Josh Hartnett made the decision to prioritize mental health over his career. The _Black Hawk Down_ star, 43, explained that he opted to remain out of the spotlight when his career took off

in the early 2000s, as he appeared Monday on the Australian talk show _The Project_. "The biggest thing for me was, I really enjoy making films, but the industry itself was overwhelming

for a 21-year-old kid," he said. "The press was a little bit different back then, there was paparazzi around every corner, you couldn't really go anywhere without being sort

of harassed," Hartnett added. "I decided I didn't need that in my life, and I was able to still make films and live outside of it. I lived in Minnesota a long time and New

want to be boxed into that superhero type" with blockbuster roles like Superman and Batman, telling _Metro_ last year that "at that age it is very easy to become someone

else's tool or someone else's puppet." "I was very aware of the choices I was making and I wanted them to be my choices," he added. RELATED VIDEO: FOR SIMONE BILES,

THE 'MENTAL HEALTH JOURNEY' IS NEVER OVER: I KNOW WHO I AM NOW Hartnett can currently be seen in the crime drama _Ida Red_, which is now available On Demand. He also stars

alongside Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Cary Elwes, Bugzy Malone and Hugh Grant in the upcoming Guy Ritchie-helmed action comedy _Operation Fortune: Ruse De Guerre_, premiering in 2022.