‘This Is Us’: Justin Hartley Says Kevin Has ‘Become a Complete Person’
This Is Us Season 6 is bringing the story of the Pearson family to a close, and its most recent episode saw Kevin (Justin Hartley) stepping up in a big way. Ahead of the NBC show’s final two episodes, the Big Three held a meeting to discuss Rebecca’s (Mandy Moore) end-of-life care. During it, Kevin shows how far he’s come since This Is Us Season 1. And Hartley recently spoke of his character’s growth, saying he’s “become a complete person.”
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for This Is Us Season 6 Episode 16, “Family Meeting.”]
Kevin Pearson has come a long way since ‘This Is Us’ started
This Is Us Season 6 Episode 16 saw Kevin Pearson agreeing to move in with Rebecca and look after her while she’s on her deathbed. It’s a massive and selfless undertaking for any character. But considering where Kevin started the series, it’s even more noteworthy for him.
Once grating and self-involved, Kevin has come a long way since the early episodes of the NBC show. His recent reunion with Sophie (Alexandra Breckenridge) highlighted that fact, and “Family Meeting” points to it all over again.
During a recent interview, Justin Hartley touched on Kevin’s growth over the past six seasons of This Is Us. According to the actor, his character has finally figured himself out.
Justin Hartley says Kevin has ‘grown quite a bit’
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Justin Hartley opened up about Kevin’s progression on This Is Us. The actor emphasized that his recent decision about Rebecca “shows his growth,” and so does the fact that his family is willing to follow his lead. Hartley pointed out that this situation wouldn’t have unfolded the same way seasons ago, telling THR:
“And that’s a far cry from what it would have been three or four years ago. He’s grown quite a bit, is what it says to me. Also, he’s lined up his priorities, and he has them in the right order. He understands what’s important, what’s not really that important, what’s important sometimes, what he can’t control. He’s just become a complete person.”
Given how heart-wrenching This Is Us can be, it’s nice to see the good that’s come from the Pearsons’ journey. And Hartley himself is happy with where the NBC series took his character. With such impressive development, it’s no wonder he’s enjoyed his time playing Kevin. In fact, it sounds like he’d even be willing to reprise the role in the future.
Justin Hartley is ‘pleased’ with his journey throughout ‘This Is Us’
After diving into Kevin’s growth on This Is Us, Justin Hartley was asked what he thought of his character’s ending. He told THR that he’s happy with where his Pearson ends up. Because he understands the character so well, that’s hardly a surprise.
“Very pleased,” Hartley admitted. “I’m glad that he’s figured a lot of his stuff out that he needed to figure out. I’m glad that he’s finally come into his own; he’s realizing what he’s really good at, which is helping other people, and what’s really important to him.”
Hartley also revealed he’d consider revisiting Kevin in the future. “I’m open to whatever, whenever,” he told THR. “I love those people so, I’d show up to work tomorrow.”
For fans holding out for a spinoff or movie of some sort, that will no doubt come as a relief. And it would be nice to see where Kevin ends up after the events of the series. Hopefully, that’s in the cards somewhere down the line.
In the meantime, fans can see where Kevin’s story goes in the final episodes of This Is Us. The penultimate chapter arrives on May 17, with the finale bringing things to a close on May 24.
