Josh Hartnett's uncomfortable with the attention that Scarlett Johansson get

The media attention that Scarlett Johansson has been receiving lately is taking its toll on her relationship with Josh Hartnett. While Scarlett is perfectly comfortable discussing her personal life with the press, Josh is far more private.

Scarlett has recently been featured in racy pictorials for Vanity Fair, Allure and Esquire (which named her the Sexiest Woman Alive). In the articles she frankly discussed her sexuality and shared the fact that she gets tested for HIV twice a year. The interviews clearly showed how much Johansson differs from Hartnett. A friend of the couple’s told Star magazine, “Josh is so intent on playing it low-key - I tell you, he would rather have a hot poker shoved up his nostril than talk about his sex life. He says it detracts from his work as an actor.”

Josh is also afraid that Scarlett’s tendency to bare her soul in interviews may cause her to lose her mystery and allure. The friend says, “Josh is a bit older and he can already see it happening - Scarlett is one of the most talented young actresses in Hollywood, but there’s a question of overexposure. He’s asked her, ‘Do you want to be known for your body or your acting chops?’ Right now, she’s still getting the offers that actresses her age like Lindsay Lohan would die for, but it doesn’t mean it will continue.”

The friend claims that Scarlett did her best to defend her openness to Josh. “Of course she loves the attention,” says the pal. “But she lets Josh know it isn’t all fun and games for her - and she was making a serious point when she revealed she gets tested for HIV, that everyone else should, too.”

But Josh doesn’t just have Scarlett’s best interests in mind when he asks her to cut back on the interviews. He’s been enduring some teasing since she was named Sexiest Woman Alive. The source revealed, “Josh says he could have done without all the hoopla Scarlett’s attracted over this, especially all the stuff he has to put up with. People who normally won’t pry into his life are now asking him, ‘So, Josh, do you feel like the king of the mountain, dating The Sexiest Woman Alive?’”

thebosh.com