Josh Hartnett has reflected on how "borderline unhealthy" attention from fans influenced his decision to take a break from Hollywood.
The actor rose to prominence in the late 1990s after appearing in films such as The Faculty and The Virgin Suicides.
But after starring in movies like 2001's Pearl Harbor and 2002's 40 Days and 40 Nights, Josh decided to step away from making blockbuster features at the peak of his fame.
"(There was no distinct moment between) happy Josh and unhappy Josh (but) people's attention to me at the time was borderline unhealthy," he told The Guardian. "Well, look, I don't want to give this a lot of weight. There were incidents. People showed up at my house. People that were stalking me. (At one point), 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."
In addition, Josh recalled how he turned down lead parts in superhero movies, including the role of Clark Kent/Superman back in the early 2000s and the character of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins. Christian Bale ended up playing Batman in the 2005 feature.
"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," the 46-year-old continued, before noting that he was pleased to have landed the role of Ernest Lawrence in Nolan's 2023 thriller-drama Oppenheimer.
"I recognise the missed opportunity to work with a guy like Chris. And I've figured out that as much as you're worried about curating your career to things you're interested in, I don't believe that's the most important thing anymore. It's about finding people who you really trust."
Josh is currently promoting the psychological thriller Trap. Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, the film is set to open in cinemas on 2 August.
