Justin Hartley on Meeting Mark Grossman, a Secret Soap Project, and Kevin Pearson’s Future

He’s part of the prime time serial world now, but daytime fans always will remember Justin Hartley for his portrayal of Adam on The Young and the Restless. Currently, the actor plays Kevin Pearson on This Is Us and Kevin’s enjoying some rare stability these days… for now!

Catching Up With Justin Hartley

This season, Kevin’s been paired with Cassidy Sharp (Jennifer Morrison), a former US Marine who is trying to get her life together. Recently, Soap Hub caught up with Justin Hartley after a This Is Us press event in Pasadena, CA.

Keeping Up With Adam And The Young and the Restless

We saw on Instagram that you had met Mark Grossman, your successor as YR’s Adam.
He’s great. Missy [Claire Egan, Chelsea] and I are really good friends. I have a lot of friends over there. I went over there [to YR] to visit her and hang out for a bit and I brought a couple of writers with me. It has to do with soap operas and daytime and that world. Mark was very gracious and let me watch him work, which was really cool. He’s doing a great job.

Do you have any advice for him?
I don’t think he needs any advice from me. He’s got his hands firmly on the wheel.

This Is Us Update

What’s coming up for Kevin?
He’s in a position where he’s in flux a little bit and he’s trying to find his way again. There’s this repetition that happens with his life. Here he is again. He’s in a place where he’s healthy. He’s taking care of himself. He’s been sort of reflective and very thoughtful. He’s there for other people, [but] he finds himself in the same position — [feeling] alone in a crowded room. But this time, I think his perspective is different now. He can see light at the end of the tunnel.

I would say that now, Kevin has a goal. I’ve thought what’s on his wall in his room? What books is he reading? What’s in a bag that he’d back? I don’t know. He had a necklace…I think he’s starting to collect things in his life that mean something to him and tell the story of who he really is.

He’s figuring out what he wants in life, [which] is amazing. He said what he wants to have a wife and a child and a family by the time he’s 40. Kevin doesn’t really have a dial. It’s [more like] an on and off switch. He’s finding his dial now. I think what he was saying was it’s time to grow up.

On His Co-Star

What’s it like working with Jennifer Morrison?
She’s wonderful. She comes prepared. She’s wonderful on set — hilarious, eager, very thoughtful in her work. I think she’s open to whatever is going on around her. She’s a great actress. She’s brought a dynamic to our show that we’ve never had before.

I love working with her. I’ve been lucky in that I’ve been able to work with a lot really great actors on our show and I’ve also been given a lot of great guest stars. She’s one of them.

The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on CBS. Check local listings for air times. This Is Us airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. at NBC.