Nathan Fillion is a man of many talents. From lending his voice to video games to appearing in dozens of TV shows and movies over the last thirty years and even web series and podcasts, his extensive career knows no bounds. Recently, it was announced that he would be joining the cast of the upcoming film Superman: Legacy, expected to release in 2025, but he's no stranger to the character and the world of DC.
If you've enjoyed the animated Justice League series, you'll likely know him as the voice behind a certain green superhero. But he's portrayed many characters you may not be aware were him, including Sterling in Cars 3 and Johnny Worthington in Monsters University. If you're not a Disney fan, however, you may be more familiar with his work in TV shows such as 2002s Firefly and the newer police procedural, The Rookie. But given that his career is so expansive, you're sure to find something you like.
10 Master Karja in 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3' (2023)
By now, we’ve all seen Nathan’s short, albeit memorable, performance in the latest installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. The definition of “short and sweet” he well and truly left his mark on the movie. Although technically not his first appearance in the franchise courtesy of an unrecognizable role in the first, it’s certainly his most significant.
In the movie, he cameos as an orgosentry named Master Karja, a security guard of sorts working at Orgocorp. He’s comedic, charming, goofy, and can’t stand his team member, but it makes his performance, however short, a worthy addition to the movie.
9 James Frederick "Minnesota" Ryan in 'Saving Private Ryan' (1998)
A war movie everybody should see at least once, Saving Private Ryan has been dubbed one of the most accurate depictions of war in film ever. It’s graphic, ruthless, and does anything but hold back in its violence. But its realism and stellar performances are precisely what makes it great.
Many of you were possibly unaware, but one of those famous faces amongst its A-List cast is none other than Nathan Fillion. He makes a brief cameo within, but the sheer raw emotion he packed into a three-minute scene was nothing short of phenomenal.
8 Bill Pardy in 'Slither' (2006)
With sci-fi, comedy, and horror all mixed into one, Slither is one for a wide range of movie lovers. Nowadays, it's a cult classic with a following who praise its plot and ability to entertain fans even to this day, but at the time, it financially flopped.
While Nathan is no stranger to working with DC, he's also got a fair amount of history working with the new face of the DCEU, James Gunn. He starred in this 2006 feature from the famous director as one of his earliest films.
7 Johnny Donnelly in ‘Two Guys and A Girl’ (1998-2001)
Bringing in the new millennium was a little American sitcom by the name of Two Guys and A Girl, AKA, Two Guys, A Girl, and A Pizza Place for seasons one and two. It did exceedingly well during its run, growing in popularity from season two onwards.
Starring alongside Nathan Fillion’s Johnny Donnelly included Ryan Reynolds as Berg, Richard Ruccolo as Peter Dunville, and Traylor Howard as Sharon Carter Donnelly, Johnny’s wife. The four-season series aired from 1998 until 2001, but following a bump to what’s dubbed a Friday night death slot, the show was canceled.
6 Hal Jordan/Green Lantern in the 'Justice League' Animated Film Series (2011-2019)
Nathan has played Hal Jordan/Green Lantern for twelve years, appearing in the Justice League animated movie series as the character across its six installments between 2011 and 2019.
Consisting of Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, Justice League: Doom, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, The Death of Superman, and Reign of the Superman, the six movies have done incredibly well among fans and critics.
5 Jacques Snicket in ‘A Series Of Unfortunate Events’ (2017-2019)
Made for Netflix in 2017, this mysterious addition to Nathan Fillion’s filmography was a hit when it was released. It stars Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Warburton, Louis Hynes, Malina Weissman, and more in main roles, and Cobie Smulders, Will Arnet, and more alongside Nathan in its recurring.
The show ran for three seasons, introducing viewers to the lives of three kids, whose world is turned upside down when their parents are killed in a suspicious home fire. Based on the book series by the real Lemony Snicket, you’re bound to get hooked from the moment you start.
4 John Nolan In 'The Rookie' (2018-Present)
Have you ever been a newbie? Not having any clue what you’re doing and feeling unsure, overwhelmed, or even like you’re destined to fail? Surely, we’ve all felt something like that when we start somewhere new for the first time? Now imagine being a 40-year-old police rookie and amp that feeling up by ten.
For John Nolan (Fillion), that’s exactly what happened when he joined the team at the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) as the oldest rookie on the job. Amazingly, this TV series is based on the real-life John Nolan, William Norcross, who did just that.
3 Nathan Drake in the 'Uncharted Live Action Fan Film'
Nathan Drake is one of those characters that every gaming fan knows, an iconic person from one of the most iconic games ever to release on the PlayStation. The Uncharted games are beloved by millions around the world, and in 2018, we saw him and his treasure-hunting world come to life when Fillion produced and starred in a live-action fan film.
The short film may only be fifteen minutes long, but to some, those mere fifteen minutes were better than its feature-length counterpart last year. Both are impressive, but the cinematography, location, action scenes, plot, and trueness to the source material were everything we Uncharted fans wanted and more.
2 Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds In 'Firefly'
Firefly may only consist of one season, but to those who saw it and loved it, it became a beloved show that many believe was canceled too soon. Fast-forward twenty years, and the show remains a short-lived star in the pop culture universe even two decades after it was axed.
Nathan stars in the lead role, even reprising the character in the 2005 film Serenity, which Joss Whedon also directed. Following its modern success, Fillion went on to appear as himself in an episode of The Big Bang Theory, recognized by Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) for his work on the show.
1 Richard Castle in “Castle’ (2009-2016)
Castle is a popular police procedural with a twist. Airing on ABC for eight seasons, it serves as Nathan’s longest-running television series. The show has a total of 173 episodes, of which he appeared in all as a consistent part of the series throughout its duration.
Nathan plays Richard Castle, a cocky and witty writer of the dark and mysterious. While he may not work for the police department as a cop, he shadows the officers of the NYPD, helping them with their cases and working on hand within the department and sometimes in the field. It is one of his highest-rated and most praised roles.