This time last year it’s safe to say that a lot of people were still getting to know Justin Hartley. Sure, many soap fans remember him as the smothering (yet controversial) Adam Newman on The Young and the Restless, but it’s his role as Kevin Pearson on the hit dramedy This is Us that has helped make him a household name. And for good reason, too. There’s a good chance that we’ve all seen photos of this man shirtless by now, right? Talk about one hot celebrity dad!

And even though Justin Hartley’s name is everywhere thanks to the smash NBC hit, there’s still a lot that we are learning about him. Justin isn’t the kind of guy who likes to hit the Hollywood clubs or the red carpet parties for that matter. Instead, he likes to sit back, relax and enjoy quality time with his new wife Chrishell Stause and his 13-year-old daughter, Isabella Justice Hartley at home.

Yes, there’s no sexier man out there than a family man.

What we love the most about Justin though is his super cute relationship with his now teenage daughter. The two are incredibly adorable together. With that being said, here are 15 photos (and reasons why) Justin Hartley is the hottest celebrity dad out there. And yes, you’ll most likely agree with us on all of them!

15 He’s A Superhero Dad

Let’s face it, friends: Justin Hartley is the full package. He’s undeniably gorgeous, he’s talented and successful, he’s kind and he’s sweet and best of all, he treats his teenage daughter like a princess. She (along with his wife of course) is the most important girl in the world for him.

Sure, Justin is a household name now thanks to his role on This is Us, but he’s not letting any of that get to his head. His main priority in his life is his family and of course, being the best father that he can be. He’s also admitted to having “superhero dad” moments that I’m sure we can all relate to. He once said, “Any father can relate to feeling like a superhero when you put a Band-Aid on your kid.” Aww. How can you not like this guy?

14 Speaking Of A Superhero…

Very few fans know this, but Justin Hartley was almost an on-screen superhero himself! Reports indicate that he played The Green Arrow on Smallville long before Stephen Amell got the role. He was also supposed to play Aquaman on The CW but unfortunately the series never got picked up.

Now, we know that everything happens for a reason but there’s a little part of us that wishes Justin Hartley could have been a real on-screen superhero. I mean, he just looks perfect for the role. And better yet, he would make an amazing box office super hero, too. Sure, we love Jason Momoa and Chris Hemsworth (two fantastic celebrity dads) but there’s just something about Justin that just makes us wish that we were his damsel in distress. Did I just say that out loud? Oops.

13 His Age Will Surprise You

When you see Justin Hartley both in front of the camera and on print, he always looks so young, right? If you didn’t know any better, you would think that he was a guy in his early or mid-thirties (that’s another reason why we are still surprised that he is a father of a teenager!). Yet his age and his birthday will definitely shock you.

I mean, there’s no denying that the man has been blessed with some great genes, right? It’s pretty obvious that he takes good care of himself. And while you can’t help but sometimes look at some actors in the industry and think, “What the hell happened?” that’s not the case with Justin at all. Maybe it’s that baby face of his that makes him look like an eternal teenager. Whatever the case, we are definitely not complaining!

12 Criticism - He Can Take It

Just like many other television stars in the Hollywood spotlight, Justin Hartley gets his fair share of criticism. I know, it’s hard to believe because Justin isn’t the kind of guy who stirs drama off screen or says unnecessary yet controversial things in his interviews. He’s not like that. But at the same time he’s very careful about the people he lets in his life and those that he keeps his distance from. Being in the position that he is, he wants to protect his family and of course, his heart.

And can you blame the guy? I’m sure he’s gotten plenty of propositions from women in the past that were both bad and good. Luckily, he’s always managed to listen to his heart. He’s in a good place now with his wife Chrishell and he wants to keep it this way. Justin once said, “It's weird. You find a safe place in someone who you feel like maybe they can't judge you because they don't know you.”

11 Women Come First

With all of the horrible headlines we’ve been hearing out of Hollywood these days, it’s refreshing to hear about an actor who knows how to respect the women in his life and of course, always put them first. It’s safe to say that Justin was raised well by his mama because he's taking this seriously. That just goes to show that he is one of the best guys out there, both on and off screen.

Plus, if you’re having a bad day, if you’re feeling blue, or if you just need a moment to yourself, Justin understands. He knows it’s important to give women space and of course, cater to their emotional needs. That’s because he’s gotten one piece of very good advice, and it’s one that we should teach all of our sons. Justin said, “My mother always told me, 'Don't make women cry.'” Truth.

10 Taking It Slow

It’s without a doubt that 2016 and 2017 have been two of the busiest years on record for Justin Hartley. Sure, he had his legions of fans thanks to his role on The Young and the Restless, but nothing compares to the amount of fame and attention he’s received thanks to his role as Kevin Pearson on This is Us. He’s a huge international star thanks to the show. But at the same time, he doesn’t let it get to his head. That’s because he takes fatherhood more seriously than his fame.

Plus, looking after Isabella has given Justin the perspective that he needs in his life. "It has slowed me down a little bit," Justin said. "I think about the show sometimes and I'm like, 'I'm going to have that conversation with my daughter.'" Oftentimes, he admitted, "The show will inspire me to do something that I wouldn't normally have done."

9 He’s The Cool Dad Now

Now that Isabella is a teenager (it’s hard to believe, isn’t it?), she’s more opinionated. She tells her father what she likes and what she doesn't like. She’s very honest and straight with him and according to Justin, it’s a quality that he truly appreciates in her. Plus, Justin has won major cool dad points because he’s now on the hottest television show on the small screen. That sure has to help him in his cool dad role, right? It’s without a doubt that Isabella is very proud of her thespian father.

