Josh Hartnett opened up about a particularly awkward experience he had while filming “Pearl Harbor” (2001) in a recent interview with Elle on Thursday.
The “Trap” (2024) actor, 46, was asked to recall his most embarrassing on set moment during filming – and he didn’t hesitate to reveal that it involved a steamy parachute scene with Kate Beckinsale.
“One of my most embarrassing is the parachute scene from Pearl Harbor with Kate Beckinsale where we are making love in the parachute for some reason?” he recalled. “She decided to bring her one-year-old daughter and her boyfriend to set for the first time that day.”
Though Hartnett did not name Beckinsale’s boyfriend, she dated actor Michael Sheen from 1995 until 2003. The pair also welcomed a daughter, Lily Sheen, in 1999, which would’ve made her around 1 when they shot the Michael Bay-directed war drama.
Hartnett admitted feeling uneasy when having Beckinsale’s family present for their sex scene.
“I felt terrible the whole day. That was super embarrassing,” he confessed. “Thanks, Kate!”
In the film, Hartnett played Danny, a combat pilot caught in a love triangle with his childhood best friend Rafe (Ben Affleck) over a nurse Evelyn Johnson (Beckinsale) amid the backdrop of World War II.
In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment in 2016, Beckinsale, 51, admitted, “There are worse love triangles to be in, for sure.”
Despite negative reviews from critics, Pearl Harbor was a box-office hit, becoming the sixth-highest grossing film of 2001. It was also nominated for four Oscars, winning the award for Best Sound Editing.
In a July 31 interview with Vanity Fair, Hartnett described “Pearl Harbor” as the “biggest film he’s worked on.”
Harnett began his career with notable indie films like “The Faculty” (1998) and “The Virgin Suicides” (1999), which led to roles in high-profile movies such as 2001’s “Black Hawk Down” and “Pearl Harbor” and 2002’s “40 Days and 40 Nights.”
Despite the fame, Hartnett wasn’t comfortable with the attention and eventually stepped away from the spotlight several years ago. He and his wife, British actress Tamsin Egerton, moved to Hampshire, England, and parted ways with his agents.
“People’s attention to me at the time was borderline unhealthy,” Hartnett told the Guardian.
After 18 months, he returned to acting but has only taken on a select few roles, including the hit 2023 box office hit “Oppenheimer” and M. Night Shyamalan’s newest psychological thriller “Trap.”
“Trap” released in theaters on August 2.
