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Nine years after stepping away from daytime television, The Young and the Restless star Justin Hartley is proving he’s more than just a soap star. From his breakout role on This Is Us to leading one of CBS’s most-watched new dramas, the actor continues to shine in Hollywood. And with Tracker’s emotional season one finale, he’s earned praise not only from viewers but also from someone who once shared the screen with him — Eric Braeden.
Hartley, Adam Newman on The Young and the Restless between 2014 and 2016, starred opposite Braeden's iconic Victor Newman during his time. Almost a decade on, Braeden continues to keep an eye on his old on-screen son, and he's impressed.
After the May 2024 broadcast of Tracker's season one finale, Braeden went to Facebook to congratulate Hartley on his work.
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''Watched „TRACKER“ with my friend JUSTIN HARTLEY starring! I was blown away by the final show ! Excellent script, direction, casting, camera work, locations…and Justin is one of those rare actors with absolute authenticity! One believes every move! Great show, brother!!''
That kind of public endorsement from a soap icon is no small compliment — and in this case, it’s well earned.
The Young and the Restless star from Genoa city to primetime
Hartley took over the role of Adam Newman in 2014 as the third actor to play the role of Victor and Hope's troubled son. Re-debuted with the alias "Gabriel Bingham" after a so-called car crash that left him presumed dead, Hartley's Adam came back with a new look and a troubled past. His take on Adam was charming, calculating, and inwardly tormented all at once — a guy fighting his baser instincts while going in search of love and redemption.
The character allowed Hartley room to serve up some of the show's most emotionally nuanced work. His pairing with Melissa Claire Egan's Chelsea Lawson proved to be a fan favorite, even as Adam's history of crimes against them, most notably his involvement in the hit-and-run murder of Delia Abbott, hung like a pall over their bliss.
The conflict between Adam and his dad, Victor, was another stand-out moment. Even with perpetual betrayal and manipulation, Adam's terrible need for his dad's love lent emotional gravitas to each confrontation. Hartley walked that tightrope with a mix of intensity and vulnerability.
He left The Young and the Restless in September 2016, when Adam was again presumed dead, this time in an explosion in a cabin after he'd been jailed in prison under false circumstances. He left around the time he shifted to primetime, playing Kevin Pearson on NBC's This Is Us, which earned him universal critical praise.
The Young and the Restless star Justin Hartley's new chapter
Following This Is Us's wrap in 2022, Hartley was back on TV in a new series lead, this one as Colter Shaw in the CBS drama Tracker, based on Jeffery Deaver's book The Never Game. Shaw is an independent survivalist who roams the nation employing his skilled tracking abilities to crack missing persons cases and along the way, untangle the secrets of his own life.
The season one finale of Tracker, which premiered in May 2024, confronted Colter with a shocking reality about his father's demise. A man from Colter's past breaks down in a tense standoff and admits to pushing his father off a cliff and accuses Colter's mother of the deed, alleging she requested his assistance. Although the finale doesn't verify her culpability, the implication sends Colter reeling and leaves the season on a heartbreaking cliffhanger.
What's next for The Young and the Restless star Justin Hartley
CBS officially renewed Tracker for another season, with new episodes expected to air during the 2025–2026 broadcast season. Until then, the first season is available to stream on Paramount+, giving fans the chance to catch up or revisit the finale that’s still making waves.
For The Young and the Restless star Hartley, the series is another hit development in his career. His transition from day drama to night prestige just continues to the admiration from a screen icon like Eric Braeden only solidifies how far he's traveled.
Catch the latest episode of The Young and the Restless streaming on CBS.
