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Justin Hartley Doesn't Think He's "Hit Rock Bottom Yet" on This Is Us
The NBC star breaks down what might be next for his small-screen character, who is taking a dark turn.
Justin Hartley's life on This Is Us has taken a dark turn as of late. His small-screen persona, the hunky and troubled Hollywood star Kevin Pearson, is facing some demons head-on, including a downward spiral that includes alcohol, and pills. When The Daily Dish recently spoke to Justin about what's next for Kevin, he revealed it may only get darker before it takes a turn for the better.
"I think addiction is one of those things where it's not something that you can have a lot of success in beating on your own," he shared ahead of the fall finale, airing Tuesday, November 28. "And so, I think, we're gonna see this sort of battle that he's going through. The self-loathing thing that he's going through. He attempted to reach out to his brother in [a recent] episode and it didn't quite work out. And so there's definitely more. I don't know if we've seen Kevin hit rock bottom yet. To be honest with you, I think there's more to that story before we see anything move in the right direction."
As for Kevin eventually taking the right steps in his romantic life, well, Justin had this to share about whether or not he can eventually settle down and someday start a family. "I hope so. I know I think that's what he wants," he teased. "I just think he's struggling with whether or not he thinks he deserves it. So hopefully he does. I want good things for him."
Currently in its second season, This Is Us has certainly resonated with fans. And Justin has felt that as fans are watching Kevin struggle with his own issues. "It's good because one of the goals in doing this storyline — one of the things that I wanted to make sure we were very careful with was telling a real story that was truthful. That was honest and that wasn't the kind of the quote, unquote Hollywood thing where you just say this guy has a problem and then by the end of the episode it just sort of wraps up in a bow," he said.
He continued, "I wanted to make sure we did not do that. So to hear people reaching out and saying, for instance 'I'm going through that' or 'My dad is going through that.' It affects so many people, but the fact that we were able to tell an honest, compelling story and also, maybe, get somebody to make a phone call and reach out for help for maybe the first time. I think that is not necessarily the goal of our show or why we're on — we're an entertainment television show, but to have it transcended into something where someone might have watched that and it spoke to them in a way where they are reaching out for help is just more than anything I could ever hope for in doing a show like that, right?"
The Daily Dish caught up with Justin while he was making the rounds, speaking about his recent collaboration with Royal Canin, during which he shared some precautions on how to keep pets safe. “Keeping our dogs Memphis and Gracie healthy is one of the most important things I can do as a pet owner,” he said about the collaboration in a statement. “By partnering with Royal Canin, I’m proud to share tips I’ve learned on simple ways to avoid hazards that may face our four-legged friends this holiday season.”
Stay tuned for more from Justin about why keeping your pets safe this season is of the utmost importance. And new episodes of This Is Us return in January.
Check out more Justin, below.
