Josh Hartnett reveals why Pearl Harbor sex scene with Kate Beckinsale was ‘embarrassing’

It’s one of the most romantic movies released in recent years, but Josh Hartnett has revealed his Pearl Harbor sex scene with Kate Beckinsale was anything but.

Josh Hartnett opened up about a particularly awkward experience he had while filming 2001 movie Pearl Harbor in a recent interview.

The US actor, 46, was asked to recall his most embarrassing on set moment in an interview with Elle – and he didn’t hesitate to reveal that it involved a steamy parachute scene with British actress Kate Beckinsale.

“One of my most embarrassing is the parachute scene from Pearl Harbor with Kate Beckinsale where we are making love in the parachute for some reason?” he recalled. “She decided to bring her one-year-old daughter and her boyfriend to set for the first time that day.”

Josh Hartnett reveals "embarrassing" sex scene with Kate Beckinsale in Pearl Harbor.

Though Hartnett did not name Beckinsale’s boyfriend, she dated Welsh actor Michael Sheen from 1995 until 2003. The pair also welcomed a daughter, Lily Sheen, in 1999, which would’ve made her around one when they shot the Michael Bay-directed war drama.

Hartnett admitted feeling uneasy when having Beckinsale’s family present for their sex scene.

“I felt terrible the whole day. That was super embarrassing,” he confessed. “Thanks, Kate!”

In the film, Hartnett played Danny, a combat pilot caught in a love triangle with his childhood best friend Rafe (Ben Affleck) over a nurse Evelyn Johnson (Beckinsale) amid the backdrop of World War II.

Ben Affleck and Hartnett starred in the WWII drama.

Beckinsale played nurse Evelyn, who was embroiled in a love triangle with the pair.

Despite negative reviews from critics, Pearl Harbor was a box-office hit, becoming the sixth-highest grossing film of 2001. It was also nominated for four Oscars, winning the award for Best Sound Editing.

In a July interview with Vanity Fair, Hartnett described Pearl Harbor as the “biggest film he’s worked on.”

Harnett began his career with notable indie films like The Faculty (1998) and The Virgin Suicides (1999), which led to roles in high-profile movies such as 2001’s Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbor and 2002’s 40 Days and 40 Nights.

Hartnett had admitted he wasn’t comfortable with fame and eventually stepped away from the spotlight several years ago. He and his wife, British actress Tamsin Egerton, moved to Hampshire, England, and parted ways with his agents.

Hartnett recently returned to acting after a lengthy stint out of the spotlight. Picture: Henry Nicholls/AFP

“People’s attention to me at the time was borderline unhealthy,” Hartnett told the Guardian.

After 18 months, he returned to acting but has only taken on a select few roles, including the hit 2023 box office hit Oppenheimer and M. Night Shyamalan’s newest psychological thriller Trap.

Trap released in cinemas on August 2.

This story originally appeared on New York Post and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Josh Hartnett reveals why Pearl Harbor sex scene with Kate Beckinsale was ‘embarrassing’