Josh Hartnett protecting daughters from Hollywood: 'I don't want that for my kids'

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Josh Hartnett doesn’t want his children following in his famous acting footsteps, especially his daughters.

The "Trap" star and his wife, British actress Tamsin Egerton, want to protect their kids from the "tough" industry of Hollywood and shield them away from the spotlight.

"We don't bring [work] home," Hartnett told People Magazine. 

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Josh Hartnett doesn’t want his children following in his famous acting footsteps. (Getty Images)

"Dad has to go to work, and they do know what I do, but they don't understand the thing yet. And I'm glad that they don't. We'll try and keep them away from it as much as possible because we want them to have normal upbringings."

The father of four prefers a quieter lifestyle, as Hartnett left Hollywood after struggling with "borderline unhealthy" attention from fans. 

When asked if the "Oppenheimer" actor would allow his kids to follow in his footsteps in becoming actors, Hartnett replied, "…if they really wanted to."

"But I wouldn’t encourage it," he continued to tell the media outlet. "Not to make it too simplified, but I do think the industry is really tough on girls, and I don't want that for my kids. I also think the industry is tough on actors. We're always waiting for people to say it's okay for us to do our job."

Hartnett and wife Tamsin Egerton have four children. (Getty Images)

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The Hollywood actor is soaking up every moment with his children and said he doesn’t want them to grow up too fast. His eldest daughter will turn 9 later this year.

"Our kids are getting older, and all that stuff is terrifying," Hartnett says. "I don't want them to get older too quickly. I want to keep them as little, squishy kids."

He pointed out his favorite part about being a father to daughters who are "hardcore Swifties."

Josh Hartnett left Hollywood for a quieter lifestyle. (Getty Images)

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"What's fun about being a dad is that your kids introduce you to new things that you didn't know you'd ever be interested in. You end up doing things that you never would do for yourself," he concluded. "Right now, my kids are very into riding horses, so I'm learning about that stuff. I'm excited to learn more things [with them]."

Josh Hartnett found fame at a young age and starred in "Black Hawk Down" in 2001, the same year he was featured in eight other movies. (Getty Images)

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After his breakout role in Sofia Coppola's 1999 hit, "The Virgin Suicides," Hartnett became a bona fide movie star, starring in nine movies throughout 2001, including "Pearl Harbor," "Black Hawk Down" and "O."

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Following a few more high-profile movies over the next few years, Hartnett decided to quietly take a step back from Hollywood, revealing he turned down a chance to star in two major superhero movies.

Hartnett now spends his time between the United Kingdom and the states, although he's living in the UK on a marriage visa which only allows him to leave the country for a maximum of 180 days per year.