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I remember when Taylor Kitsch was supposed to be the next big “It” actor. It was after the spectacular Friday Night Lights aired. Taylor appeared as Gambit in X:Men Origins: Wolverine, starred in the much-hyped John Carter movie, and was on the second season of True Detective. He seemed destined for a big career. Then, after TD, Taylor went quiet. I just assumed that he was taking a break for his mental health or maybe acting roles had dried up.
As it turns out, Taylor was busy being a real-life hero to his sister, Shelby Kitsch-Best. During the mid-2010s, Shelby was battling an addiction to opioids and other drugs. So, Taylor took two years off to help her get sober. Now, in her honor, he’s planning to open a nature retreat in Bozeman, Montana, as a safe haven for the sober community.
Taylor Kitsch is honoring his sister Shelby Kitsch-Best in a special way. In the mid-2010s, the Friday Night Lights alum, 43, took two years off of work to help Kitsch-Best through her addiction to opioids and other drugs. As a “tip of the hat” to her getting sober, he’s now working to open a nature retreat in the next two years on 22 acres of his land in Bozeman, Mont., to serve the sober community.
“I didn’t even know sober escapes existed until I had the crash course with my sis,” Kitsch tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “I was like, ‘Man, it sounds incredible to offer people a chance to reconnect in nature and slow things down.'”
Kitsch — who moved to Bozeman from Austin, Texas, in 2021 after “simplifying everything in my life” — adds that he “couldn’t be more proud of” his sister, who currently works as a traveling nurse in Vancouver.
“She’s incredible,” he says. “Probably the proudest thing I’ve done in my life is sticking with her and being a part of the way it’s turned out.”
While filming the 2023 Netflix drama Painkiller, Kitsch says his sister got to serve as his advisor while he played the role of opioid addict Glen Kryger.
“It’s probably the closest job to me that I’ve ever done,” he says. “And to have her with me on that journey was kind of crazy and really cathartic. It was just an amazing experience to go through that with her, and she helped me enormously on that show. I have nothing but incredible memories from that job. I’m really proud of that one.”
While Kitsch says he didn’t base Kryger on “someone that existed,” he shares he’s never gotten more reach out about a role.
“That was really a beautiful part of it that I didn’t really see coming: how many people that are sober now or fighting sobriety that related to his journey,” he says. “That was incredible. I think I’m always chasing stories worth telling.”
In the future, Kitsch hopes to tell his sister’s story through film or TV.
“I’d like to write and direct that,” he says. “That’s been on my brain a lot lately.”
But, first comes the nature retreat. Along with the sober community, Kitsch hopes the retreat can serve kids (he’s long worked with the African Children’s Choir) and veterans (he became focused on their issues after working on the 2013 film Lone Survivor).
“You want to go hike, fish, hang out, do nothing, write, read, anything? It’s is all up there for you,” he says. He also plans to have a sweat lodge on the property where a local shaman can perform ceremonies, a practice he leaned on while prepping for his new Netflix Western American Primeval.
“People will have the opportunity to sweat with him and work on whatever they need to work on,” he says. “It’s been incredibly helpful for me.”
This is awesome. I also had no idea that “sober escapes” like this existed, but they sound really cool. They’re not just for those in recovery, but for anyone who is looking for a “unique opportunity to prioritize mental, emotional, and physical well-being in a supportive environment.” It sounds like an amazing experience, all-around, but I’m a big read/write/be-out-in-nature kind of person, so Kitsch’s retreat sounds like it’s right up my alley. What an incredible tribute to his sister, too. Whenever it’s finally open, I hope it’s successful and helps a lot of people find their peace.
Taylor Kitsch Is Opening a Nature Retreat as a 'Tip of the Hat' to His Sister Getting Sober (Exclusive) https://t.co/MDdLLejrY7
— People (@people) January 12, 2025
photos credit: Twist/Backgrid, Nicky Nelson/Wenn/Avalon, Getty and Justin Lubin/Netflix via Netflix Press
I was totally with it until he got to the sweat lodge and the shaman. That makes it sound like he is just going to mishmash a bunch of culturally appropriated practices into one big woo woo soup for clueless rich folks.
I totally get that concern and I hope that isn’t what this becomes. As someone who has gone through intensive outpatient treatment for depression/anxiety, something that 100% saved my life, part of the drill was building a toolbox of skills to draw from when needed. I literally have a 3 ring binder full of sheets with different options. They come from all kinds of areas, different types of therapy, different cultures so that you can use what works for you in a particular moment. If that’s what this is part of, it could be great.
A lodge leader in my community spoke frequently about the value of lodges (and the sincere prayers offered in them) to support sobriety. Her partner was a regular attendee as part of his sobriety journey – not just the prayers during ceremony, but in the whole process of being in community while preparing and setting up and hosting/serving then cleaning up afterward.
American Primeval had a number of Indigenous consultants. They didn’t go with just one because the community isn’t monolithic and have their own cultures, housing, clothing, etc. They were pretty serious. So if it’s someone he met there it could be very positive.
“Woo Woo Soup” I die…
That would be Bozeman, not Boseman.
I would attend something like this. No temptation just the natural endorphins from being outdoors.
I have been watching American Primeval and his acting is very good in that.
A white man using “his land” in Bozeman, where most people can no longer afford a to live, to build a “retreat” with a sweat lodge and “shamans”. 🙄 his intentions seem good but gmafb
Aw this is the sweetest thing. I thought at one time I was going to lose my son to addiction. And pray it never happens but it has been an immense struggle and we have tried everything, Finally found a solid rehab that helped. I am looking into this for him. It’s still delicate and having a retreat that supports sobriety is invaluable. Let’s not judge anything they offer. They need a variety of wholesome activities not centered around drugs or drinking, And bringing a native shaman to facilitate a sweat lodge actually is honoring of the praxtixs. Nice to hear “Tim Riggins” is still acting and all doing such good in the world. My respect for him just grew immeasurably
I agree with Ash. As a Montana resident for over 30 years, 10 of those years in Bozeman, and a long-time community health worker, I can only hope this doesn’t end up being a “boutique” retreat for the wealthy.
What a great brother!
I miss Bozeman. Can’t afford to move back there.
Taylor K has not the acting chops nor the looks to be the next big thing at all. His agent or manager or whomever was involved in that time of his career was misguided.
I’m sorry to be superficial but women in Hollywood are held to ridiculously high standards and men should be too.
Taylor’s a dud.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I think TK was beautiful back in his Friday Night Lights days but he didn’t have the charisma for a movie career. And now he doesn’t have the looks either. So it’s just as well he’s branching out into new lines of business!
I just finished watching American Primeval. Some of it was a hard watch for me, but I was very moved by the movie and his acting.
He’s from British Columbia in Canada – Probably feels quite at home there in Montana
Wow, so much negativity in these comments.
Taylor seems like a great brother and a very good man.
BoZeman — not Boseman.
Good for him. The gentrification out here sucks, but we have a critical lack of sobriety treatment in Montana, and very high rates of substance abuse and suicide. So this will actually help.