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Josh Hartnett, a veteran of action films such as "Pearl Harbor" and "Black Hawk Down," relies on the smaller but just as explosive drama of relationships and obsession in his latest picture, "Wicker Park." In it, he plays Matthew, a Chicago investment banker whose true love vanishes without a trace — until two years later, when he thinks he catches a glimpse of her in a bar. After he puts his life on hold to pursue her, he finds himself venturing down a very dangerous path. MTV News' Kelly Marino sat down with Hartnett to talk about love and his lovely co-stars.
MTV: "Wicker Park" is sort of a remake of the French movie "L'Appartement." Had you seen that movie when you signed on for this? Were you a fan of it?
Josh Hartnett: Yeah, absolutely. That was a lot of the reason why I wanted to do this. I thought that they made a really great film, but I wanted to do it a little bit differently. We wanted people to see that story, and I think it's a cool story.
MTV: Do you prefer doing dramas like this?
Hartnett: I've done quite a few dramas ... "The Virgin Suicides" and things like that, but for me it's all about switching it up and trying new things. Comedy is something I've been trying to tackle for a little while because it's difficult, it's really difficult, but I like being back on familiar turf here. I think that dramatic roles are more my cup of tea.
MTV: Your character in this movie is willing to give up everything for love. What's your take on love?
Hartnett: I also would be willing to give up everything for real love, absolutely. I think that's all you need, ultimately, that real connection. I think it's important for you to have your own life, though. I mean, you don't want to give up all the things that are you — you want to be able to somehow incorporate them, because that's you ... and to give yourself, you have to still have yourself, you know?
MTV: This movie also explores the fine line between love and obsession.
Hartnett: Yeah, I think if it's requited, then it's love, and if it's unrequited, then it's obsession, right? But I think that we all do — like Rose [Byrne] says in the movie — we all do crazy things when we're in love, we do tons of crazy things. I think that's kind of the fun of it sometimes, but then sometimes that's the downfall of it too.
MTV: What was it like working with Rose Byrne and Diane Kruger? They both seem to have promising careers ahead of them in Hollywood.
Hartnett: Yeah, Absolutely. We cast them in their first American movie, and then they went off and did "Troy." They both got cast in "Troy" when we were filming this, and I'm just really happy for them. I think they're both gonna have long, really substantial careers. You're gonna hear a lot from them. I mean, they're two of the most beautiful — forgive me — but two of the most beautiful, cool women in the world, and we were lucky enough to have them both cast in this movie, and it's not a bad set to be on for a guy.
MTV: How about you — what's in your future? What have you got lined up?
Hartnett: I did this movie called "Mozart and the Whale" that's gonna come out probably in December or early next year, I'm not sure which. It's about this autistic man, the true story of him falling in love with his wife and kind of coming to terms with his autism, and it's the coolest little movie I've ever read in my life. It's not a cause movie. It's not a story like, "Oh it's so sad how these people are so different." No, it's like a triumphant, really cool, weird little lovely movie, And it's a true story, and I really got to be good friends with the guy who I play, and I couldn't ask for anything better than that. It was a great experience.
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Photo: MGM
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