Kevin Sorbo Says He'S 'Done' With California — Why The Hercules Star Made Florida Home

Kevin Sorbo says he won’t be returning to California

Kevin Sorbo, the 67-year-old actor who rose to fame on the 1990s series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, told Fox News Digital on August 30 that he has no desire to move back to California. The former TV star said he left the Golden State and found greater acceptance after settling in Florida, where he’s embraced a different pace and political climate.

Speaking while promoting his faith-based film Elijah Peel, Sorbo explained that the combination of high taxes, brutal traffic and what he called pervasive negativity pushed him to make the change. The move, he said, has been a welcome fresh start away from the Hollywood grind and SoCal stress.

They can keep their taxes, traffic, and negativity – Sorbo’s blunt stance

Why Florida felt right

Sorbo, an outspoken Republican, left California for Florida around 2019. He acknowledged there are things he misses about his old home, but the trade-offs weren’t worth it to him. "I mean, here in Florida, yeah, we get five months of pretty high humidity. It's pretty hot, but the winters here are really quite amazing," he told the outlet.

Ultimately, Sorbo summed up his feelings about going back in no uncertain terms, saying he was done with the parts of California that had worn him down. He’s enjoying a conservative-friendly environment in the Sunshine State and the change in daily life that came with it.

"I'm finished with the taxes, the gridlock and the pessimism – I don't want to go back,"

Why he says Hollywood ostracized him

Different opinions, different treatment

Sorbo accused Hollywood of sidelining people who voice conservative or Christian beliefs. He compared the industry’s reaction to what he sees as petty, exclusionary behavior and criticized what he frames as a culture of canceling dissenting voices.

Over the years, Sorbo has been at the center of several controversies. He publicly supported President Donald Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was stolen, pushed anti-vax conspiracies during the COVID-19 pandemic, and suggested the January 6, 2021, Capitol violence was the work of Antifa. Those positions, he said, contributed to his fraught relationship with parts of Hollywood.

He still sees a big audience for conservative movies

Independent films and box office proof

Despite feeling canceled by some in the industry, Sorbo argued that his career proves conservatives can continue to make films and reach audiences. He believes there’s a sizable market for movies with conservative values and that demand will only grow.

Pointing to his latest project, Elijah Peel, Sorbo noted the film’s opening-weekend box office — $249,491 — as evidence that there’s an appetite for the type of faith-based, independent films he’s been part of. He also suggested that other conservatives in Hollywood have gone quiet to avoid similar backlash.

From Hercules to culture-war figure

A legacy reshaped

Sorbo’s career began with a mainstream run on Hercules in the 1990s, a role that made him a familiar face to TV audiences. In recent years, however, his public persona has shifted toward activism and conservative commentary, which has reshaped how some in the industry view him.

Whether you remember him from the red carpets of Hollywood or from his more recent independent projects, Sorbo’s path — from TV hero to outspoken conservative filmmaker living under Florida skies – reflects a broader cultural split that’s played out across entertainment hubs like Los Angeles and beyond.