United Kingdom, May 26 -- Josh Holloway suffered a "hard seven years" in Hollywood after his acting work dried up.

The 'Lost' star, 55, has admitted he went through a major dry spell before landing a role in J. J. Abrams' new TV show 'Duster' and he used the enforced break focus on his family and take up new hobbies like learning to play piano.

He told The Hollywood Reporter: " I must have thrown the penny over the wrong shoulder and broke a mirror while I did it, because I had a hard seven years.

"Just hard - nothing was coming through. I had to focus on my family. I learned piano. I did all sorts of different things.

"I started telling my agents: 'Just bring me work, I need to get out of house, it's ridiculous, I only work for the H...