The Debrief: So can you tell me a bit about Penny Dreadful? It’s pretty damn terrifying.
Josh Hartnett: Basically, John Logan the creator wanted to take these monsters from 19th-century literature, put them all in 1891 London, and have them living here like real people. My character is an American who’s kind of a way for the audience to enter into this world. He’s working in a wild west show and gets recruited for his shooting ability by Eva Green to come help her in a matter that must remain very secret...
DB: Intriguing. People seem up in arms about the male nudity going on.
JH: Ahh, you’ve seen my butt.
DB: Erm. Yes.
JH: John wanted the sexuality to be frank; he didn’t want it to be coy. I guess it just allows you to sit in the story a little bit more easily. We didn’t want the show to be one of those shows that sort of ‘wink’ at you the whole time. We wanted to treat it like reality as best we could. Sorry, is this making sense? I only got two hours sleep because of the time change. I’ll do my best!
DB: So you said recently that you think you’re a difficult boyfriend, how come?
JH: I just said I was difficult because the interviewer was asking me if I thought I was difficult, what are you supposed to say to that? No, I’m the most perfect boyfriend ever? Of course!
DB: I mean…
JH: No, I think the question they asked was, ‘What would you say is most difficult about you?’
DB: Oh OK. And what is?
JH: I think my girlfriends would all get together and say that my expectations of everything are too high. That’s probably the issue that I have most trouble with in my life. It’s bit me quite a few times, but I don’t want to live any other way. So I have high expectations.
DB: So what’s easier – dating famous women who ‘get’ the whole celebrity thing or the opposite?
JH: I think it’s both. There are certain elements that are easier. Someone understanding the hours and that you travel a lot is good. But then there are difficulties that come along with it because you have two people living in a very heightened reality and moving all over the world. So you have to have some sort of empathy for their situation and that’s difficult, you know? You want your significant other to be around all the time. Everybody does. If you’re getting along. I think it’s a difficult business for people to maintain long-term relationships for a lot of reasons, so it’s both good and bad, I don’t know.
DB: So no-one knows?
JH: Exactly. No-one knows anything.
DB: So what’s next?
JH: I’ve got a couple of films that I’m working on right now, but the ink isn’t dry on any of the contracts, so I can’t really talk about them. Thirty five is a weird age; I think I’m like five years behind. They always say, you become obsessed with building something, building your work, building your reputation among your peers and all that sort of stuff and it didn’t really hit me until like the last year, and I was like, ‘Oh man, the clock’s going past really quickly! I better get to work! I better actually create something that’s lasting here!’ So I am kind of obsessed with making good work right now, and I just want to get right back into the game.
Penny Dreadful starts Tuesday 20 May on Sky Atlantic
Follow Jess on Twitter @jess_commons
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.