Josh Hartnett's Career Resurgence Fueled by Horror Genre
The actor discusses his return to prominent roles, including "Verity" and "Below," and his past decision to step away from Hollywood.
Actor Josh Hartnett is experiencing a career resurgence, often referred to as the “Hartnett-aissance,” with a notable presence in horror-adjacent projects. His recent work includes the thriller “Verity” and the Netflix sea monster series “Below.” This trend coincides with a broader resurgence in the popularity of the horror genre.
Hartnett, known for his roles in early 2000s films like “Pearl Harbor” and “40 Days and 40 Nights,” stepped back from the Hollywood spotlight in the past to prioritize his well-being and personal life. He described his initial period of fame as a “weird time,” citing intense public attention and paparazzi that led him to seek a more private existence.
"I needed to step away from the limelight,” Hartnett told NPR in October 2026. “I hadn’t defined myself yet…there were lots of people that were kind of putting their definition of me out there into the world, and that was affecting my own idea of who I am.” He added that the choice to step back was for his “sanity” and that he felt celebrity culture was “vacuous."
During his time away from high-profile projects, Hartnett continued to work, focusing on roles that were “under the radar.” He has been in a long-term relationship with actress Tamsin Egerton since 2012, and they married in 2021. The couple resides in England with their four children.
The actor’s return to more visible work has seen him embrace roles that often touch upon the horror genre. While he doesn’t feel horror is the primary draw to these projects, he noted in an interview with Men’s Health that horror is a genre where directors can “experiment” and “get away with more.”
Hartnett’s recent projects, such as M. Night Shyamalan's “Trap” and the thriller “Verity,” showcase his versatility. In “Verity,” he stars alongside Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson in a film that, while not strictly horror, is described as a thriller filled with unease and tension. The Netflix series “Below” features Hartnett as a fisherman in a sea monster narrative.
Horror as a genre has seen a significant mainstream breakthrough in recent years. Films like