Shailene Woodley "Got Rid of Everything" She Owned, Lived Out of a Suitcase for Two Months

Actress also explains the benefits of making your own toothpaste and wearing overalls

By Zach Johnson Mar 21, 2014 12:24 PMTags

Shailene Woodley doesn't see much value in materialism.

In fact, after she wrapped production on Divergent last year, she decided to get rid of her belongings. The 22-year-old actress opened up about her decision on Thursdays Late Night With Seth Meyers.

"I cruised and I hung out with my friends and family. I got rid of everything I owned. I got rid of my cell phone, and I fit my life into a carry-on suitcase and I just couch surfed for two months. It was awesome," Woodley said of taking a break after seven straight years of work. "I explored so many couches that I didn't l know existed in my friends' homes. You know what's fun about that, though, is living in L.A, obviously, it's so spread out. I got to learn different areas that I didn't know about before."

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When Woodley was shooting the movie in Chicago last summer, she took an urban survivalist course. It's served her well, especially compared to friends who went without water during Hurricane Sandy.

"I've studied indigenous cultures for a really long time and got really into wilderness skills, but I realized that as much as I knew how to make fire and build shelter, I was like, 'I live in Los Angeles and I'm surrounded by buildings. Fire's not going to do me any good,'" the Fault in Our Stars actress recalled. "So I started learning how to survive and thrive in the city."

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Host Seth Meyers also admitted he was fascinated by the fact that Woodley makes her own toothpaste. "It's fun. I make it out of clay. You put some coconut oil in there, a few essential oils if you feel like it, maybe some herbs," she explained. "Here's the kicker, though: you don't spit it out, you swallow it. So you're getting your daily dose of medicine while you brush your teeth." Saturday Night Live's former head writer wasn't sold on the idea, telling Woodley, "The closest I've come to making toothpaste is when you have not enough in two different tubes so you squeeze the two together."

Meyers also asked Woodley why she ditched her Elie Saab Couture gown for a more casual look at the Divergent premiere afterparty in L.A. Tuesday. "I changed during the movie. My intention was to put jeans on, and then I got to the bathroom and started changing and I was like, 'These jeans are way too tight,' so I just put on my overalls and cruised," Woodley recalled. "You can have a food baby and no one can see it. You can hide things in the pockets and nobody knows. It's like a built-in backpack!"

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