EARLY Access: Shawn Ryan Show #310 Josh Duhamel (Patreon)

Josh Duhamel is an American actor, producer, and entrepreneur born and raised in Minot, North Dakota, where a blue-collar upbringing instilled a strong work ethic. He played backup quarterback at Minot State University and majored in biology with plans for dentistry, but dropped out shy of graduation (later finishing in 2005). He headed west, fell into modeling, and won IMTA Male Model of the Year in 1997, exposure that led to the role of Leo du Pres on All My Children (1999–2002) and a 2002 Daytime Emmy. From there, he built a mainstream career across TV and film, including Las Vegas and the Transformers franchise. He had no Hollywood connections, just a small-town guy who caught a break and worked his way up.

Still active in film and TV, Duhamel has deliberately stepped back from constant Hollywood life, spending more time on his land in North Dakota and speaking openly about never fully fitting in: "I missed the simplicity of who I really am." Beyond acting, he founded GATLAN, a concierge health-optimization company built around his own experience with hormone therapy, which expanded into women's health in spring 2026. Raised Catholic, he favors a grounded lifestyle focused on health and aging well, and embraced entrepreneurship later in life. He's a father of three: sons Axl (with ex-wife Fergie) and Shepherd, and daughter Rocca, born May 2026 with wife Audra Mari, with family at the center of how he spends his time.