Born Joshua Daniel Hartnett in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1978 as the oldest of four children, Josh Hartnett experienced a quiet and comfortable upbringing. He was active in sports as a child and did not entertain the thought of becoming a performer, until a football accident left him unable to participate on the athletic playing field.

A relative encouraged him to audition for a production of Tom Sawyer and to his surprise, he won the part. Now in love with the stage, he went on to star in a slew of high-school plays.

A move to New York to attend the State University did not go as well as he had hoped and soon Hartnett found himself in California. Within a short time in Los Angeles, he caught an improbable break and landed a part in the short-lived but acclaimed drama Cracker, on ABC. Although the series was cancelled after nine episodes, Hartnett had made a name for himself. He almost garnered a role on the hit show Dawson's Creek but it was not meant to be. Hartnett began to focus on film work.

He obtained a certain level of fame with young audiences after two major roles in horror films: 1998's Halloween: H2O and The Faculty. The films tanked at the box office but Hartnett gained immense popularity for his screen presence and looks.

This has remained a theme throughout his young career so far, with acclaimed performances in The Virgin Suicides as the love interest of Kirsten Dunst Directed by Sofia Coppola, the film flew under the radar but scored with critics. The reputation of Hartnett as a hot commodity in Hollywood was cemented with roles in Here on Earth with Leelee Sobieski O with Julia Stiles and of course, Pearl Harbor with Kate Beckinsale

Hartnett scored his most lauded performance to date in the Ridley Scott war drama, Black Hawk Down. Released to critical and audience acclaim, the talented ensemble cast helped inspire Hartnett to summon his most convincing screen portrayal yet.

He followed up the intense project with a light romantic comedy, 40 Days and 40 Nights that proved to everyone that he was capable of being a versatile performer. The film was the first lead vehicle for Hartnett and despite the fact that it was not a smash, it did post some modest numbers and decent critical reviews. Most of all however, was the fact that the film sealed his fate as a bona fide Hollywood star.