From Tracker to Smallville to his critically acclaimed role in This Is Us, Justin Hartley can be found in many television shows and movies. He has played villains and superheroes, victims and morally grey characters. Smallville fans remember him as the perfect Green Arrow, while This Is Us fans have a hard time shaking Kevin off of their minds. Hartley has played many memorable characters on screen.
Most recently, the star is headlining the second season of Tracker. As loner rewardist Colter Shaw, Hartley takes viewers on a cross-country trip as he tracks down missing persons and collects reward money. Outside of Tracker, Hartley has appeared in many long-celebrated shows and highly-rated movies. The truth is, it's always a delightful surprise seeing Hartley on-screen.
10 The Noel Diary Is a Go-to Christmas Movie
Justin Hartley headlined The Noel Diary as Jake Turner, a best-selling author returning home to Connecticut after his mother's death. At the same time, a young woman, Rachel, is searching for her birth mother. Destiny brings the two of them together during the holiday season. Even though Rachel is already engaged to someone else, the chemistry between the two is undeniable.
Together, they travel to find Jake's estranged father in the hope that the man might have some information about Rachel's mother. The charming and heartwarming film has a 63% audience approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes. The Noel Diary is many people's go-to Christmas film during the holiday season. Hartley's acting is wonderful and part of the reason the film didn't turn out cheesy.
9 Tracker Stars Justin Hartley as a Rewardist
Hartley headlines Tracker as a lone wolf rewardist, who tracks down missing people across the country in his old-school RV. His version of Colter Shaw wears his heart on his sleeve while, at times, being a little defensive. Together with a power team consisting of lawyer Reenie Green, handler Velma Bruin and tech support Bobby Exley, Colter claims the reward money every time.
Colter Shaw isn't Hartley's best role to date, but the show is enjoyable with both a comedic and serious tone. Tracker is worth binge-watching , with every episode packed with intrigue, secrets and twists. It doesn't get too cheesy or get under viewers' skin. Many viewers enjoy the show's action-oriented nature and feel-good vibe.
8 Justin Hartley Is the Perfect Green Arrow in Smallville
The DC show Smallville is about a young Clark Kent as he tries to find his place in the world while living in Smallville, Kansas. Born with superpowers, Kent spends his teenage years trying to blend in and learning to use his powers for good. The show tells a coming-of-age story full of teen drama and heart. It's not for everyone, but 70% of the audience on Rotten Tomatoes finds Smallville very enjoyable.
Notably, Justin Hartley plays the role of Green Arrow/Oliver Queen starting in season 6. There are many things to love about Green Arrow. First off, Hartley's character adds a very intriguing sense of humor to the show that others can't compete with. His banter with Hawkman is also a highlight during his time on the show. It's interesting to see Green Arrow's influence on Clark as he pushes him to be more than just a hero.
7 Hartley's Gary Stands Out in The Exchange
Set in an Ontario town, The Exchange is a quirky movie with brilliantly awkward humor throughout. The film has a 71% audience approval on Rotten Tomatoes. Though telling a teen story, The Exchange centers around the theme of friendship that every teenager truly wants instead of mainly focusing on sex. It's relatable and witty.
Hartley's performance in this film stands out. He stars as Gary Rothbaur, a gym teacher who's also a self-appointed town sheriff. Gary is self-centered in an almost cartoonish way, which is a huge departure from Hartley's usual good-guy roles.The Exchange's success has a lot to do with the uniqueness and personalities of characters other than the two leads, Tim and Stephane. The comedy delivers laughs with a believable story and lovable characters.
6 Hartley Stars as Nolan's Love Interest in Revenge
Revenge is about a young girl's journey of vengeance toward those who are responsible for her father's incarceration. With a master plan, Emily Thorne decides to singlehandedly target one of the most powerful families in Hampton: the Greysons. Through their son, Daniel, Emily's plan of revenge starts in red-marker style. The show has great character arcs and development and eventually sees an ensemble forming. Many viewers have found the show hard to put down once started, resulting in Revenge scoring a 78% audience approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes.
Justin Hartley plays a morally gray character, Patrick, the eldest son of the show's antagonist. Hartley gives a very nuanced performance in the show. Patrick is a troubled soul and a tortured artist who becomes involved in the drama in Hampton. Hartley's performance makes many viewers despise Patrick, which they should, since Patrick only complicates things for Emily. He also later becomes Victoria's right hand, which earns him hate among fans.
