Early in 2006, Justin Hartley was cast as the title character in Aquaman, the television pilot produced for The new CW Network, which also starred Ving Rhames and Lou Diamond Phillips. Having been frequently mentioned as nearly a sure thing to help launch The CW, many were surprised when the Aquaman pilot was not picked up as a series for the fall schedule. As a side note, fans have been able to enjoy what might have been by downloading the pilot episode off of Itunes over the Internet.

Executive producers of Aquaman, Miles Millar and Al Gough, clearly were very happy with Hartley's work, and recently it was announced that he will be appearing this fall for a several-episode stint on their long-running series Smallville, as yet another classic DC Comics character, The Green Arrow and that character’s alter-ego, Oliver Queen. Hartley is also known as Fox Crane on the NBC daytime drama Passions since December 2002 which was his television debut.

Justin’s other acting credits include the student films and theater productions when he attended Southern Illinois University and The University of Illinois in Chicago majoring in History and Theater.

Justin’s favorite pastime is baseball and is an avid basketball player. Justin resides in Los Angeles with his wife, and co-star, Lindsay Hartley and their baby daughter, Isabella.

Delaware County Magazine: Can you talk about how your casting as Aquaman came about, and how that led to you playing Green Arrow?

Justin Hartley: It was interesting. I went in for Aquaman, just a regular audition like everyone else does, and then got the callback. I think I got another callback, and then I tested for the studio, which is another process you go though. You test for the studio and then you test for the network. So I tested for the studio, and then didn’t really hear anything back. And then the next thing I heard was that the part of Aquaman was cast. I was kind of ready to move on. And then I got a phone call that they wanted me to come in and test at the studio again. And so I went in again, this is like a month later, and tested again, then I went to the network and tested again, and then I got the role. I went down and shot the pilot in Miami. Miles and Al were there everyday, and I think in working with them, when this role came about, that’s definitely why they thought of me. Because they offered me the role, they didn’t have me audition for it. So it was really kind of them and fortunate for me.

DCM: With The CW launching most people thought Aquaman was going to be picked up.

Hartley: Well, I was hearing pretty much what everyone else was hearing. It was like a week or two before something got posted I thought that maybe it’s not getting picked up. Honestly, I guess I learned a lesson, because I didn’t think for one second that it wouldn’t get picked up. I just knew that it would. I mean it has to! It's Aquaman! Who’s not gonna watch Aquaman? And I still believe it was a mistake not picking it up, but that’s just my opinion, and what do I know? And I was in it too... When it affects my pocketbook, I’m like, “Listen! Big mistake!” [Laughter] But I don’t know. I’m sure they had good reasons. They know what they’re doing. They’re running a network. I heard the same thing when everyone heard it. I wasn’t on the inside scoop or anything. But when you hear something like that, you start to think, “Okay, let’s prepare for something else.” It was disappointing, but I got over it in a hurry, because you have to in the acting industry. Because if you sit and feel sorry for yourself, you’re wasting your time. You should be out working or out looking for new work.

DCM: What were the first things they told you about about your character on Smallville? It’s Oliver Queen, who is Green Arrow in the comic books, but did you know what the interpretation will be on the show?

Hartley: Well, they said he comes to Smallville to try to recruit Clark for the Justice League. I hadn’t read a script at that point, but what I gathered was, he witnessed something that Clark does with one of his powers. Oliver is trying to get people that have special powers or abilities to be in this group, like the Justice League. Also, he’s got a dark secret with Lex Luthor.

DCM: There’s some history there that they built in?

Hartley: Yeah, they went to boarding school together, so Clark [Kent] really isn’t that trusting of him at first. I knew here was going to be a romantic interest as well with Lois Lane, so that was fun. I was looking forward to working with those guys. I think they put out a good show and do a really good job week in and week out, so it was great to be able to mix it up with them.

DCM: Have you had many archery lessons since you were cast?

Hartley: No, but I’m familiar with it. I’m familiar with all that stuff. I’ve done it before and I’ve taken lessons before. I took a class in college and I took lessons before that. I haven’t used a bow in about a year, but I am familiar with it all.

DCM: What do you think of doing huge action scenes?

Hartley: Green Arrow is a vigilante so there’s gotta be some action sequences! He's gotta use his bow. He’s gotta have all those different cool arrows and he uses them. And hopefully it will be to shoot bad guys, and not just targets…[Laughter] Isn’t that a horrible thing? “I hope I can shoot people!” But that’s what fans want to see! You don’t want to see target practice, you want to see some bad guy get shot with an arrow.

DCM: Everybody knows Aquaman for the most part, but were you familiar with Green Arrow? Most non-comic fans don’t know him.

Hartley: Yeah, a little bit. Not as much as I was Aquaman, but a little bit.

DCM: I don’t know how much you read comics as a kid, but regarding playing a superhero, it must be funny getting cast so close together as two superheroes.

Hartley: I know! Who doesn’t want to play a superhero, right? And everyone wants to play Superman or Batman. Everyone wants to play a superhero. And then you get cast as one and it’s this surreal experience. It’s like, how in the hell do you play a superhero? And you start to think, okay, well, maybe you don’t play it as a superhero. Like Superman doesn’t know anything else since he’s always been like that. So I don’t know. You go through that whole thing. And then to get cast as another one right after that! It’s then that you have to figure out how to play a superhero a certain way, but I have to figure out how to play a different kind of superhero! They’re not the same in any way, shape or form really. There are different circumstances for both as to who they are and what they do. But I’ve found my way through it. I’m made my pledge: I’ll be prepared and I’ll do a great job for everyone, so I think everybody will be happy.

DCM: Are you going to be sporting any facial hair like Green Arrow has in the comics?

Hartley: Not at first since the character is starting out. But who knows in the future where it could go.

DCM: Is it a running joke with your friends or family that you’ve been cast twice as a superhero now, and in the same year?

Hartley: Yeah, well, what’s next? Where do you go from here? Is there anybody else that’s played two different superheroes?

DCM: Nope. I can’t think of it offhand. Especially two big “have-their-own-comic-book” superheroes, who are very associated with each other, like these two are, since they’re both in the Justice League.

Hartley: That makes me a superstar or something, right? [Laughter]

DCM: Yeah! Miles [Millar] has been quoted recently as saying he’d still like Aquaman to happen as a series. Have you heard anything about that?

Hartley: Well, everyone is going to be able to see the pilot, I know that. And then I don’t know what the deal is. I don’t think anyone would turn and run if someone said, “Well, okay, now we decided that we do want it.” I think everyone still wants to do it.

DCM: Can you talk about what the interpretation was of Aquaman and what the storyline was?

Hartley: It was at the point where he was beyond discovering his powers. He was already breathing underwater. The interesting thing about it was, he didn’t keep it a secret. He kind of used it to get laid and stuff. This is what he did. He didn’t keep it a secret, which is pretty atypical of superheroes. He just kind of flaunted it. In the story, he rescued this girl and he was at the point in his life where he was dealing with a love interest, wrestling with discovering what his true destiny was and where he came from and why he has these powers. What did it all mean, what his job was and what his life was supposed to be like, because at that point he was kind of slacking off. And then he learns in the pilot what his destiny is. He tries to reject it for a little bit, because that’s a big load to drop on someone, especially one who’s just kind of a party animal. But then he finally comes to terms with it, and that’s where it was going to begin.