Josh Hartnett moving away from acting ‘because US doesn’t appreciate his craft’

Josh Hartnett has said he is branching out into directing and writing because his acting is not respected in the US.

The star said that British audiences are more appreciative of performers and American viewers think less highly of actors.

Hartnett has said he wants to explore producing, writing and directing as he no longer feels fully part of the US acting world.

Speaking at the British Independent Film Awards in London, he said: “I just started a directorial debut, I’m writing as well. I’m branching out, I’ve been doing this for a while and feel like I was as much a part of it as I’d like to be in the States.

“I love to support independent films, that’s why I got into filmmaking – watching films, British independent films, things like Trainspotting, I was in high school.

“There is such a great culture of arts. Actors are more respected in the UK and it’s considered a real profession.

“Everyone in the States thinks you were just picked up at a Schwab’s drug store and you don’t know what you’re doing. Actors have a real sense of purpose and belonging here that I don’t think we traditionally have done in the States.”