Justin Hartley at the portrait booth at the 81st Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 7, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.Photo:Dan Doperalski/Golden Globes 2024/Golden Globes 2024 via Getty
Dan Doperalski/Golden Globes 2024/Golden Globes 2024 via Getty
This Is Usmay be over, but the friendships remain for the cast of the hit NBC drama.
While speaking to PEOPLE about his new CBS showTracker, debuting after theSuper Bowlon Feb. 11,Justin Hartleyshares that he is still very much “in touch” with his former on-screen family.
“All those guys!Sterling [K. Brown]and I just got a little video message fromMandy [Moore]. She was doing something ridiculous and it felt like she might’ve been making fun of us. She probably was,” he says with a laugh. “I love them.”
“Isn’t that amazing? I’m not surprised,” Hartley says of Brown’s big award nod. “I’m thrilled and I’m excited for him, but I’m not surprised.”
Sterling K. Brown as Randall, Chrissy Metz as Kate, Justin Hartley as Kevin.Ron Batzdorff/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
Ron Batzdorff/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
This Is Us,which also starredMilo Ventimigliaas patriarch Jack Pearson andChrissy Metzas Kevin’s sister Kate Pearson, wrapped in 2022. As Hartley looks back on the show, he says he “enjoyed every minute.”
Hartley is also gearing up for a pseudoThis Is Uscrossover moment in real life with his new show,Tracker.Jon Huertas, who played Kevin’s stepfather Miguel on the show, is going to be directing an episode ofthe new action-packed CBS drama.
“I’ll be with him every day on set. We’ll be spending a ton of time together,” Hartley says with a smile.
From left: Milo Ventimiglia, Justin Hartley, Jon Huertas, Susan Kelechi Watson, Chrissy Metz, Chris Sullivan, Mandy Moore and Sterling K. Brown attend the 39th Annual PaleyFest LA event for ‘This Is Us’.Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
As for how his new persona differs from that of Pearson? Hartley jokes there’s a lot less “sitting.”
“I enjoyed theThis Is Usjob so much, it just was so much character-sitting there, not a lot of exercise. The guy didn’t move around a lot!” he quips. “So it’s good to change it up. It’s good to get a role where you’re doing a lot of physical stuff.”
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Hartley’sTrackercharacter is a mercenary named Colter Shaw, who Hartley sees as “a guy who’s got it all figured out. He’s efficient. He says what he means, means what he says, and he doesn’t talk too much."
Michael Courtney/CBS
Hartley continues of his new role: “He reads people. They fold into Colter’s world. He sets the tone, he sets the temperature, he decides when it’s over and he decides what we’re going to talk about and all that kind of stuff, which is way different than Kevin.”
Still, Hartley admits he will forever be tied to Kevin Pearson — and he’s proud of it.
“I will always bring parts of him with me, I think in every character I play,” he says. “That guy, I thought he was funny. He was very insecure. He was sensitive. He was wise beyond his years. An old soul kind of guy.”
For more on Justin Hartley, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribehere.
Trackerpremieres afterSuper BowlLVIII on Sunday, Feb. 11 on CBS, andThis Is Uscan be streamed on Hulu and Netflix.
source: people.com
