Dishing: co-stars, directors and Scarlett

Josh Hartnett got lucky with both of his new movies.

First, he's got the title role in the bloody star-studded thriller "Lucky Number Slevin," which opened Friday. Next, the 27-year-old stars in Brian De Palma's upcoming "The Black Dahlia," based on James Ellroy's novel about the gruesome true-life murder of a young actress in 1947.

Hartnett worked with Scarlett Johansson on the film, and the two are now reportedly dating.

The Associated Press spoke with Hartnett by phone.

Q: Your break in major films was in 1998's "Halloween: H{+2}0," co-starring LL Cool J.

A: He was a really nice guy, but he gave me a hard time. It was actually my first film set. ... I didn't know what the hell I was doing. LL would improv really degrading lines. A couple of them made it into the film. Just simple, funny ones like, "Fix your hair." He was hazing me just because I was a young buck. ...

Q: You were in 2001's "O," an update of "Othello," and keep doing mistaken-identity movies, a common Shakespearean theme. You dig the Bard?

A: Those stories are old as sand. Shakespeare took most of his stories from somewhere else. I think Shakespeare knew how to tell a story. He was the populist entertainer of the time. He was the Steven Spielberg of his time, in a way. ... Most of his stories are universal and timeless, so yeah, I'm definitely into those things.

Q: Defend "Hollywood Homicide" (2003).

A: I had some problems on the set. But Ron Shelton's a really talented director. It was one of those films that when we signed on, it was a completely different story. And then through the course of action throughout the film it became something else. ...

A: It's a very high-profile film now, but it didn't start out that way. It's a dark story, though. And not many people felt like it was going to be a successful film. It's expensive. It's a period film. ... It's just right up (director Brian) De Palma's alley. It was originally going to be a black-and-white film that David Fincher was going to direct. He actually hired me for it, and it sat around for four years before we actually made it.

Q: Are you living with Scarlett Johansson?

A: That's one of those questions that I don't like to answer. ... As far as being young and in the public eye, and dating, and all that sort of stuff — I'm a young guy. Things change, and I don't want to be constantly talking about my relationships. Because what's going on now might not be going on later. And I don't want that to be the center of attention. I would like it to be about the work. And if I meet somebody I really like, and they happen to be famous, then you kind of put yourself in an awkward position. But people date people from work all the time.