Ahead of his upcoming film ‘Trap,’ Josh Hartnett looked back on stepping away from the spotlight decades ago and turning down the Superman role twice because of it. He explained in a chat with The Guardian:
“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.”
He Turned Down the Batman Role Too
Hartnett also had the chance to play Batman in Christopher Nolan’s series but did not take it, and the role went to Christian Bale. He recently crossed paths with the director again in 2023’s ‘Oppenheimer.’ The actor shared about working with Nolan:
“I recognize 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 any more. It’s about finding people who you really trust.”
Fame Threatened His Security
Josh Hartnett rose to fame in the late 1990s with movies like ‘The Faculty’ and ‘The Virgin Suicides,’ and later appeared in bigger projects such as ‘Pearl Harbor.’ Still, the actor chose to leave Los Angeles and pause his acting career for about a year and a half in the early 2000s:
“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. A guy showed up at one of my premieres with a gun, claiming to be my father. He ended up in prison.”
Hartnett returned from his break with roles in smaller projects although he started taking part in major ones in recent years, as well. His new movie, ‘Trap,’ will come out on August 2.