"She watches it, her friends watch it, their parents watch it, so I'm like the cool dad now," he laughed. "[When I] take her to school, I get to walk her in now. We can hang out in front of her friends. It's cool."

8 He Secretly Loves 'Friends'

If there’s one thing I absolutely love to do on a cold, rainy weekend morning, it’s sit back, relax, drink coffee and watch a rerun of my favorite all time sitcom, Friends. I could easily watch each episode several times over and still discover new jokes that I missed the first time around. And apparently, Justin Hartley is the exact same way. He loves Friends! Didn’t we tell you the man is perfect? He’s the kind of guy that will drop everything and watch your favorite show on Netflix with you just because he loves it so damn much, too.

“I’ve seen every one probably 37,000 times but I can watch Friends all night. You just forget how amazing it was! Those guys were just so good together. Just a great ensemble.”

7 He's Not Just Brawn

I know we keep on repeating this, but Justin really is a full package kind of guy. Not only is he insanely hot, but he’s incredibly smart, too. Before he was bitten with the acting buy, he was a History Major at the University of Chicago in Illinois and Southern Illinois University. So yes, Justin can definitely help out Isabella with her homework when she needs him!

Now, we don’t want to judge or plant any stereotypes here, but we often don’t see soap stars that are super into academia. Yet, Justin happens to be one of them. And it’s pretty great to see that he has interests that aren’t what you would expect from a guy like him. Who knows, with his talent and his knowledge, there’s a good chance that we might see him land a big time historical drama soon enough. I mean, if Matt Damon can try and save the Great Wall of China, we’re pretty sure Justin can do something far better.

6 He’s Realistic

Justin knows that life isn’t always perfect and dandy and he’s the first person to admit that yes, he’s had his ups and downs. As much as he tries to keep his life drama free, it always hasn’t been easy for him. Now, that’s not to say that he deals with the same issues as his on screen character Kevin Pearson, but Justin has definitely had his heartaches in the past.

Before meeting his current wife Chrishell Staus, Justin was married to Isabella’s mother, Lindsay Hartley. Unfortunately things didn’t work out between them and the two eventually divorced. “Anytime you go through a divorce, you’re completely lost, whether you want to admit it or not, or whether you know it or not, you’re completely lost.” We can definitely relate, right?

5 He’s Had His Struggles

Sure, Justin Hartley is cashing in his NBC paychecks and paying his bills on time these days, but it wasn’t always this easy. As a matter of fact, Justin had a hard time making ends meet while he was still a struggling actor looking for his big break in Hollywood.

Justin even admitted that he often struggled to tell his parents the truth about his dire situation during his early days in Hollywood. Instead of telling them what was really going on, he would reassure them that all was fine (even though his bank account was almost always empty!). Hey, we hear ya, Justin. This is also why Justin is so thankful and appreciative of everything that he has in his life today. He knows just how hard it is to climb to the top.

4 Teenager Blues

Justin has made it no secret that he feels very blessed to have such a wonderful, caring, smart and beautiful daughter like Isabella. As a matter of fact, he says that he’s amazed by her and her wonderful personality every day. He also recently admitted that he was warned about the terrible teenage years but fortunately, he hasn’t experienced any of it yet. That’s because Isabella is as good as they come (that’s probably because she takes after her incredible dad!). In other words, no teenager blues for this dynamic duo. She just gets sweeter every year.

He’s said, “Everyone keeps telling me they turn 13, and all of a sudden, they turn into a different person. I’ve got a lucky angel here. I don’t know what’s going on, but she’s fantastic.”

3 He Can Do More Than Act

Don’t think that Justin Hartley is just another pretty face on the television screen. As a matter of fact, he’s very multi-talented, but you just don’t hear much about his other skills because he’s very modest about his work. Sure, many fans know and love him for his television roles, but he often works behind the scenes, too.

According to reports, Justin wrote an episode for Smallville in 2010 and came back to direct another episode in 2011. If that weren’t enough, he’s also currently producing and starring in a comedy that’s called Another Time. With so many projects in the pipeline, we’re surprised that he still manages to find time for his family and of course, his daughter Isabella. The man has been keeping busy! But that’s a good thing, right?

2 Will He Have More Kids?

Justin Hartley has admitted time and time again that he loves fatherhood. Even though he’s had several roles in the past, this one is by far his favorite one yet. There’s nothing better in this world than when he gets to spend quality time with his daughter Isabella. He knows that she’s growing fast and that’s why he wants to enjoy every moment he has with her.

But now that he’s given marriage a second try with his current wife Chrishell, will he have another child again? I mean, he is in his prime right now. And both Justin and Chrishell are absolutely crazy about one another. It’s without a doubt that his fans would love to see a little mini Justin Hartley come along in the future, right?

1 The Older He Gets, The Better He Looks

Some people might call this opinion, but I’m just going to call this a fact: Justin Hartley is one television actor that gets hotter each year he gets older. And hey, you really can’t say that about everyone, right? Just by looking at some of his photos from the past, you can tell that Justin is like a fine wine. The older he gets, the better looking he becomes. And yes, we can’t stop staring at all of his pictures, either!

We have no doubt in our minds that bigger things are in store for Justin and his future. This year might have been one of the best ones of his life, but he’s only getting started. He’s got the good looks, he’s got the talent, and he certainly has the determination. Watch this space here.

Sources: people.com, thetalko.com, brainyquotes.com