How Justin Hartley Went From Soap Opera Heartthrob to Tracker Star
Justin Hartley commands primetime attention as Colter Shaw on the hit CBS drama Tracker, but the actor’s career began in the intense world of daytime television. Before headlining network procedurals and joining the cast of NBC’s This Is Us, Hartley played Nicholas Foxworth “Fox” Crane on the soap opera Passions between 2002 and 2006.
From Daytime Soap Heartthrob to Primetime Mainstay
Running from 1999 to 2008, Passions relied heavily on dramatic, hyperbolic storytelling and cast Hartley as a wealthy young heir in the fictional town of Harmony, New England. Over 438 episodes, the production embraced Hartley’s status as a daytime heartthrob. As Hartley recalled to TVInsider, the network frequently put him in wardrobe situations that highlighted his physical presence, noting that producers would have him walk around a hospital with no shirt for three weeks. The visibility translated into industry recognition when Hartley earned two Soap Opera Digest Award nominations in 2005 for outstanding younger lead actor and favorite triangle, sharing the latter nod with his then ex-wife Lindsay Korman-Hartley and co-star Brook Kerr.
The series itself became notorious for its outlandish narrative arcs. Storylines on Passions included a plot where character Sheridan Crane survived a car crash in Paris mirroring Princess Diana’s accident, complete with a ghostly appearance by the late royal. Hartley’s character Fox navigated equally bizarre terrain, including sheltering from a tsunami with Kay Bennett before a romantic encounter, faking a terminal illness, and dealing with a tangled family tree involving a half-brother. Hartley departed the role in 2006, avoiding the narrative twist where his character was ultimately murdered by a co-star’s relative.
Expanding Into Competing Networks and Production Deals
While Tracker prepares for its fourth season on CBS—bringing a production relocation from Vancouver to Los Angeles and exploring ongoing tensions between Colter Shaw and his brother Russell, played by Jensen Ackles—Hartley is simultaneously expanding his footprint at rival networks. Deadline reported that Hartley is developing an action drama titled A Forgotten Kill for ABC through his production banner, ChangeUp Productions.
Based on Isabella Maldonado’s 2024 novel, the new ABC project is written by Diana Son, who serves as an executive producer alongside Tracker veteran Ken Olin. The narrative centers on Dani Vega, a Nuyorican former Army Ranger and FBI agent who pairs up with NYPD Detective Mark Flint to solve complex cases while confronting a painful family secret. The adaptation stems from Hartley’s overall deal with 20th Television, the Disney-owned studio that produces Tracker.
Building on Past Prestige and Network Staples
Hartley’s transition from daytime serials to high-profile network dramas includes notable stops in superhero television and multi-season family sagas. Prior to leading Tracker, he played Oliver Queen and Green Arrow on The CW’s Smallville and gained widespread popularity portraying Kevin Pearson on NBC’s This Is Us. That emotional drama previously acknowledged his daytime roots by slipping a subtle joke about Passions into its dialogue.
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