Josh Hartnett is back with another interesting project, Trap, after gaining prominence with his role in Oppenheimer. However, he has long connections with the Hollywood industry as he shared the spotlight with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt back in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
His charming looks and undeniable talent were enough to catapult him to fame, but the actor made a shocking decision – stepping away from it all. However, taking a step back didn’t stop him from reclaiming his fame as he experienced a second shot at stardom.
Josh Hartnett Stepped Away from Hollywood During His Peak Era
Josh Hartnett‘s rise to fame is nothing but iconic. Having moved to LA at the age of 19 to pursue his acting career, he quickly landed roles that eventually catapulted him to fame.
After his breakout role in Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides (1999), he caught the attention of Hollywood’s elite. Soon after, he starred in major projects like Pearl Harbor (2001) and Black Hawk Down (2001), cementing himself among the most sought-after young actors in the industry.
He recently reunited with his O star, Julia Stiles in Interview Magazine, where she reflected on their time when he was garnering limelight.
The Omen actress shared,
It sounds like you’re living your dream…I sort of remember that you and I were very similar when we were making that film—and you can correct me if I’m wrong, but everybody in that cast was at a time in their career when we were starting to become more recognizable and fame was something that was entering our lives.
The early 2000s was the time when the duo was garnering attention, but things changed since then, as the actor stepped back from the Hollywood machine. For many, this retreat hinted at the end of a promising career, but he knew what he wanted.
Josh Hartnett Reflected on His Return in Hollywood
While the actor left the spotlight, he never stopped acting. Rather than chasing fame, he decided to work on what he felt would make him happy. Prioritizing his mental health and finding his community, he took on smaller, independent projects that aligned with his values.
In the same interview, he told his O co-star that he never really attached himself to the Hollywood lifestyle, even when he was heavily involved in acting. Prioritizing his mental well-being was among the prime reasons behind his actions.
The Oppenheimer actor felt that the celebrity culture at the time was empty or “vacuous,” adding that he was uninterested in participating in it through shows like Cribs or Punk’d. On achieving fame and success in Hollywood, he was still unsatisfied, which led him to find what truly mattered to him – being part of a community.
Talking about his acting journey, he stated,
I never stopped acting. I was doing films that were, in my opinion, worthy, but really small. A lot of first-time filmmakers, people that inspired me…I was spoiled at an early age in this business, in that the first few independent films I made were successful, so I thought that would maybe always be the case, and it wasn’t.
As for what made him return to big-studio projects, he reflected,
But coming back to making studio films, what happened in all transparency was that we had a couple of kids, so I wanted to establish something that was a little bit more solid.
Luckily, his decision to pursue stability this time, snowballed into more opportunities, bringing him back in the studio system, which isn’t always the case. After gaining prominence in Christopher Nolan‘s Oppenheimer last year, he is back in M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap.
Trap is running in theatres.
