It wasn’t supposed to be this personal. When Justin Hartley first signed on for Tracker, the CBS adventure drama that quickly became one of television’s most-watched shows, he thought he was just taking on another exciting role. A new character, a few action sequences, maybe a fresh direction after This Is Us. But what happened over the next few years changed him — not just as an actor, but as a person. And now, with Tracker Season 3 about to hit screens, Hartley is finally admitting just how deep that change goes.
Sitting down for what has quickly become one of the most emotional interviews of his career, Hartley didn’t hold back. He laughed, he reflected — and, for the first time, he cried on camera. “I’ve done a lot of shows, I’ve played a lot of men who were broken in some way,” he began softly. “But Colter Shaw… he’s different. There’s a piece of me in him, and I think there’s a piece of him in me now too.”
For those who have followed Hartley’s career, it’s no surprise that Tracker has marked a new chapter. Known first for his roles in Smallville and Revenge, Hartley found massive fame as Kevin Pearson in This Is Us — the charming, emotionally complex actor-turned-father who carried the weight of his family’s expectations. But Tracker was something else entirely. It wasn’t just a character study; it was a journey into isolation, trauma, and redemption. “When I read the script, I saw this man haunted by his past, chasing people to avoid dealing with his own ghosts,” he said. “And I thought, that’s me sometimes. That’s a lot of us.”
The emotional connection didn’t end when the cameras stopped rolling. Hartley revealed that filming the first season of Tracker coincided with one of the most challenging years of his life. Though he didn’t go into detail, sources close to the actor mention that he was juggling immense personal pressure — including family responsibilities and creative burnout — while trying to build a new show from scratch. “There were days I’d drive home from set and just sit in my car for ten minutes,” he admitted. “You live inside this man who’s constantly running — and sometimes you realize you’re running too.”
When asked what moment hit him the hardest, Hartley’s eyes welled up. “It was that scene in the cabin,” he said, referring to the Season 1 finale where Colter finally confronts the truth about his family. “It wasn’t acting anymore. It was me saying goodbye to a version of myself that I didn’t need to be anymore.”
But Tracker hasn’t just been emotionally transformative — it’s also redefined how Hartley sees his purpose in Hollywood. “I used to think success was about visibility,” he confessed. “How many people recognize you, how many awards you get. But now, it’s about connection. When someone tells me they saw themselves in Colter, that’s the greatest thing in the world.”
The interview took an even deeper turn when he spoke about the Tracker fanbase — a loyal, vocal, and emotionally invested community that has followed every twist, every clue, every episode breakdown on social media. “They’re incredible,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “They see things we never even realized were there. They message me about forgiveness, grief, survival… It’s become so much more than a TV show.”
At one point, Hartley grew visibly emotional, his voice breaking mid-sentence. “I’ve been through a lot of highs and lows in this business. You lose roles, you lose people, you lose yourself sometimes. And then something comes along that reminds you why you started. Tracker did that for me. It gave me my love for storytelling back.”
The conversation also touched on how Tracker’s themes of family and trauma mirrored his own life off-screen. “My mom used to tell me, ‘You can’t track what you don’t understand.’ I think Colter would agree,” he said with a bittersweet smile. “The show forced me to look inward — to ask what I was chasing, and why.”
As he reflected on his castmates, Hartley’s admiration was clear. “Fiona Rene, Eric Graise — they’re family to me now,” he said. “We’ve built something honest together. There’s a lot of love behind every scene, even the dark ones.” He paused, then added with a grin, “Jensen Ackles too — that guy keeps me on my toes. When he came in for the crossover arc, it felt like lightning on set.”
Despite the emotional weight, the actor’s sense of humor still peeked through. When the interviewer asked whether he’s ready for the fame that comes with another hit season, he chuckled. “Ready? No. But grateful? Absolutely. Colter Shaw might not believe in fate, but I do now. Somehow, this role found me at exactly the right time.”
Fans who have seen Hartley’s rise know that vulnerability has always been part of his appeal. But this time, it feels different — less like performance, more like confession. “I think we all have parts of ourselves we try to outrun,” he said softly. “Tracker just made me stop and look.”
Perhaps the most moving moment came near the end, when Hartley was asked what he hopes people take away from the series. He took a long pause before answering. “That it’s okay to get lost,” he said. “It’s okay to not have the answers. Because sometimes, the only way to find what you’re looking for — is to get a little lost first.”
As the interview wrapped, Hartley wiped his eyes, then smiled, the weight lifting for just a moment. “Tracker changed my life,” he said one last time. “And I think it’s still changing it.”
The camera cut, but the silence lingered. Maybe that’s what makes Justin Hartley’s story so powerful — it’s not just about fame or acting or success. It’s about rediscovering the part of yourself that’s been quietly waiting all along.
And as Tracker returns with its most emotional season yet, fans aren’t just watching a man chase clues across America. They’re watching an actor find himself, one story at a time.
