“Tracker” Star Justin Hartley Talks Season 2, Explosive Returns, Friendships Made & Working With His Main Squeeze

TV Insider recently caught up with Justin Hartley, who’s currently filming Season 2 of Tracker in Vancouver, Canada. The show’s star and executive producer revealed that his day typically starts at 5 a.m., before the sun rises (in the dark), and ends well after sundown (in the dark).

Still, the 47-year-old is very grateful for his life and success, a path that wasn’t easy. He began in the land of daytime drama when he stepped into the role of Fox Crane for the NBC soap, Passions, in 2002. He had appearances on primetime shows like Smallville, Revenge, and Mistresses, along the way. Hartley scored another major sudsy role, playing Adam Newman on The Young and the Restless from 2014-2016.

Still, Hartley shot into the spotlight shortly after 2016 when he became one of the ‘Big Three’, playing Kevin Pearson, alongside Crissy Metz (Kate Pearson) and Sterling K. Brown (Randall) on NBC’s hit drama, This is Us.

“Tracker” Star Justin Hartley Talks Explosive Returns

Interestingly enough, it was before This Is Us ended in 2022 that Ken Olin, the series executive producer and director handed Justin a copy of the novel, “The Never Game” by Jeffrey Deaver. The two sold the Tracker idea to CBS, and the rest is history, with 18.4 million fans tuning in after last year’s Super Bowl to catch the show. The numbers continued to climb week-over-week, and Tracker quickly became the #1 regular series for CBS during the 2023-2024 season, a first for a freshman show since Survivor debuted in 2000.

During his TV Insider chat, Hartley reveals that Colter Shaw’s siblings will both be appearing in Season 2. During the first season, fans got a small taste of the Shaw family dynamics, and they’ll take a deeper dive into some of the mysteries the family has from the past. Viewers should expect to see more of both Russell Shaw, played by Jensen Ackles, and little sister Dory Shaw, played by Melissa Roxburgh (despite her being busy with her new NBC series, The Hunting Party).

Justin also notes that Jennifer Morrison is returning to direct Episode 6 in Season 2 and states that her character, Lizzy Hawking, should be back, as well. In addition, Sophia Pernas, who plays Billie Matalon, and happens to be Hartley’s wife, will also return in Season 2, taking part in Episode 3. In the TV Insider interview, Justin reveals, “It’s just been a blessing having her, and then also I get to spend time with her! It’s my favorite days in the world when I get to work with her.”

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“Tracker” Star Justin Hartley Talks Close Friendship With Jensen Ackles

He also talks about how he enjoys working with his onscreen brother, Jensen Ackles, with whom he has a bit of history. As Hartley reveals, both worked on CW, with Ackles on Supernatural while he was on Smallville. He adds that they are both “displaced” actors in Vancouver with a lot in common. Both are “family” men, with kids who love their families and fans. They both are around the same age, and they’ve developed a friendship over the years. Hartley notes that he loves working with Ackles, which is a real “treat”, as he’s never had the opportunity before Tracker.

Fans only have to wait a little bit longer for Season 2 to begin as the premiere is set for Sunday, October 13 at 8 p.m. (ET) on CBS.

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