this departure, Coltrane expressed that he occasionally misses collaborative work on film sets, particularly when working with passionate directors on smaller-scale projects rather than high-budget productions.

Reflecting on his unusual trajectory as a child performer, Coltrane stated he navigated early stardom relatively well, noting that unlike some peers from long-running projects, he was spared the burden of achieving widespread childhood fame. He emphasized that his training came through collaboration with Linklater and fellow actors rather than formal dramatic instruction, shaping his preference for intimate, independent filmmaking over conventional industry work.