Producer, Director, and Actor: A New Phase of Creative Control
As Justin Hartley continues to evolve professionally, he has increasingly sought roles behind the camera, aiming to influence not just the characters he plays, but the stories that get told. His move into producing and directing marks a significant shift in how he engages with Hollywood—not just as a performer, but as a creator and strategist.
Hartley founded Change Jar Studios to facilitate this vision, choosing projects that reflect his personal interests and social conscience. Among the most notable is Tracker, a CBS drama based on Jeffery Deaver’s The Never Game. Hartley stars as Colter Shaw, a survivalist and reward-seeker who finds missing persons while facing his own traumatic past. As executive producer, Hartley has played a pivotal role in shaping the show’s tone and direction, emphasizing psychological depth and ethical complexity.
“I wanted a character who was both heroic and flawed,” he explained in a Variety interview. “Someone who isn’t always right, but always tries.”
Hartley’s creative ambitions don’t stop at episodic TV. His directorial debut, Dust to Dawn, premiered at several indie film festivals to strong reviews. The film, a quiet character study about loss and resilience, demonstrated his ability to convey profound emotional truths through minimalist storytelling. Critics praised its subtlety and sophistication, noting that Hartley brings a natural empathy to his work as a director.
Future projects, including the Netflix political thriller Capital Veins and the HBO Max docuseries Truth Be Buried, further underscore Hartley’s commitment to meaningful, socially relevant storytelling. Whether tackling corruption in Washington or unsolved crimes in rural America, Hartley is drawn to stories that explore justice, truth, and human complexity.
As both a creative and business force, Hartley represents a new kind of Hollywood artist—one who is as comfortable in front of the camera as he is behind it. His expanding career not only demonstrates artistic growth but signals a long-term vision rooted in integrity, empathy, and storytelling that matters.
In an industry often driven by spectacle and trend, Justin Hartley is proving that authenticity and hard work are not just viable paths—they’re the most enduring.
