Nathan Fillion, an actor with a long history of voicing Green Lantern in animated projects, is set to make his live-action debut as Guy Gardner in the upcoming film Superman. This role continues a nearly 25-year association with the DC hero, which Fillion acknowledges is a deliberate nod to fans who have followed his career.
Fillion’s journey with the Green Lantern Corps began in 2011 when he voiced Hal Jordan in the animated movie Emerald Knights. He reprised the role in numerous DC animated features, including Justice League: Doom, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, The Death of Superman, and specials for Robot Chicken. “The people who are making it, [are] giving a sly nod to the audience,” Fillion said. “‘If you know, it’s an inside joke.'”
The actor first learned of his live-action casting from DC Studios co-head Peter Safran and director James Gunn at the afterparty for Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3. In Superman, Fillion portrays Guy Gardner, a notoriously pompous and flawed hero, as a member of the Justice Gang, a team backed by billionaire Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn) and featuring Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi).
True to the comics, Fillion’s Gardner sports an unforgettable bowl cut. The actor was a firm advocate for the look, despite behind-the-scenes debate. “It started with something that looked very much like He-Man,” he explained, before the team settled on the canonical hairstyle. “My opinion was, this is canon. If you don’t do it, you’re going to hear about it.”
Fillion describes the character as a comedic goldmine. “Guy Gardner is about 98 percent flawed,” he stated. “I always felt it was difficult to make people laugh, but it’s easy to let people laugh at you.”
Following his appearance in Superman, Fillion will reprise the role in the upcoming HBO series Lanterns. The show will see him alongside Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as new recruit John Stewart. Fillion teased a more mature take on his character for the series, noting, “I’ve dropped more f-bombs in that project than I have in, I think, my entire career put together.”
He praised his co-stars, describing Pierre as “statuesque, like he’s carved out of marble” and noting the compelling dynamic between the smug Guy Gardner and Pierre’s strong, serious John Stewart.
While the full scope of Guy Gardner’s future in the DCU remains under wraps, Fillion’s journey may come full circle. Gunn has stated that actors in his DCU will voice their characters in related animated projects, potentially returning Fillion to the voice booth, this time as Guy Gardner.
“There’s been a bunch of people now who have played Hal Jordan,” Fillion reflected. “But I’m the first live-action Guy Gardner. If there’s to be another, I’ll still be the first. So I think I’m in a great spot.”
