This Is Us fans are waiting for Justin Hartley‘s costars to make guest appearances on Tracker — so why aren’t there currently plans to bring them in?
During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, executive producer Elwood Reid explained that the CBS show is waiting for the perfect roles.
“[We discuss it] all the time. If I’m going to go with those kind of big names, I got to make sure I have a story,” he noted. “The show works because we’re with Colter so much and he’s just such an interesting actor that he’s able to carry that big narrative load.”
Reid confirmed ongoing discussions.
“We’ve definitely talked about Sterling K. Brown, we’ve talked about Mandy Moore and we have talked about Milo Ventimiglia,” he shared. “But until it’s really, really right — and matching the windows up in these people’s calendars is impossible.”
Reid concluded: “If I have the right story line, I will do it. But I’m always opposed to just do a cameo. We have to get a good emotional story out of it or a fun story line.”
This Is Us, which ran from 2016 to 2022, focused on siblings Kevin (Hartley), Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Randall (Brown) in addition to their parents, Jack (Ventimiglia) and Rebecca Pearson (Moore). Before This Is Us came to an end, Hartley was already making moves — with the help of producer Ken Olin — with his CBS series Tracker.
Hartley not only stars on Tracker but is an executive producer. This has allowed him to reunite with several This Is Us costars, including Jon Huertas and Jennifer Morrison.
“I’m always thinking about ways to get back together with those guys. It’d have to be something really special,” Hartley told Entertainment Tonight back in February 2024. “Maybe we could find out [my character’s] such a good tracker. Maybe he finds Jack? Like maybe he never died, something like that? A plot twist. Could you imagine? Like, he is good.”
Hartley previously reflected on the unique way he said goodbye to This Is Us.
“We knew for years and years and years that that show was ending when it was ending. A lot of times you don’t get that opportunity. Things just happen and people go, ‘You are not doing it anymore,’” he explained on the “I’ve Never Said This Before” podcast in October 2024. “This was more like, ‘You have the opportunity to play this character for six years. It is going to be amazing. What a ride this guy is going to go on. Here is what his journey is going to be.’ I thought that project was remarkable to be a part of.”
He continued: “We’ve all talked about [bringing the show back in some way]. I don’t know if there are plans to reboot it — I haven’t been involved yet — which is a whole other conversation. But I still keep in touch with all of those guys. They are all so great, they will be lifelong friends of mine. I love them all.”
Tracker returns to CBS Sunday, March 1, at 9 p.m. ET.
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