MINNEAPOLIS — For years, Josh Hartnett’s most prominent role was Hollywood hunk, melting hearts in “The Virgin Suicides” and “Pearl Harbor,” making People magazine’s “World’s Most Beautiful” list, dating Scarlett Johansson and Amanda Seyfried.

In his youth, fans talked more about the St. Paul native’s smoldering looks than his abilities as an actor.

Getting older has paid off.

In the past couple years, Hartnett, 48, has been getting rave reviews for small but pivotal roles in FX’s “The Bear” and the Oscar-winning “Oppenheimer.” In “Verity,” which hits theaters Friday, he plays a Hitchcockian innocent torn between Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson. In “Below,” a Netflix series that starts streaming Oct. 8, he’s a Newfoundland fisherman more comfortable battling a sea creature than carrying on a conversation.

They’re not the sexiest roles of his career, but they may be among his most satisfying.

Hartnett lives in England, where he’s raising four children with his wife, English actor Tamsin Egerton. He talked about this chapter in his life during a Zoom interview from New York last week.

Q: Is it a coincidence that these projects are being released at the same time?

A: I planned it this way. I said, “Can I please have two things come out at the same time?” No, obviously not. In the past, I would have been weirded out by this kind of thing. But I think it’s cool. They’re such different projects. I’m shooting really great stuff that I’m really happy with.

Q: It shows off versatility. How important is that to you right now?

A: I’ve always been trying to show off my range, but I wasn’t given the opportunity as much when I was younger. But as you get older, people trust you more with stranger, more diverse characters. Or they have with me, anyways.

Q: I get the sense you were never entirely comfortable filling the part of Hollywood heartthrob. Was it a burden?

A: It’s a double-edged sword. It can be very, very helpful in getting things made. But it can also pigeonhole you. I’m super lucky that right now I’m being offered all different kinds of roles. It’s hard to pin me down right now, so it’s a good time.

Q: Anne Hathaway is also having a terrific year. She’s also someone who has had to fight to show off what she can do.

A: I’ve known for a long time what a terrific actress she is. She’s been working consistently to show her range. I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Q: You have been taking non-leading man roles in things like “The Bear” and “Oppenheimer.” That must drive your agents crazy.

A: No, no, no. I think the people I work with now understand what I want to do with my career and are supportive. I don’t live in L.A., so I can’t be taking all the meetings. I have a family to raise.

Q: Do you think living in Minnesota and England has influenced how you’ve mapped out your career?

A: You can’t quantify how important it is that I grew up where I grew up. Being from the Twin Cities and having no relationship with Hollywood allowed me to see it for what it was and not get too caught up in it. Now, my family is the reason I do anything. If a film or TV show isn’t good enough to merit time away, I never take it. It’s made things clearer in a lot of ways. And when I am working, I have time to focus on more than getting the kids to school on time.

Q: Aren’t you supposed to be raising your kids in Minnesota?

A: Talk to my wife about that. She said that when I’m working, she needs her family around, so she can do that now.

Q: Have the kids been able to experience things like the State Fair and Minnesota winters?

A: Sure. And the summers, which they love. Minnesotans are so excited when it gets nice. Everyone is out soaking it up. It adds to the crazy, fun atmosphere that the kids really enjoy.

Q: When the hits weren’t coming, did you ever think about doing something other than acting?

A: I’ve always looked at other things to do. I still do. I have lots of good hobbies. Did I ever think about giving up acting? Not really. I took some time off to raise the kids. The other times people thought I took off, I was still making films. They just didn’t see them.

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