This celebrity is ‘so happy’ after moving from Hollywood to Idaho’s ‘quiet grandness’
Sun Valley is no stranger to celebrity residents, but a recent transplant has gone unusually public about her love for the area.
Actor and former model Ali Larter’s transition to increasingly less-private Idaho is profiled in a new article in Rue Magazine, an online interior design publication. The story highlights the new “dream home” that Larter built with her husband, comedian and actor Hayes MacArthur. They discovered the allure of Sun Valley in 2020 during a pandemic road trip with their two children.
Media ranging from Fox News to E! Online have picked up on the report — giving Idaho a much-needed dose of national publicity.
(That was a joke. A bad one.)
Known for roles in movies such as “Legally Blonde,” “Varsity Blues” and the “Final Destination” horror franchise, Larter, 48, was born in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Because of their jobs, she and MacArthur, 47 — a Chicago native — made Los Angeles their headquarters, according to Rue Magazine. While starring in the TV sci-fi drama “Heroes” in 2009, Larter bought a $2.9 million home in the Hollywood Hills, according to the Los Angeles Times. She and MacArthur then sold it for $4.15 million in 2016, according to multiple reports.
After eventually finding themselves in wondrous Idaho, it was good riddance to California. Larter and MacArthur “fell in love with the beauty of the mountains and their quiet grandness,” Larter told the magazine. “Neither of us had ever lived in a small town before. People look out for each other. There’s a real sense of community here, and we’re so happy to be a part of it.”
The family has been in their new Sun Valley digs for almost a year, according to Rue. As expected, it is like an alternate universe compared to L.A. MacArthur speaks fondly about traffic being stopped by elk, while Larter — whose latest role is in the Paramount+ series “Landman” — cherishes the easygoing lifestyle.
“Looking at the mountains relaxes and inspires me,” she said in the article. “Most of the time in my life, I feel like I’m going 1,000 miles an hour, and these giant rocks chill me out.”
Growth-wary Idaho natives might want to order a giant double on the rocks to achieve the same effect.
Then again, Larter isn’t the only celebrity to hype Idaho’s glory.
Actor Aaron Paul — who played meth dealer Jesse Pinkman in the acclaimed “Breaking Bad” series — showed off his “rustic-chic getaway” to Architectural Digest in 2020.
Still, the article never said where it was — except not Sun Valley. (The home’s location was described as an “Idaho village on the shores of a pristine glacial lake,” where “the biggest local celebrity is a mythical lake creature à la the Loch Ness monster.” Need any more hints?)
Besides, Paul is an Idaho native. So all is forgiven. (Mostly, b**tch.)