Josh Hartnett’s lead role in Oppenheimer has seemingly brought the once-iconic actor back from the brink of obscurity and into the limelight. The cast of Oppenheimer is appropriately sprawling for such an epic tale as the creation of the nuclear bomb and the beginning of the atomic age. One of the most surprising casting decisions, among the many interesting choices Nolan made, was placing Josh Hartnett in a key role. After years of not being in the public eye, it was as if Nolan plucked him out of the wilderness and sat him right back down in Hollywood.
Josh Hartnett has had a long and winding road to get to where he is now, and it’s mostly been a successful road. He began his professional career with performances in Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbor, 30 Days of Night, and many more productions. Suddenly, in the 2010s, Hartnett stopped consistently appearing on screens save for a few notable performances like in Penny Dreadful. He didn’t stop acting but dramatically reduced his workload. Now with Oppenheimer, Hartnett seems ready to once again be at the center of Hollywood, and he still has the skill and charisma to do it.
Josh Hartnett’s Role In Oppenheimer (& His Weight Gain) Explained
Hartnett Plays Ernest Lawrence, A Nuclear Physicist
Josh Hartnett plays Ernest Lawrence in Oppenheimer, a nuclear physicist who works with Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) at Berkeley. There, he is one of the first scientists to welcome Oppenheimer and the pair become fast friends. So much so, that when Oppenheimer starts to get investigated for Communist sympathies, Lawrence almost tearfully warns him to be careful, afraid for his friend.
It’s a much different role than Hartnett usually plays. Hartnett gained around 30 pounds for the part, affecting the appearance of a middle-aged professor rather than the physically striking look he used to be known for in films like Lucky Number Slevin and Sin City (via BusinessInsider). Lawrence is not a heartthrob nor a horror hero like Hartnett was previously known for. This is a much more internal role, played with a lot of anxiety and nervousness by Hartnett, who is equal parts devoted to and frustrated by Oppenheimer.
Oppenheimer Is Not Hartnett’s Only Big (& Serious) Project
Hartnett Has Been Taking On More Unusual Roles
Oppenheimer is not the only role that’s seen Josh Hartnett play against type and, since his Renaissance, he’s been taking on parts that feel more mature than the ones he began his career with. Right after Oppenheimer, he starred in Trap, the M. Night Shyamalan thriller. While Hartnett has appeared in plenty of horror projects, he’s never played the creepy villain at the center.
These roles are much richer than the ones at the start of his career and signal a confidence in his own abilities and interest in pursuing more difficult parts.
His television roles since Oppenheimer have also indicated his new direction. He starred in the Black Mirror season 6 episode, “Beyond the Sea” as an astronaut who faces an unthinkable tragedy and puts his pain onto another. Hartnett also has a cameo in The Bear season 3 as Frank, Tiffany’s (Gillian Jacobs) fiancée, a sweet man who appears to be a good match for Tiff. These roles are much richer than the ones at the start of his career and signal a confidence in his own abilities and interest in pursuing more difficult parts.
What’s Next For Josh Hartnett
Hartnett Has Two Upcoming Movies In Production
Josh Hartnett is not stopping after Oppenheimer. He already has two more films on the production slate. He is set to star in the upcoming 2025 British action film, Fight or Flight, alongside Charithra Chandran of Bridgerton. Hartnett will also appear in the James Franco-directed indie drama, The Long Home, about a murder that extends across generations in mid-20th century Tennessee. Hartnett was a star in the early-2000s and though he took a sabbatical, it’s clear he’s ready to reclaim that crown in the 2020s.
