Going for walks is a really big part of most of our lives. That was a very liberating experience.Ī lot of us take walks. Instead of being broke all the time, because I was paying for housing, I had extra money. Instead of “I’ve fallen,” look at, “the thing I love, I get to do.” It's just a mental switch, kind of like taking off a pair of glasses and putting on a different pair of glasses and you see the world differently.Īlso, at the first of every month when I didn't pay rent, that was a life-changing experience right there. So going camping was normal for me, and eventually, it came to the point where I realized I was just going camping, except I was going camping for the rest of my life.

That was 1995, when I first moved into a van, so I don't remember a lot of the details of it, but I'd always been a camper. What was the turning point for you where you started to enjoy it? I actually wanted to ask about your personal growth, because I read Jessica's book and was surprised to learn that you went into this world kind of kicking and screaming. You see Fern's growth from devastating pain to healing and moving on. The sunrise and sunset should have been given star billing because they were in so many scenes. I think it really demonstrates the healing power of nature. The story is really about grief and healing and I think it's a fantastic story for all who have suffered and been involved with grief and the healing process. I'm hoping to see the story of nomads, but of course, it's a story and the story takes precedence. What did you think of the finished movie? I watched Chloé's work and was very, very impressed with her, so it was very easy to say, 'Yeah, I'd love to be a part of this.' It was Chloé who used authentic people, the real people, and this was going to be a blend of fiction and nonfiction. It was kind of a natural logical extension if they were going to make a movie. I'm very fortunate to count Jessica as a friend.

GQ: What was the decision-making process like for you when you were approached to be in Nomadland ?īob Wells: I'd worked with Jessica, the author of Nomadland, for many years now.

Author of nomadland