Dennis Quaid Says Nashville Life Is 'Soft' With Space, Friends and City Charm After Hollywood Move

Dennis Quaid is loving his new life in Nashville after swapping Los Angeles for Music City.

The Parent Trap star opened up in a new interview with People about why Tennessee is a better fit for him than Southern California these days. He first moved to the Southern city in 2020, though he is originally from Houston, Texas.

Speaking to the outlet, Quaid described his low-key daily life in Nashville.

"Basically I play golf," he explained. "I love to be around the house here. You get a lot of land and space, but you’re still in an urban environment. I’ve made some really good friends here to spend time with. It’s important and a great place to raise a family."

He added, "And it’s so nice here in Tennessee. It’s soft and it’s a real feeling of community."

While Nashville is the center of country music, Quaid stresses that that's not all that happens there.

"It’s not a one-horse town," he said. "It’s not just music, although, like 75 percent of all music in the United States, no matter what genre it is either, not just country is done right here in Nashville."

Quaid first moved to L.A. in 1974 to try to make it as an actor, but he has watched the city he loved transform into one he no longer feels great about.

"It was such a great community when I lived there," he said. "It used to be if you were auditioning for something, you’d go to an office. You’d go in, and there would be five people dressed just like you, all up for the same part, waiting for time to read. You met a lot of people that way, and that’s where a community was formed."

For him, the growing trend of actors self-taping auditions rather than auditioning in person has made it harder to find a sense of community.

"Now everybody puts something on tape in their room and sends it in," he said. "You don’t have this feeling of community over that."

Quaid shared his thoughts on L.A. with Fox News Digital in June.

"It used to be such a great town and the '90s was nice. And then it's been kind of going downhill and I feel like people pay these taxes for no services is what it gets down to," he said. "And then fire happens and it kind of exposes all those things that go on that should be taken care of. So people are — people are angry and half angry, and they're half kind of feel like giving up, to tell you the truth."

He added, "I'm just one of thousands who have left, and I don't know, I hope the town comes back. I really do. It used to be such a fantastic town. It was. It was a great community, too. And something's happened. People need to be inspired there."

Politics may have played a role in Quaid's departure, too, as he is a critic of Mayor Karen Bass and endorsed controversial candidate Spencer Pratt. He has also praised President Donald Trump in the past, whereas L.A. is a famously left-leaning town.

Speaking to Fox News in April 2024, the Substance actor also sang Nashville's praises.

"I really just love it there — one of my favorite places I think I've lived," he said at the time. "It's such a collegial place to be."

The actor has lived in Tennessee with his wife, Laura Savoie, since 2020. Before Savoie, Quaid had been married three more times. He has three children.