TRACKER star and executive producer Justin Hartley has plenty to appreciate these days: a new chapter after THIS IS US, a wife who shares the set and a job that now brings him closer to home.
“I’m extremely lucky, especially in my business, that people took a chance on me and saw me doing something completely different,” he said in a CBS MORNINGS interview last month.
The actor was discussing the leap from his previous drama to TRACKER, now in its fourth season. But his conversation also offered a glimpse of what that next chapter looks like beyond the action: working alongside his wife, actress Sofia Pernas, and trading a production base in Vancouver for Los Angeles.
Pernas was on set that day, Hartley told the hosts, while he joined them for the interview. When a host mentioned enjoying her appearances, he quickly agreed and explained that she was working while he visited CBS MORNINGS.
The couple’s professional partnership goes back to TRACKER’s beginnings. In a separate February 2024 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Hartley described Pernas’ character as someone from his character’s romantic and professional past, with similar skills and a more technology-focused approach.
That same interview gave him a chance to talk about the marriage behind the make-believe relationship. Hartley, who married Pernas in 2021, spoke about the joy of sharing experiences, walking through life together and hoping to grow old with someone.
Related: TRACKER Moves Production to LA—That’s Good News for Hollywood
Onscreen, his character’s life looks rather different. CBS describes Colter Shaw as a lone-wolf survivalist who travels the country searching for missing people and collecting rewards, relying on his instincts and a trusted team.
Hartley told CBS MORNINGS that Season 4 pushes the physical demands further, including more time in a harness. He also wants to keep developing Colter rather than simply repeating what worked before, balancing familiar elements with new challenges.
There’s also a family reunion ahead for Colter. Hartley said his character’s brother, Russell, returns in Episode 5, with the two teaming up to find someone and help a family — a chance to bring the brothers together on another search.
Yet embracing TRACKER hasn’t erased his affection for THIS IS US. Asked about the transition between the two very different characters, Hartley said he thinks about it often.
“I will probably always miss the show,” he said of THIS IS US.
“It’s near and dear to my heart,” he continued. Still, he expressed satisfaction with the story they told and the ending they gave it.
His gratitude for the next opportunity came with a very practical benefit, too. After three seasons in Vancouver, Hartley explained, TRACKER moved to Los Angeles, opening up different landscapes for Colter’s travels.
When a host pointed out that the change meant he could sleep in his own bed, Hartley echoed the thought.
“Now I can sleep in my own bed at night,” he said.
TRACKER airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and streams on Paramount+.
Read Next: TRACKER Star Loves This About Hit Show
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
