Josh Hartnett's Early Fame

Twenty-five years ago, a July 2001 Vanity Fair cover story called 'The Making of Josh Hartnett' anointed the 22-year-old actor as the next major movie star.

Ben Affleck's Prediction

His Pearl Harbor costar Ben Affleck predicted that Hartnett 'will get very famous very quickly' after roles in The Virgin Suicides and Black Hawk Down.

“will get very famous very quickly”

Hartnett's Heartthrob Label

Hartnett spent subsequent years outrunning the heartthrob label that had been stamped across his forehead, acting in small indie films and the dark Emmy-nominated Showtime series Penny Dreadful.

Set-Up-to-Fail Moment

Hartnett later said that being compared to Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts in the article was 'a set-up-to-fail moment' that made people 'get a chip on their shoulder' about him.

“a set-up-to-fail moment”

Verity Role

Hartnett plays the potentially shadowy spouse of the titular character in Michael Showalter's psychological thriller Verity, opposite Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson.

Oppenheimer and Trap

Hartnett nabbed roles in Christopher Nolan's best-picture winner Oppenheimer and the M. Night Shyamalan thriller Trap about a serial killer taking his daughter to a pop concert.

Family Life

Hartnett, the father of four, lives in the Hampshire countryside of England with his wife, British actor Tamsin Egerton, and has a 'very full and chaotic family life' that is his best antidote to becoming a navel-gazing, self-abused actor.

Netflix Series Below

Hartnett stars and produces the Netflix series Below, out October 8, which centers on strange occurrences in a remote Canadian coastal fishing town.

Family as Antidote

Hartnett says his wife is 'so excellent at picking up the slack when I go away' but has no intention of getting caught up in Hollywood's feedback loop.

Verity's Core Mystery

Hartnett says his character's motives remain unclear to the audience, as the film explores whether the character is team manuscript or team letter.

“team manuscript or team letter”

Colleen Hoover Universe

Hartnett was not aware of Colleen Hoover's other films but saw the script for Verity as a standalone piece with an ambiguous ending.

Career Evolution

Hartnett feels more like an 'undiscovered talent' now, having established himself as a collaborator rather than a project for studios.

UK Perspective

Hartnett says the UK's political landscape is similarly divided as the US, but living away from Hollywood helps him avoid navel-gazing and self-abuse.

Message-Driven Projects

Hartnett has chosen films based on his beliefs but admits that directors sometimes change the message, leading to misunderstandings.

Set-Up-to-Fail Reflection

Hartnett recalls feeling defined by press coverage as a young actor but now finds it doesn't affect his day-to-day life as much.

Industry Reintroduction

Hartnett returned to the zeitgeist with roles in Oppenheimer and Trap after switching agencies and making phone calls to directors.

White Lies Project

Hartnett is starring in Oliver Stone's White Lies, an exploration of his own addictions and life, similar to Fellini's 8½.

Future Goals

Hartnett hopes to focus on family and work that supports them before entering his next decade, feeling less afraid of aging.