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Celebrities

Josh Hartnett says he left Hollywood after being stalked by ‘unhealthy’ fans: ‘There were incidents’

By
Nika Shakhnazarova
Published July 30, 2024
Updated July 30, 2024, 7:07 a.m. ET

Josh Hartnett has revealed the reason behind his decision to leave the glittering lights of Hollywood despite a successful career on the silver screen.

The actor made a name for himself after landing a series of hit films in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including the 1998 film “The Faculty” and the 2001 blockbuster “Black Hawk Down.”

Now, Hartnett has claimed it was being stalked by “borderline unhealthy” fans that made him turn his back on Tinseltown for several years.

Actor Josh Hartnett greeted by fans on the red carpet at a benefit for his new film, 'Hollywood Homicide', in Edina, Minn, June 4, 2003
The actor made a name for himself after landing a series of hit films in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including the 1998 film “The Faculty” and the 2001 blockbuster “Black Hawk Down.” AP

“People’s attention to me at the time was borderline unhealthy,” Harnett, 46, told the Guardian.

“There were incidents. People showed up at my house. People that were stalking me.”

As a result, Harnett and his wife, British actress Tamsin Egerton, packed up and moved to Hampshire, England, in a desperate change of scenery.

Since then, he’s only taken on a select few roles, including the hit 2023 box office sensation “Oppenheimer,” as well as M. Night Shyamalan’s upcoming psychological thriller “Trap.”

Josh Hartnett and Scarlett Johansson in the 2006 film "The Black Dahlia."
Josh Hartnett and Scarlett Johansson in the 2006 film “The Black Dahlia.” Getty Images

Opening up about the stalking incidents, Hartnett said that when he was 27, “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,” he added.

Hartnett rose to fame with films like “Pearl Harbor” and “40 Days and 40 Nights” in the late ’90s and early 2000s.

Josh Hartnett standing in front of a drum set at the 'Trap' photocall at The O2 Arena in London, England
Hartnett said he was stalked by “borderline unhealthy” fans, forcing him to turn his back on Hollywood for several years. Getty Images for Warner Bros. Pictures

In 2014, Hartnett said part of his decision to stop making blockbuster movies was because he “didn’t trust anyone.”

“I was on the cover of every magazine,” he explained to Details at the time (via Us Weekly). “I couldn’t really go anywhere. I didn’t feel comfortable in my own skin. I was alone. I didn’t trust anyone.”

The Minnesota native said his departure from Hollywood affected the kinds of roles he was able to take on.

“I still get offered film and TV roles, luckily, but years ago, if I saw a role I wanted, there was a good chance I could grab it,” he said at the time.

Josh Hartnett and Tamsin Egerton posing together at the 96th Annual Academy Awards in Hollywood, California.
Harnett and his wife, British actress Tamsin Egerton, moved to Hampshire, England, in a desperate change of scenery. Getty Images

“When I see a role now, I’ve got to fight for it. It’s not bad. It’s actually more rewarding. Depressing when something doesn’t go your way, but only for a minute.”

During his time out of the spotlight, Hartnett and Egerton started a family. The pair welcomed three children after tying the knot in 2021.