Josh Hartnett never intended to become a "heartthrob"

He told Variety: "It was never my intention to be a heartthrob."

Josh "really wanted to be a serious actor" and so he pushed back against his sex symbol status.

The movie star explained: "I didn't have the presence of mind to do that because I was so young. It had an effect on me, in which I had to fight against it.

"I really wanted to be a serious actor.

"What I didn't understand is that I was in an amazing position, working with terrific directors on terrific projects."

Josh made a concerted effort to "rectify" his public perception.

He said: "To me, the world had seen me as a thing that I didn't feel like inside. I wanted to rectify that."

Josh previously admitted that he hasn't had a "cohesive career".

The actor was one of the most sought-after stars in Hollywood during his younger years, but Josh subsequently opted to shun some big-budget film projects.

Speaking to The Independent, Josh - who previously starred in 'Pearl Harbor' and 'Black Hawk Down' - explained: "I have an artistic mind, and I want to follow things that are somehow just outside of my understanding.

"Does that necessarily make for a cohesive career in a movie star sense? No. But before the last few years I just had less of a chance to do it."

Josh loves making movies and TV shows - but he doesn't enjoy the demands of fame.

He said: "Coming up to the city and doing an interview is a rarity. Typically, I work on the films that I work on, and then I go home."