For the sake of his mental health, Josh Hartnett turned away from big-budget films and kept “Hollywood at distance.” Hartnett, who was once labeled “the next Leonardo DiCaprio,” says he left Hollywood to have a “decent home life.”
“Keeping Hollywood at distance was the best thing for my mental health and career… Fortunately, I believe I discovered it early in my life,” he told Australia’s “Sunrise” morning show “this coming Wednesday “It’s about having a happy home life and being able to do crazy and amazing things like making movies, which is such a privilege.”
In the early 2000s, Hartnett was extremely popular. He’s most recognized for his parts in the 2001 film “Pearl Harbor” and the 2002 film “40 Days and 40 Nights.” However, because Hollywood was taking a toll on his personal life, the actor chose to go in a different route.
“I was on the cover of every magazine,” he said US Weekly in a May 2014 interview. “I wasn’t able to travel anywhere. In my own skin, I didn’t feel at ease. I was on my own. I have no faith in anyone.” At the height of his fame, he also appreciated the advantages of stardom. “I still get offered film and TV roles, fortunately,” the “Black Hawk Down” actor remarked. “But years ago, if I saw a character I liked, there was a good chance I could get it.”
“When I see a role, I have to fight for it today. It’s not horrible at all. It’s actually more enjoyable. When things don’t go your way, it’s depressing, but only for a moment “Added he.
The 43-year-old actor also laments passing up a few previous opportunities, including two superhero parts. His greatest regret was declining a role opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in the Academy Award-winning picture “Brokeback Mountain,” which went to the late Heath Ledger.
“Unfortunately, I was going to do ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ but I had a contract with [2006 film] ‘Black Dahlia,’ so I had to pull out,” he said in an interview with news.com.au on Wednesday to celebrate the debut of his new film “Ida Red.”
“My biggest regret is that I’ve always wanted to kiss Joaquin,” he joked.