Gary Sinise says his money wouldn’t last if he still lived in California

After decades of working in Hollywood, Gary Sinise made the choice Say goodbye.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, the Golden Globe-winning actor – whose foundation Gary Sinise gifted a car to an injured US Army veteran in partnership with Wells Fargo during World War II America. Ball for the mall It happened earlier this month – he talked about his decision to leave California during an unimaginable time in his life.

“When I retired from acting in 2019… I had made some money. I had some investments,” said Sinise, whose son, Mac, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2018 and died in 2024. “Mac fought for the next four or five years, and I was his battle buddy and just fighting with him. My wife was having a lot of challenges and everything. My dad had a stroke and passed away in 2021. My mom was getting older and falling down.” Regardless, they needed me and it was important.

“I started thinking: ‘Well, what happens if I don’t go back to work?’ “Do I want to spend all the money here in California to pay these high prices for gas taxes and property taxes and all the different things?”

Sinise – best known for his role as Lieutenant Dan in “Forrest Gump” – said he and his family weighed their options and ultimately made the decision to pack up and move to nashvilleTennessee, a place he has become accustomed to over the years.

“I’m really starting to focus on the lifestyle here,” the 71-year-old actor said. “There was a gas station where I used to get gas for $2.59 a gallon. And then I visited caYou know, and they’re $5.79 a gallon. So they pay $3 more per gallon of gas in California. I don’t understand it.”

He continued: “They have a lot of resources in California, and I don’t know what they are doing.” “I like gas prices [here]. I love a no-tax state. I would love to save more money. If I were still in California and not working, this money would be moving out the door a lot faster than it is now. So I wanted to save money and prepare for the future. I don’t want to give it all to California and property taxes. I’d rather give it to my kids later.

While Sinise said it would be Open to returning to acting If the right project comes along, he doesn’t regret backing down.

“I stepped away from acting in 2019 to focus on family. And you know, I’ll say that to anyone. You’ll never regret doing this,” he said.

“You may miss some good opportunities along the way, but if you miss opportunities to help your family through tough times, you’re missing something,” he continued. “And I was lucky. I had good years in the movie business and in the TV business. And maybe in some ways, it was God giving me something because we were going to face some very difficult things. I was prepared in more ways than one.”“.

Looking back on his career, Sinise said he “never imagined” his legacy would be as much about service as it is about acting..

“I poured everything I had [acting]. And then, you know, having been involved with veterans, going back to the ’80s and ’90s and everything, when our country was attacked on September 11, 2001, I felt like that was a call to greater action.

Sinise launched his foundation in 2011, and has never been more dedicated to the cause.

“Once people come to our program in Gary Sinise Foundation“They’re just part of our family,” Sinise said. “And if they need ongoing support, we want to be there for them.“

“When I started my foundation 15 years ago, it was with the hope that I could build something that would last, be around for a long time, and help a lot of people. So, we don’t bring someone into the program, do one thing for them, and then never see them again. They are part of the fabric of the Gary Sinise Foundation, and we want to be there in times of need.“

On top of his foundational work, Sinise — who hosted the National Memorial Day Concert in front of the Capitol on Sunday — is focused on continuing to spread his son’s legacy by sharing his music.

“We took all these musical ideas that he had been tracking and laying down, and we went to work on them and brought this music to life for him,” Sinise said of his son’s posthumous third album.Resurrection and revival: Part Three“It’s emotional because I miss him so much.”

“All proceeds, as with the first two records, will go to the Gary Sinise Foundation, as Mac wanted to support the mission of helping our military, our first responders and their families,” Sinise added.

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