Amanda Seyfried says moving out of Los Angeles was “essential for my mental health”.
The 'Mean Girls' star, 38, now lives on a farm in upstate New York with her husband, fellow actor Thomas Sadoski, 48, and their two children - Nina, seven, and Thomas, four - and has admitted the big move was the "best decision" as it gave her "privacy, peace and nature".
She told Forbes: “I moved upstate long before I had a family. Staying here was the best decision for privacy, peace and nature. It offers a more balanced life than the city does."
Among their many animals – including chickens, numerous horses, multiple goats, and a donkey – Amanda is closest to her beloved 15-year-old Australia Shepherd, Finn, who she credits with keeping her "grounded" in the early days of her career in Hollywood.
She noted: "Having Finn to come home to when I was in my 20’s in Hollywood helped keep me grounded.
“My pets truly keep me balanced.”
Growing up on a farm is also giving her two children life skills from a young age.
She said: “I can see them learning what a responsibility and treat it is to care for pets, even at their young ages.
“I think all pets give us purpose. And because they do so much to enrich our lives, we are responsible for theirs -which includes managing their health and wellness.”
Amanda recently shared how she is open with her brood about "the circle of life" as they have had a few pets that have passed away.
The youngsters are aware that Finn is getting older.
She told PEOPLE magazine: "They know he's an old man, and my daughter especially, she knows that things die, but you get a chunk of time with them, you respect them, you love them, you give them the best life they can have, and then they go, and you remember them.
"It's just like it's the most positive spin that you can have."
The 'Mamma Mia!' star explained that living with many animals has made the process of talking about death with her young children easier.
She added: "What I've learned living on a farm is that I've been exposed to a lot of death, and it's helped me shape my relationship with it. "And I am almost positive that my kids will have a healthier understanding and appreciation for life and death because of the farm."
