Jon Huertas Explains Why ‘This Is Us’ Fans Should Be Team Miguel

Jon Huertas knows This is Us fans haven’t warmed up to his character Miguel yet. But the former Castle star says viewers will soon learn more about the man who seemingly broke the Bro Code when he went and married the wife of his dead best friend. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Huertas said Miguel never had romantic feelings toward his best friend Jack Pearson’s (Milo Ventimiglia) wife Rebecca (Mandy Moore) back in the day.

“Miguel has never had feelings for Rebecca in that way in the past,” Jon Huertas assured THR.

“Miguel is not jealous or envious of Jack having Rebecca, he’s envious of what they have because he doesn’t have that with [his wife] Shelly. He loves Jack more than anyone…Miguel knows what Rebecca has done to improve Jack’s life and his being. He would never have feelings for Rebecca like that in the past.”

While it sounds like Jon Huertas is ruling out the possibility that his character had an affair with his best friend’s wife, he completely understands why This Is Us viewers haven’t shown him any love yet. This Is Us fans may recall that in the second episode of the series, Miguel warned Jack he had married way out of his league, and he even complimented Rebecca’s “great personality and “greater a**.”

Jon Huertas went on to give a few more details about his still-mysterious This Is Us character, noting that Miguel’s kids are about five years older than the Pearsons’ triplets, which is why he gives his pal parenting advice. But while Miguel and Jack are besties, Jon Huertas says their differences are what they admire most about one another.

“Miguel is a bit more of an ambitious type,” Jon explained.

“He wants to climb the ladder of success and he wants to bring his friend along with him. He got Jack the job at the construction company. He got him the promotion that helped him provide more for his kids. What Miguel envies about Jack is how romantic he is. The relationship that Jack and Rebecca have carved out for each other. As much as they love each other, Miguel doesn’t have that with Shelly and Miguel wishes he did.”

While Jon Huertas says he wants This Is Us fans to be Team Miguel, that’s a pretty tall order after seeing Jack’s romantic scenes on the NBC series. Still, even the Pearson patriarch himself, Milo Ventimiglia, predicts viewers will have a change of heart about Miguel by the time the next episode rolls to the credits.

“If after episode 15, you don’t love Miguel or understand him or give him a chance, you might just be an unhappy person in general,” Ventimiglia told reporters at a recent This Is Us screening for Television Critics Association members, according to TV Guide.

This Is Us fans were blindsided when they found out that Ventimiglia’s character was no longer married to Rebecca in the present day and that his best friend Miguel was her current husband. Moore told reporters that viewers “just assume that Miguel slithered his way in,” but she says that isn’t the case. The actress told Vulture that people hate Jon Huertas’ character and it makes her feel bad for her co-star.

‘This Is Us’ episode 6 spoilers: Did Rebecca cheat with Miguel?https://t.co/ORNNRMID84 #ThisIsUs pic.twitter.com/VQU6PQmzGe

— Kristin Dian Mariano (@itskristindm) November 1, 2016

“Poor Jon! People hate Miguel,” she said of Huertas.

“I’m like, Just wait, wait. There’s so much story to unfold. I don’t know if people will necessarily have that reaction once things are revealed.”

Moore told Us Weekly she loves working with her second TV husband, so it sounds like at least she is on his team.

“I’m obsessed with Jon Huertas — we all are,” she said. “And he is such a good sport about the fact that people are so down on him…. I know, in particular, in episode 15, for me, I walked away from the script going, ‘If people aren’t in love with Miguel at this point…'”

No matter how this storyline plays out, Jon Huertas’ Miguel will have to step up a lot to fill “perfect husband” Jack Pearson’s shoes.

You can see Jon Huertas on This Is Us Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

[Featured Image by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Festival of Arts / Pageant of the Masters]