Josh Hartnett admits there’s one challenge in playing Jeremy Crawford that no actor can fully overcome. The Verity star explained how he navigates millions of readers’ expectations while staying true to the character.
Josh Hartnett weighs fan expectations while playing Jeremy in VerityJosh Hartnett recently discussed balancing fan expectations while portraying Jeremy Crawford in the Verity film adaptation. The actor shared his approach in a video posted by Deadline on X. Hartnett stars opposite Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson in the psychological thriller based on Colleen Hoover’s novel.
Josh Hartnett on keeping fan expectations in mind when playing Jeremy in the VERITY film adaptation pic.twitter.com/hhz5t8TdIa
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) September 30, 2026
Hartnett acknowledged that adapting a beloved book creates a unique challenge for actors. He called fan interest “a double-edged sword” during the interview. He noted that strong reader attachment to the source material confirms the story resonates deeply.
“You do have to respect, obviously, what people’s perceptions of the characters are, but it’s impossible to please everyone,” Hartnett said. He explained that even two readers can picture the same character in completely different ways. Expanding that to millions of fans makes universal satisfaction unreachable.
The actor emphasized staying faithful to the core of the character above all else. “You have to kind of remain, in my opinion, remain really true to the spirit of the character, remain true to the spirit of the book,” he said. However, he stressed that actors must also bring personal authenticity to their performances.
Hartnett warned against rigidly mimicking reader expectations at the cost of natural delivery. “When people are trying too hard to kind of perform something that isn’t natural to what they believe, it comes across as wooden,” he stated. He added simply, “You have to give it life.”
Michael Showalter directed the film, with Nick Antosca writing the screenplay. Principal photography took place in New York City from February to April 2025. The film premiered at London’s Curzon Mayfair Cinema on September 24, 2026.
Amazon MGM Studios will release it in the United States on October 2, 2026.
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