Marcel Williams/The CWTonight is the night you will fall in love with Justin Hartley.
I know some of you fans of Smallville, on which Justin plays the Green Arrow (and his alter ego, Oliver Queen) are thinking, No chance in hell! 'Cause, see, he is a love interest for Lois Lane, and I know many of you want her with Clark. But I honestly think even you die-hard Clois (Clark and Lois) fans will warm up to Justin, when you see him tonight on the CW.
Tonight’s episode is, by all accounts (even according to our intern Michael, who’s the biggest Smallville fan around), the best episode so far this season. And that’s because Mr. Hartley, who formerly starred on Passions and as Aquaman in the CW’s Aquaman pilot, makes his debut as the Green Arrow and brings some serious heat.
And where there’s heat…there’s fire! So, I caught up with Justin to get the scoop on the man behind the tights. Here’s a snippet of our convo (please note, it is a little spoilery):
How’s it been joining the cast? Do the cool kids like you?
They love me because they all hate each other. They are so sick of each other. So, when I walk into the room they are like, "Thank God.” No, I’m kidding. That’s actually the opposite of what goes on. When I first got the job, I was like, Well, I bet the cast probably doesn’t like each other very much after six years. But they are all honestly great friends. Even the women get along with each other.
And word is, you’ll be hooking up with Lois?
Yeah, it’s heading that way. It’s good.
Uh-oh. Have you heard about the Clois Piggybank Campaign?
No.
The fans of Clark and Lois have put their faces on a coin, and they're sending it to the CW and media folks to try to get those two together.
Really? Listen, I myself am a die-hard Clark and Lois fan. Always have been. Even when it was Teri Hatcher and my man Dean Cain. I don’t know Dean Cain, mind you, but I just like saying that. My man. But when Clark and Lois get together, it's sort of like Smallville would be over, don't you think? So, I think they should put my face on paper money to thank me for saving Smallville for another year! [Laughs.] Because without me, Clark and Lois would get together, and everyone knows that that would be the end of Smallville, and then we wouldn’t have Smallville. It should say "In Oliver We Trust" on the coin. I mean, that's just me. That's just one man's opinion.
Erica is so great, by the way. I love her.
I had to kiss her.
What did your wife think of that? Well, I guess she is used to it since you were on Passions.
It’s so funny. Since I married my wife, I've kissed more women than I have before I ever met her. But we have a policy in my house: It’s okay as long as you are getting paid for it.
That can be dangerous.
I’m sure I am going to come home one day and find Dean Cain in my bed. My wife is going to be like, "He gave me 10 bucks, honey!" And I’ll be like, "Damn stupid policy!"
What’s the Dean Cain obsession?
I don’t know! [Laughs.] I’ve never met him, but he seems cool, doesn’t he? I think he's, like, 80 years old, but he looks like he’s 23. He looks like he could be my child.
Anything you can tease to that’s coming up on Smallville?
Next week is all about Oliver Queen. Like, where he came from, why he has this relationship with Lex, why he feels the need to fight for the little guy, and that's kind of fun. Then they break him down, and he becomes vulnerable, and there are drugs involved. And then there is an episode coming up called "Justice," where he gets all of his posse together. Like, he has the Flash, Cyborg and Aquaman and, of course, the Green Arrow and Clark. It’s really funny. It’s one of the best scripts I’ve read.
Check out Justin on the CW's Smallville every Thursday at 8!