Justin Hartley
It was an intrusive moment that “This is Us” actor Justin Hartley couldn’t easily forget or dismiss, as a fan unexpectedly went overboard with expressing herself.
“This woman—[who was] a stranger to me—recognized me and started screaming, going crazy,” Hartley told Good Housekeeping of the incident, which was in a Chicago restaurant. He was accompanied by friends.
“She ran over and started kissing me,” he added.
Hartley, who plays ex-sitcom actor Kevin Pearson in the drama series, recounted that he told the woman of his discomfort immediately.
“I said, ‘You do not walk up to people you do not know and put your mouth on their face. If I did that to you, I would be in prison. Please do not do that. And not that I’m trying to teach you life lessons, but I feel like this is a good one for you. Don’t do that to anybody ever again,’” the former “Smallville” actor disclosed.
The fan backed off, but returned to pester Hartley after his meal by asking for a photo with him. Hartley flat-out refused: “I’m, like, ‘I’m not taking photos with you after you sexually harassed me.’”
Finally getting the hint, the harasser left, but not without uttering an invective. “As she was leaving, she was, like, ‘Justin Hartley is a jerk,’ but not really ‘jerk’—something more foul. I was, like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’”—OLIVER PULUMBARIT