What Makes Working On This Is Us So Different From Castle, According To Jon Huertas

Miguel Jon Huertas This Is Us NBC

Jon Huertas may have a rough time convincing fans Miguel is a better husband than Jack Pearson, but beyond that, the actor's time on This Is Us is pretty easy going.The role is definitely different than when Huertas played Javier Esposito on Castle, which featured more action and fewer awkward exchanges with step-children. Huertas talked about the difference between the two roles with CinemaBlend's Corey Chichizola, saying this:

The action stuff in Castle was super enjoyable to me. I'm an action kind of guy, martial arts, I was an athlete. The action stuff was always a big desire for me to do. But with This Is Us I don't have to ever worry about having a stunt double, I don't have to worry about falling down, or hitting anybody, or chasing anybody.

Well, Jon Huertas accidentally confirmed This Is Us won't be transitioning into an action-drama in Season 3, but series' creator Dan Fogelman probably won't be all that upset about it leaking out. As most would assume, Miguel is definitely a more subdued role than the macho Javier Esposito, which at times required more action. Huertas expressed that it had always been his dream to do "action stuff" in a role, which certainly happened at various points with the character in Castle's run. It's a good thing Huertas got that out of his system; unless fans find out he was also in Vietnam with Jack, Huertas probably won't get to relive that dream on the set of This Is Us anytime soon.

While action may be one of the few things separating playing This Is Us' Miguel and Castle's Javier, their characters are also wildly different. Jon Huertas is a cool and commanding figure in Castle, which could be the same story with middle-aged Miguel on This Is Us, but old Miguel is just a goofball. Additionally, fans haven't heard Miguel say "yo" on the series, which is something Javier did all too frequently on Castle:

Truth be told, Jon Huertas hasn't really been given the opportunity to spring into any type of action in This Is Us, although that could change in Season 3. The actor teased he and Mandy Moore's Rebecca will be getting a story arc in the show's upcoming season, and also mentioned some potential questions he had regarding Miguel's past that could lead to some confrontation. Should any of those proposed situations get dicey, perhaps Huertas will need a stunt double for the series after all?

This Is Us will return to NBC with Season 3 in the fall. For a look at other premiering shows, new or returning, to check out in the meantime, head on over to our midseason premiere guide. For more on This Is Us, check out who we think Randall was talking about in the Season 2 finale.

Mick Joest
Content Producer

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.