Justin Hartley Teases What’s Ahead for ‘Tracker’ Season 2 and Beyond
Waking up at 5 a.m. might seem like a morning rush to some, but that’s how Justin Hartley starts his day. Really, what else would you expect from the star and executive producer of Tracker, last season’s biggest hit? “You wake up in the dark, work all day, and then you open your eyes and it’s dark again,” Hartley says with a laugh from Vancouver, Canada, where he’s on day three of an eight-day shoot for episode four of season two. “Life is great,” he adds matter-of-factly.
Today is what Hartley, an Illinois native, calls a “light day,” though his schedule is anything but light. He has meetings, reads the Tracker script (and other projects he might want to develop), works out, eats, talks to his 20-year-old daughter, Isabella, and spends time with his wife, Sofia Pernas. Plus, he takes a break from it all to talk to reporters about Tracker’s second season, which premieres Oct. 13 on CBS.
Unsurprisingly, hard work is in the 47-year-old’s nature, thanks in part to his Midwestern roots. “My parents are very hard-working people, and they’re from the Midwest, so that definitely rubs off on me,” he said before Tracker premiered just after the Super Bowl in February. “It’s interesting, right? When you meet someone from the Midwest, you automatically feel like they’re your brother. It’s a cool thing.”
Hartley’s journey from Illinois to the small screen began in 2002, when he played Fox Crane, the shirtless regular on the NBC daytime drama Passions, for four years, before moving to primetime with heroic roles like Oliver Queen (aka Green Arrow) on the CW’s Smallville (as well as Arthur C. Curry, aka Aquaman, in an unaired TV episode). Guest roles on shows like Revenge and Mistresses followed, as did a return to the role of Adam Newman on The Young and the Restless from 2014-2016. But his career really took off in 2016, when he began playing Kevin Pearson, a struggling actor who is one of three famous siblings alongside Randall (Sterling K. Brown) and Kate (Chrissy Metz) on the hit NBC series This Is Us.
Special Guests for Season 2
During the chat, Hartley revealed that Tracker season two will see the return of several familiar faces. Melissa Roxburgh will reprise her role as Colter’s sister Dory, despite being busy with her new series, The Hunting Party on NBC. “Her show wrapped filming before us, so we were able to bring her back for the final episodes of Tracker,” Hartley revealed.
Not only that, Jennifer Morrison will also return as the director of episode 6. Hartley hinted that Morrison’s character, Colter’s childhood friend Lizzy, could also be making a return, adding to the excitement for fans.
Sofia Pernas Returns
One of the most special moments for Hartley in season 2 was when his wife Sofia Pernas returned as Billie Matalon, Colter’s trailblazer. “She’s amazing and an incredible talent. She comes in and brings so much more than what’s written in the script. It’s a blessing to have her and to spend time with her! Those were my favorite days working with her.”
In this episode, Billie needs Colter’s help. And of course, Colter doesn’t miss the opportunity to tease her: “You need my help, right? Then you’ll have to ask. I’ll help you, but you’ll have to ask.”
The Challenges of Season 2
When asked about the challenges of season 2, especially the action scenes, Hartley said: “The number of episodes is bigger, so that’s going to be a challenge. We’re only up to episode four, so I’m still feeling great. But that’s me now. In three months, we’ll see how I am. But there’s definitely more action in some of the episodes. The fights are more intense, but I don’t mind getting bruised, I’m just trying to stay healthy.”
Relationship With Jensen Ackles
Speaking about co-star Jensen Ackles, Hartley recalled how they first met when they were both working for the CW. “He was on Supernatural and I was on Smallville. I knew him, Jared, and all the Supernatural people. We were all actors who were brought to Vancouver and had a lot in common. He was a family man, loved his job, loved his family, and loved his fans. We were the same age and we developed a friendship quickly. I never had the opportunity to work with him until Tracker. He was a very busy guy, but I loved working with him. It was great.”
With season 2 of Tracker coming soon, Hartley and his team are preparing to bring viewers more twists and turns, action sequenceseye-catching, and full of emotional moments. Fans will definitely not want to miss any moment of this dramatic journey.
