[I] got a very rare interview with hollywood star Josh Hartnett (tatlo lang kami na media reporters, dito sa Pinas) when he was a shooting a film in Davao (Diwalwal) here is an excerpt from one of my news articles.

Meeting Josh Hartnett

With a very small window of opportunity given to us, we reached Monkayo by evening, and managed to secure a habal-habal which would take us to Depot, a small purok below the main gold mining community of Diwalwal, where Pink House Lodging House stood.

For six days the spartan lodging establishment was home to Hollywood actor Josh Hartnett and the rest of the production team for the movie “I come with the rain”, the celebrity whose worldwide appeal was borne from his slew of popular Hollywood flicks like Halloween H20, Pearl Harbor, Black Hawk Down and 40 Days and 40 Nights, had made a very unexpected week-long visit to film a movie in the mountains of Compostela Valley Province.

The film production had barred the media and many kibitzers from contact with it star which aside from Hartnett had Japanese hottest superstar Takuya Kimura among its foreign cast. But with the Diwalwal shoot completed, the production relaxed its rules and allowed interaction for the film’s biggest stars.

Tagging along with kuya Dennis Santos of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, we arrived late evening in Pink House Lodge; it was the film’s “wrap-up” party. The foreign production team led by film director Tran Anh Hung and their Filipino counterparts were in the midst of a celebration beefed up by Josh Hartnett who contributed a generous amount from his own pocket to buy beer and lechon.

The beers were flowing and Hartnett’s lechon has dwindled when we arrived. Immediately after Joanne Bañaga, the Filipino line producer notified Mr. Hartnett about the two latecomers’ request for an interview and which he acquiesced. We began introducing ourselves and started a very rare interview with an A-list Hollywood celebrity.

We asked him about the shoot. “It’s been great, I really had a good time, it was a surprisingly smooth shoot… it went really, really well, the Filipino crew was amazing, we were able to shoot in six days, it was cool.” Hartnett said.

He was tall, confident but unassuming; despite the rustic ruggedness of the place Mr. Hartnett still retained the boyishly handsome looks which made him as one of Hollywood’s current poster boy, who in 2002 was named as one of People Magazine’s 50 most beautiful People.

We then asked him if there was any fear that the movie shoot was in Diwalwal with all its attached notoriety. Diwalwal, fabled for its gold is also notorious as Mindanao’s lawless Wild West until it was wrested back into Government control just five years ago.

“I wasn’t afraid of going to Diwalwal, there was no fear in coming to this place, what I fear was the idea of having armed security,” Hartnett said that having heavy security was never really necessary. The Hollywood actor himself didn’t bring any personal entourage.
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The actor said he loved the place, “this is a gorgeous part of the world, and we shot in a very beautiful location.” Hartnett told us of a spectacular waterfalls where they shot one of their scenes. “I wish I could have the time to explore the place.”

The reluctant Hollywood sex symbol with millions of fans worldwide was said to walk around the community and intermingled with the residents in his free time. It was just the same scene during the party; he was mingling with the visitors mostly from the community, and the soldiers of the Army’s 28th Infantry battalion who were happy of their successful mission in securing Mr. Black Hawk Down.

“Sir Jos,” a young local approached him, “thank you kaayo (very much) sir” the local was hired as a key grip (camera assistant). The young man was not star-struck, but expressed a sincere gratitude for a down-to-earth movie star who tried to reach out to them. Mr. Hartnett was known as a well-grounded star preferring to stay in his native Minnesota than to reside in the glitz of Hollywood.

Hartnett said that Diwalwal somehow reminds him of Minnesota. “It was my first time in a gold mine, back home in Minnesota we got plenty of coal mines.”

The actor also spoke highly of the residents. They people are terrific, they have been very generous, happy and kind, the kids they’ve been always smiling.”

Aside from reaching out to people, he also tried our food. “I ate too many bananas, that little, red ones, what’s that called?” “Señorita!” Barangay Captain Franco Tito, who was within hearing distance blurted out.

“We have none of those (bananas) back home.” Aside from señorita bananas Hartnett also liked mangosteen. “Did you try durian?” I asked him. “Yeah, I liked it, though it has not the best of scent.” he said. A former vegan or vegetarian, Hartnett liked lechon comparing it to a New Zealand’s hungee (Kiwi roasted pig), “I like the beer too.” He said as he took a sip of a San Miguel Pale Pilsen, which was part of his treat. “I think I had a drink too many.”

Hartnett said the movie “I Come with the Rain” was a very completely different experience. “The director was very particular; it was a pleasure to work with something fantastic.” He said, admiring the celebrated film director Tran Anh Hung known for putting Vietnam in the map of the cinematic world with his masterpiece “The Scent of Green Papayas.”

He described his role in the movie as a very dark character “sort of like what I did in Black Dahlia.” Hartnett says it has been a conscious effort to switch to different roles in each movie he makes. “I have no particular style or genre.” Hartnett, who is also into directing films, said.
He says he will treasure his experience in Diwalwal. “I travel a lot and from what I see I’m changed.” He said his stay here was a unique experience “I have probably seen more than I ever have seen in a week in my life."

He said this experience is a part of being an actor. He said acting is a collection of experiences. “It takes a long time to become an actor; you’ve got to experience life.” Hartnett said.
“You experience love, heartbreak…all these makes you more textured more mature.” Hartnett said he takes his muse from the experiences of daily life. And asked of any particular dream role he would tackle, he didn’t specify saying that acting itself is a dream job. Hartnett said that some of his new movies will be coming out. And there are new projects which will have him tackle a diverse range of roles.

The actor just like any Hollywood celeb is also involved in many noteworthy causes; one of them is helping kids go to school in Africa. He is also involved in his community in Minnesota. I asked him if he would adopt an environmental advocacy after his Diwalwal sojourn he replied; “Diwalwal is changing, I hope the many spectacular things I’ve seen here, would still remain.” Hartnett said he heard about the possible entry of the big mining multinationals and shares the same worries with the locals.

After the interview, Mr. Hartnett went around the celebration particularly to the locals and bade farewell. Hartnett says he hopes to someday return to Davao and to revisit Diwalwal. “I hope to come back” he said as the towering 6’4” celebrity signed a personalized dedication which I requested for my sister, who was a big fan of his. A few minutes later, Josh Hartnett bade farewell and departed for an hour drive to Monkayo proper. The next day the cast and the foreign crew would depart for Hongkong to start a nine-week shoot.