5 This Is Us Stars Justin Hartley as Kevin Pearson
Image via NBC
There's a little bit of Oliver in Kevin, which is good news for Smallville fans. Many This Is Us fans also find it hard to shake off this Hartley role. Kevin Pearson is Hartley's most well-known role to date. He plays one of the three Pearson siblings in the show that examines their careers and relationships.
This Is Us scores 81% audience approval on Rotten Tomatoes. It also garners a lot of love from critics with 94% of them giving the show a positive review. Though mainly set in the present day, the show incorporates elements from different points in the timeline to tell the story of the Pearson family. With an ensemble cast, the show tells a very emotional story and tackles humanly relatable themes like grief, joy, love, resilience and more. The story is beautifully crafted, and the acting is top-notch.
4 Castle Is an Endearing Classic Procedural
Castle follows a millionaire playboy and mystery novelist, Rick Castle, as he starts working with NYPD Detective Kate Beckett to solve a real-life murder case that involves a copycat killer who's recreating murder scenes from his books. The unlikely partnership soon becomes something more permanent. Rick teams up with Kate to solve strange homicides in New York. The ABC crime drama and police procedural is endearing with 87% audience approval on Rotten Tomatoes.
With a combination of being fun, edgy and emotional, the show has really good writing and is supported by a wonderful cast. Many consider Castle to be a classic. Justin Hartley appears in Season 4, Episode 13, "An Embarrassment of Bitches," where he plays Reggie Starr, who turns out to be the killer they're searching for. Hartley does a good job balancing the good and evil within his character. With the investigation deepening, there's a lot to learn about Reggie.
3 Justin Hartley Guest Stars in the Last Episode of Hart of Dixie
Hart of Dixie follows the story of a New Yorker and a surgeon, Zoe Hart, who decides to move to Alabama after her dream of becoming a heart surgeon falls apart along with being dumped by her boyfriend. What's interesting is that the stranger who offered her the job, Dr. Harley Wilkes, dies before her arrival. Zoe accidentally inherits half of the practice and has to deal with all the responsibility and complications that come with it.
The top-rated medical drama has 88% audience approval on Rotten Tomatoes. The series is refreshing and sentimental and at the same time, full of life lessons and meaningful stories. The plot also never fails to surprise viewers. Many fans have reported watching the entire show in one setting. Justin Hartley appears as a surprise guest star in the show's finale. He plays Jesse, a patient who sparks a romantic interest in Zoe. However, Jesse turns out to be Wade's brother. With all the complications, Zoe decides to step back from dating Jesse.
2 Chuck Is a Hidden Gem
While Justin Hartley has a history of playing the villain, he plays a victim in an episode of Chuck. The lesser-known spy show is highly rated with a 91% audience approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes. The show follows a computer geek who unwittingly downloads stolen government secrets into his brain and has to adapt to the life of being a spy. The CIA and NSA assign an agent to protect him. Sarah Walker, who unfortunately gets the job, goes undercover as Chuck's girlfriend.
The fun-filled show has a little bit of everything: romance, action, thriller, suspense and comedy. Fans are certainly in for a treat as Chuck embarks on this unlikely journey. Many also compliment the show for making them understand more about love and life. Hartley guest stars in Season 5, Episode 2, where he plays Karl's brother, Wesley, who's being kidnapped.
1 Cold Case Tells Past Stories With Emotional Impacts
There are many reasons why Cold Case is so well celebrated. The widely loved police procedural has a 95% audience approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes. It follows a detective, Lily Rush, as she finds her calling in solving cold cases. With advanced technology, Lily is committed to bringing justice to as many as possible. One of the series' notable strengths is weaving the past and present in each episode. At the same time, each episode leaves viewers on a heartwarming note, which separates Cold Case from other shows in the same genre.
Justin Hartley plays a popular college student, Mike Delaney, who was murdered in 1982 during graduation in Season 5, Episode 10, "Justice." Through a series of investigations, the detective linked him to the sexual assault of many girls on campus, which also had a direct connection to his murder. Similar to any other episode in this series, the story carries an emotional weight and is told with impact. Not only does it have believable characters that make viewers forget that they are watching fictional events, but it also has a strong supporting cast that makes each story raw and haunting.
