Former heartthrob Josh Hartnett recently opened up about why he stepped away from Hollywood at the height of his fame.
In an interview with The Guardian, while promoting his latest flick Trap, Hartnett reflected on the reasons behind his decision to keep a low-key profile over the years.
Hartnett, known for his roles in films like Pearl Harbor and Black Hawk Down, explained that intense public attention and the invasive behaviour of some fans took a toll on his mental health.
Hartnett said, “People’s attention to me at the time was borderline unhealthy”
“There were incidents. People showed up at my house. People that were stalking me.”
He continued, “A guy showed up at one of my premieres with a gun, claiming to be my father. He ended up in prison.”
“There were lots of things. It was a weird time. And I wasn’t going to be grist for the mill.”
The actor’s decision to leave Hollywood allowed him to regain a sense of normalcy and prioritize his well-being.
He added, “I just didn’t want my life to be swallowed up by my work.”
“And there was a notion at that time you just kind of give it all up.
“And you saw what happened to some people back then. They got obliterated by it. I didn’t want that for myself.”
Hartnett explained that he focused on taking roles that interested him, even if they didn’t always become high-profile.
This included films like Mozart and the Whale (2005), Resurrecting the Champ (2007), and The Black Dahlia (2006).
He said, “Some of those films were successful. Some of them were failures. But I was always swinging for something that was outside what people expected from me.”
Hartnett is next starring in the upcoming M. Night Shyamalan thriller Trap.
The film follows a father and his teen daughter as they attend a concert and find themselves caught in a dangerous situation.
Trap is set to release in theatres on August 9, 2024.
