Ellar Coltrane, the actor who portrayed Mason Evans Jr. in Richard Linklater's critically acclaimed film "Boyhood," has largely stepped away from the Hollywood spotlight. Now 31, Coltrane told Variety that he lives "in the middle of nowhere" and is engaged in manual labor and volunteer firefighting, while also pursuing an EMT license. The film, which documented a boy's life over 12 years from 2002 to 2014, earned significant praise for its innovative storytelling and performances.

Coltrane, who was cast at age six and was 18 when "Boyhood" premiered, stated that he has "moved on" from the film industry. While he has participated in a couple of short films, including "El Fantasma," where he played Lee Harvey Oswald, and "So, Who Was It This Time?" filmed in El Paso, his current focus is far from traditional acting roles. He has become involved with the independent film community in El Paso, drawing inspiration from the creative energy there.

Despite his departure from mainstream acting, Coltrane expressed a continued interest in collaborative filmmaking. "I do very well collaborating with a director who has a passion project," he explained. "When I can get into that headspace with an artist and work closely with them to figure out how I can express what they’re trying to express, I think I can do really good work."

However, he noted that he is not suited for large-scale productions with numerous producers. Coltrane feels he was trained by Linklater and co-star Ethan Hawke as a collaborator rather than a traditionally trained actor, and he hopes to engage in more small, independent passion projects. He believes he has "a lot to offer" in such settings.

Reflecting on his experience as a child actor, Coltrane feels he navigated the challenges of early fame relatively well. He is grateful that "Boyhood" was not released incrementally during his childhood, differentiating his experience from that of other child stars, such as those from the "Harry Potter" franchise. "I didn’t have to experience that, and I am grateful for that, because when I did experience celebrity, it was a lot," he said. "It allowed me to have the experience of acting and learning to do all these things and being on set."

Coltrane added that this path allowed him to "avoid being a child star, which is really difficult for a lot of people." He expressed compassion for those who struggle with early-onset fame.