Taylor Kitsch Recalls ‘Sleeping on the Subway’ During Period He Spent Homeless Before Friday Night Lights Fame (Exclusive)

Taylor Kitsch is reminiscing about the tough times he faced before gaining fame in Friday Night Lights.

After relocating from Canada to New York City in 2002 to pursue his dreams in modeling and acting, financial struggles left him “literally sleeping on the subway,” Kitsch, 43, shares with Livren.

His fortunes changed when he encountered a talent manager who took a chance on him.

“She asked, ‘What do you want to do?’ I said, ‘Character pieces,'” he recalls. “She replied, ‘Alright, I’ll take a risk on you.'”

That manager remains with him to this day.

“My focus has always been on immersing myself in different roles,” Kitsch explains. “It was never about fame or fortune.”

Raised by his mother in a trailer park, Kitsch landed his breakthrough role as Tim Riggins in Friday Night Lights in 2006.

“For some reason, people really connected with Riggins,” he says. “It truly changed my life for the better.”

Since then, Kitsch has continued to work consistently, taking a two-year break in the mid-2010s to support his sister through her struggles with addiction.

“Being there for her and seeing her progress is probably my proudest achievement,” he shares.

His sister, now a traveling nurse, assisted him during the production of Netflix’s Painkiller, where he portrayed an opioid addict.

“It was deeply personal and cathartic,” Kitsch says.

Kitsch is now developing a nature retreat in Montana to support the sober community.

“I wasn’t aware such retreats existed until my sister’s experience,” he says. “Offering people a chance to reconnect with nature is amazing.”

Kitsch’s latest project, the Netflix Western American Primeval, is now streaming.

“After intense roles like Primeval, taking a breath in nature is the best reset,” he adds.