At the end of the 2000s, “30 Days of Night” was the last notable film in which Josh Hartnett appeared in the cinema. The actor is then discreet, in particular because he has trouble managing fame but also because some of his refusals have earned him a sidelining from the major Hollywood studios.
30 days of night : Vampires invade Alaska
Adaptation of the eponymous comic created by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith, 30 days of night marks David Slade’s return to directing after the grueling hard candy. Released in 2008, this horror film takes the viewer on a journey in the small town of Barrow, Alaska, where locals prepare to go dark for a month. While some prefer to leave so as not to find themselves in the dark, others stay, like Sheriff Eben Oleson (Josh Hartnett).
The policeman and his ex-girlfriend Stella (Melissa George), who failed to leave town due to an accident, quickly come to witness of several disturbing events after the arrival of a mysterious stranger (Ben Foster), who shows signs of aggression and sabotages all means of communication. They discover very quickly that this man did not come alone when creatures carry out a real carnage in the village. To hold out for a month against these vampires led by Marlow (Danny Huston), the survivors take refuge in an attic. Gradually running out of food, they devise a plan to try to get by…
While the actor was the darling of Hollywood at the time, 30 days of night is Josh Hartnett’s last landmark film project in the late 2000s. Revealed by The Faculty, Virgin Suicides or Pearl Harborthe actor is then much more discreet, continuing to shoot in more modest projects, most of which go unnoticed.
“I didn’t trust anyone”
Josh Hartnett starts talking about him again from 2014 with the excellent series Penny Dreadful, in which he gives the reply to Eva Green and Timothy Dalton. At the time, the actor evokes his noticeable withdrawal from the magazine Details. Quoted by Us Weeklyhe declares :
I was on the cover of all the magazines. I didn’t feel good about myself, I was alone, I didn’t trust anyone.
If he decides to give up his place of choice in the Hollywood industry, it is becausehe has bad experiencesstarting with the filming of Hollywood Homicide, during which he has great difficulty getting along with Harrison Ford. The actor understands that he does not want to be a star of this caliber, as he confides to Mr Porter in 2021:
I decided to have a life. (…) This has always been my main objective. (…) The guys who are at the top are terrified that someone is coming behind them. If it’s your real ambition to be on top all the time, then you’re going to spend your whole life looking over your shoulder. I never wanted that. I want to do a good job with people I like and spend my free time with people I like.
The refusal of several emblematic roles
In his heyday, John Hartnett was also approached to embody two famous superheroes : Superman and Batman. Regarding the first, the actor remembers with Mr Porter :
At the time, it was obvious for me to refuse. I was offered films by very great directors. And Superman was a risk. Yes, there was a lot of money involved, but it was not an end in itself.
The comedian is more nuanced when he addresses the fact of not having filmed for Christopher Nolan, with whom he talks about the Dark Knight during a discussion, according to The Guardian. Quoted by El País, Josh Hartnett doesn’t hide his regretssaying in this regard:
I definitely said no to the wrong people. I said no because I was tired and wanted to spend more time with my friends and family. It’s frowned upon in this industry… I learned my lesson when Christopher Nolan and I talked about Batman.
He adds to The Guardian :
They looked at me like someone who had bitten the hand that had fed me. It was not this. I didn’t do it to be recalcitrant or rebellious. (…) I tried to find smaller films and by doing that, I cut ties with the big studios because I was not participating in their projects. Our goals were not the same.
Years later, Josh Hartnett was able to collaborate with Christopher Nolan. The actor is part of the phenomenal cast…
