Justin Hartley Opens Up About the 'Tough' Reality of Filming TV Series 'Tracker'

Justin Hartley revealed survival wisdom straight from the wilderness — thanks to his role as the tenacious Colter Shaw on CBS’s exhilarating thriller, Tracker.

In a chat Us Weekly, the This Is Us heartthrob, 48, revealed his most important life lesson amidst the adrenaline-pumping twists and turns of his character's life.

“The survivalist tactic I’ve learned from Tracker is to be patient and stay calm in times of great stress,” he confessed. “When you panic, you make bad decisions. That’s one of the things he lives by, so I try to live by that as well. It’s reinforced every time I play the character, so I guess that helps me in my personal life.”

Tracker fans can attest to Hartley's relentless pursuit of justice — whether he’s sprinting through dense forests or literally jumping out of planes to rescue those in peril. There is never a dull moment thanks to cases that keep viewers guessing — proof that Colter stops at nothing to uncover the truth.

As Tracker kicked off its highly anticipated second season last fall, Hartley hinted at the escalating physical demands of the role. “Well, the episode order is a lot bigger so that’ll be a challenge,” he remarked during an interview with TV Insider in September 2024.

“In three months, we’ll see how I feel. But there’s more physicality in certain episodes. The fights certainly are more physical but I don’t mind a bruise here so I [am] just trying to keep my body healthy," he continued.

Hartley dedication to fitness is no joke! Hartley, who shares a romantic connection with costar Sofia Pernas, emphasized the importance of staying in great physical shape for his action-packed role. “My character is always running or jumping or climbing, fighting — a lot of fighting, turning [and] twisting,” he explained to Men’s Health in February.

He continued, “As you get more and more into working out and fitness, you start to understand it starts to impact different phases of your life. It can impact your emotional state, it can impact your stress level — it’s way more important than just physique and looking good.”