Josh Hartnett says his four children have never watched any of his films, and he prefers to keep it that way for now.
The actor discussed his family’s distance from his nearly three-decade screen career during an interview connected to the New York premiere of Verity on September 29, 2026.
“My kids have never seen me in anything,” Hartnett said, explaining that he considers the separation between his work and home life healthy.
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Josh Hartnett keeps his family separate from his work
Hartnett and his wife, actor Tamsin Egerton, have four children, but the family has largely stayed outside the entertainment spotlight.
Hartnett said his children may eventually become interested in his work, although much of his filmography is aimed at adult audiences rather than younger viewers.
The comments offer a glimpse into how Hartnett has approached fame after becoming one of Hollywood’s best-known young stars in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Rather than making his public profile the centre of family life, Hartnett has continued to maintain a relatively private personal life while working steadily in film and television.
Verity brings Hartnett back to the big screen
Hartnett’s remarks come as he promotes Verity, a psychological thriller based on Colleen Hoover’s 2018 novel.
The film stars Hartnett as Jeremy Crawford, the husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, played by Anne Hathaway.
When Verity is left unable to continue working after an accident, Jeremy hires a ghostwriter, portrayed by Dakota Johnson, to complete her unfinished manuscript.
The writer’s discovery of disturbing material inside the Crawford household drives the film’s central mystery.
Verity is scheduled to open in North American theatres on Friday, October 2, 2026, putting Hartnett in a major theatrical release alongside Hathaway and Johnson.
The project also represents another prominent role for Hartnett following appearances in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and M.
Night Shyamalan’s Trap.
Those performances helped place the actor back in the centre of mainstream film conversations after a period in which he took on a mix of independent, supporting and television roles.
Below gives Hartnett another major 2026 role
Hartnett is also preparing for the Netflix debut of Below, a six-episode thriller set in a remote Newfoundland community.
He plays Calvin Penney, a fisherman whose town is threatened by a mysterious creature emerging from the ocean.
The series follows Calvin as he tries to protect his family and community while working with a marine biologist, played by Mackenzie Davis.
Charlie Heaton plays Calvin’s son, Wade, who begins experiencing unsettling symptoms as the danger develops.
Netflix says the production filmed on Newfoundland’s waters, with Hartnett working to capture the region’s local speech and setting for the series.
Below is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on Thursday, October 8, 2026.
The back-to-back releases give Hartnett two sharply different projects: an adult literary thriller arriving in cinemas and a creature-focused Canadian-set series coming to streaming.
What comes next for Josh Hartnett
Hartnett has several other projects in development or post-production, including the film White Lies and the completed feature The Long Home.
For viewers, the immediate focus is on Verity and Below, both of which place him in leading roles with strong suspense elements.
For Hartnett, the releases also allow him to continue building a career on his own terms while keeping his family life largely separate from the publicity surrounding his work.
His decision not to show his films to his children is not a statement that he has rejected acting or Hollywood.
Instead, it reflects a boundary he has chosen while his children are still young and his career continues to generate new attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have Josh Hartnett’s children seen any of his movies?
Hartnett said his four children have not seen any of his films, and he currently prefers to keep his work separate from family life.
When does Verity open in theatres?
Verity is scheduled to open in North American theatres on October 2, 2026.
Who stars in Verity with Josh Hartnett?
Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson co-star with Hartnett in the psychological thriller.
What is Josh Hartnett’s Netflix series Below about?
Below follows a Newfoundland fisherman who fights to protect his family and community after a mysterious sea creature appears offshore.
When does Below premiere on Netflix?
Below is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on October 8, 2026.
Fact-Checked: Key details were checked against the published interview account and Netflix’s official information for Below. ([netflix.com](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/below-teaser-trailer?utm_source=openai))
Disclaimer: Release dates and project details may change if the distributors revise their schedules.