Josh Hartnett Ditched Hollywood for Quiet English Life – Shocking Reasons Revealed!

Twenty years later, Josh Harnett disclosed the reasons behind his departure from Los Angeles during the height of his popularity.

“I didn’t want my personal life to be completely consumed by my professional obligations,” said Harnett, the 46-year-old lead actor in M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film “Trap”, in an interview with The Guardian. He added, “There was a general perception back then that you had to sacrifice everything for your career. I saw the toll it took on others, and I didn’t want to experience the same.”

Harnett first made waves in Hollywood with his performances in indie films like “The Faculty” and “The Virgin Suicides” in the late 90s. This was followed by his starring roles in high-profile films like “Black Hawk Down” and “Pearl Harbor” in 2001 and “40 Days and 40 Nights” in 2002.

However, the fame that came with these significant roles, and the associated expectations of him taking on similar roles in the future, didn’t sit well with Harnett. He subsequently took a step back from the limelight, returned to his native Minnesota, and parted ways with his agents. After a hiatus of approximately a year and a half, he reentered the industry, preferring roles in smaller independent films over blockbusters.

Currently, the actor from “Pearl Harbor” resides in the United Kingdom under a spousal visa with his wife, British actress Tamsin Egerton. The pair met while on the set of Roland Joffe’s film “The Lovers” in 2011, started dating the following year, and had their first child in 2015. They have since had three more children, relocated to the British countryside, and tied the knot in a private ceremony in 2021, as revealed by Harnett in 2022.

According to Harnett, living a quiet life in a small UK village allows him to spend more time with his family than he was able to do while living in New York and Los Angeles.

“In New York and L.A., people are primarily interested in discussing your career,” he told The Guardian. However, he finds that in the UK, “nobody is interested”.

“I wouldn’t have predicted it. Time flies. With four kids, there’s always something to do. Even though less is going on, the important things are happening. My eldest daughter is now 8½, and it feels like it was just a couple of years ago. So, I’m trying to cherish every moment.”

In “Trap”, Harnett portrays a devoted father who takes his daughter to a pop star’s concert. However, in classic Shyamalan fashion (recall “The Sixth Sense” and “The Village”), the plot takes an unexpected turn: the loving father turns out to be a notorious serial killer known as the Butcher.

“Trap” is set to release in U.S. cinemas this Friday.