Recluse Josh Hartnett reveals the reason he left Hollywood to live in the country

The Pearl Harbor star said: “People’s attention to me at the time was borderline unhealthy.

“Well, look, I don’t want to put much stock in this. There were incidents. People came to my house. People who stalked me.”

A particularly shocking incident occurred when Hartnett was 27 and a man claiming to be his father showed up at a movie premiere brandishing a gun.

Although no one was injured during the encounter, the man ultimately ended up in jail over the incident.

The Oppenheimer actor said: “A man showed up at one of my premieres with a gun and claimed to be my father. He ended up in jail.”

But the Saint Paul, Minnesota native disappeared from La-La Land almost as quickly as he showed up – even after he was offered the coveted roles of Superman and Batman.

Hartnett also admitted that there were “a lot of things” that made him leave Hollywood, despite the fact that he was on his way to becoming the industry’s next big celebrity.

“I didn’t want that for myself.”

Now, almost two decades after leaving Hollywood behind, Hartnett has built a new life for himself in Britain with his wife of 35 years, British actress Tamsin Egerton, and the couple’s four children.

Hartnett and his family live together in rural Hampshire and, according to the Fall star, he “never expected it” after taking Hollywood by storm 20 years ago.

He said: “This is all brand new to me. I never expected it. And time passes quickly. With four children you have so much to do. In a sense, less is happening. But even more important things are happening.

“My eldest daughter is now eight and a half – to me it feels like it has happened in the last two years. That’s why I try to record as much as possible.”