This week marks the premiere of NBC's new drama, This Is Us [1]. Considering how we only know sparse details about the show [2], we're intrigued. And, well, when you add in Milo Ventimiglia's cute butt [3], we're already setting our DVRs. As it turns out, though, the Fall show is more than just a pretty cast. It's got a lot of heart. This weekend, we caught up with starring cutie Justin Hartley at Entertainment Weekly's Pre-Emmys party; we asked about why the show is so great, and Hartley teased the rough waters ahead. You might want to stock up on tissues.
- On what sets the show apart from other new shows: "It's about people. It's one of those things where, when you watch it, you're going to relate to so many of the different stories that we're telling. Whether it be, like, you relate to a specific character, because that reminds you of you, or maybe somebody that you lost, or maybe somebody that you feel like you could've helped but you didn't, or maybe somebody that you helped, somebody that you know, it's that kind of thing. We literally have everything covered. Not in the pilot, but we will eventually have everything covered."
- On entering the show's universe: "It's a complex world. People go through their own individual sh*t. So we try to bring everyone together."
- On the struggles of his character: "I can tell you he is in for a massive overhaul. Sort of a 'come to Jesus' moment that spans over the course of several years. Here's a guy who, on paper it looks great. He's got this wonderful job. He's a celebrity. People like him, he makes a lot of money, he's on TV, blah blah blah. You sort of see that he's damaged. He's 36 years old, he's sort of going through kind of a midlife crisis. He's not getting any younger. He's got no girlfriend, he's got no prospects on the horizon. He's not any more involved in a serious relationship than he was 10 years ago. And his job is sort of not fulfilling."
- On the pilot's big twist: "There's something that happens in the pilot . . . and when you see it, you're going to be like, 'Oh! Kay! He's definitely a complex dude.'"
- On relating to his character: "I think we all get older. Father Time is undefeated, as they say. And so, you start to slow down a little bit, and think about things. I have a daughter, she's 12. So, I start to think about her, and her life, that kind of stuff. You focus more on her being young, and teaching her things, than you do about your own personal stuff. This job is fantastic. It's so truthful, and I can relate to it in so many different ways."