Robin Wright, the acclaimed actress best known for her roles in Forrest Gump and The Princess Bride, has joined the growing list of American celebrities seeking solace and a slower pace of life across the Atlantic. In a candid interview published over the weekend in The Sunday Times, Wright, 59, opened up about her recent move from Los Angeles to the English seaside, a decision she describes as nothing short of liberating.
“America is a sshow,” Wright declared, voicing a sentiment that has become increasingly common among some high-profile Americans. She didn’t mince words about what prompted her to leave, painting a vivid picture of her former life: “Everything’s rush, competition and speed.” According to The Times, Wright contrasted this with her new surroundings in England, where she finds a “freedom of self” and encounters people who are “so kind” and “living.” Gone are the days of being “in the car in traffic, panicked on a phone call, eating a sandwich”—an experience she says typifies American life.
Wright’s journey from the glitz of Hollywood to the quiet of the English countryside has been transformative. She told The Sunday Times, “I love being in this country. There’s a freedom of self here. People are so kind. They’re living.” The move, she explained, was not just about escaping the chaos of American life but about embracing a new chapter—one marked by tranquility, authenticity, and a renewed sense of self.
Settling into her new home by the English seaside, Wright has also found love. She began dating British-born Australian architect Henry Smith, 52, last year. Their first encounter, as she recounted with a laugh, was straight out of a romantic comedy. Sitting in a pub, Wright asked a stranger if she could feed his dog, only to be redirected to Smith. “Henry was standing at the bar, 6'2", and he put his pint down, came over to me and grabbed my shoulders,” she recalled. “He goes, ‘Who the f are you?’ And I said, ‘Who the f are you?’ And that was it.”
Smith, whom Wright describes as “a sweetheart and just a good, decent adult,” has brought a sense of peace and fulfillment to her life. “It’s liberating to be done. Be done with searching, looking and getting 60 percent of what you wanted,” she said. “That’s exactly what I wanted. I’m turning 60 and I’m, like, ‘Is this it?’ I love being alone and I’ve done that many times. But I’m, like, ‘I want to grow old with somebody, and travel and see the world.’”
Wright’s personal life has seen its share of high-profile relationships. She was married to actor Sean Penn from 1996 to 2010, with whom she shares two children, Dylan and Hopper. She later married fashion executive Clement Giraudet in 2018, filing for divorce in 2022, and was briefly married to actor Dane Witherspoon in the late 1980s. Yet, she insists, her move to England and her relationship with Smith have brought a unique sense of contentment she hadn’t experienced before.
While Wright’s remarks about America’s frenetic lifestyle have drawn attention, she has been careful not to tie her relocation directly to the current political climate in the United States. Nevertheless, her move coincides with a broader trend of American celebrities seeking refuge abroad, some explicitly citing political reasons. Earlier this year, Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi moved to the U.K. following Donald Trump’s election victory. “Yes. We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, ‘He got in.’ And we’re like, ‘We’re staying here,’” DeGeneres told The Guardian. Comedian Rosie O’Donnell also relocated to Ireland in January, just before Trump’s second inauguration, sharing in a TikTok video, “The people are so loving and so kind and so welcoming. And I’m very grateful.”
Wright’s reflections extend beyond politics. She’s become fascinated by the nuances of British society, including its class dynamics. “It’s very evident when you’re in a room and you feel the judgment or the praise of someone who’s more elevated,” she noted to The Times. But she quickly dismissed the weight of such judgments, adding, “Who gives a s?” It’s clear that for Wright, the appeal of her new life lies in its authenticity and the freedom to be herself, far from the pressures she felt in Los Angeles.
Despite her new base in England, Wright’s career remains transatlantic. She continues to split her time between the U.K. and Los Angeles, working on various projects. Most notably, she stars in and directs episodes of Prime Video’s upcoming psychological thriller, The Girlfriend, set to premiere on September 10, 2025. In the series, she plays a mother suspicious of her son’s new girlfriend, acting alongside Olivia Cooke and Laurie Davidson. According to Deadline, the role marks another compelling turn for the versatile actress, who remains in high demand on both sides of the Atlantic.
Wright’s story is emblematic of a broader shift among American celebrities. The likes of Richard Gere, Eva Longoria, Gabriel Macht, and even Sophie Turner have moved abroad in recent years, each citing their own reasons—from political unrest to personal safety and the search for a different lifestyle. Some, like Barbra Streisand, Cher, and Lena Dunham, have considered leaving but ultimately stayed. As Business Insider reported, the motivations are as varied as the stars themselves, but the trend is unmistakable.
For Wright, the decision to leave America was deeply personal. She described the noise and ambition of Los Angeles as overwhelming—“Everyone’s building a huge house, and I’m just done with all that—I love the quiet.” Renting a house by the English seaside, she has found the peace she craved and the companionship she longed for. “It was so relaxing to be seen and loved for who I am,” she told The Sunday Times.
As she approaches her 60th birthday, Robin Wright is embracing a new chapter defined by simplicity, connection, and self-discovery. While her move may reflect a broader trend among celebrities, her reasons are uniquely her own—a blend of seeking tranquility, meaningful relationships, and a pace of life that allows her, at long last, to truly live.
