By Christina Radish

Nathan Fillion at the "Entertainment Tonight" Emmy Awards party held at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Calif. on September 21, 2008.

Nathan Fillion, best known to audiences as Captain Malcolm Reynolds on the Joss Whedon television series Firefly, spoke to MediaBlvd Magazine about playing the charming, charismatic Castle.

MediaBlvd Magazine> This guy seems to like the ladies. What is that like to play?

Nathan Fillion> A lot of times, actors fall into a trap where they see in a script that a guy is supposed to be really charming and they think sleazy. That’s not what charming is. Charming is, “I’m interesting and interested,” but moreso the latter. They’re not there to bug you. They’re not contentious, in any way. You don’t feel that you have to fear them. You don’t feel like they’re too much. They’re just happy and glad to be there. That’s charming. And, that’s Castle. He’s having a good time, all the time. People are attracted to a good time, and that’s what Castle has, in spades. He’s not a pick-up line guy. He’s just honest and in the moment. That’s his strength. He says whatever occurs to him. He doesn’t have a filter that says, “Maybe I ought not to say that.” He’s just honest and frank.

MediaBlvd> What do you think it is about you that attracts you to playing roles opposite such strong female characters?

Nathan> I think it’s the same thing that attracts an audience to that kind of story. I don’t think anybody wants to watch a terribly weak character. Characters are flawed, and that makes them interesting. It also makes us invest. The same thing that makes an audience want to watch it, makes me want to play it.                             

MediaBlvd> Having had some personal interest directed at you, as a public figure, are you bringing any of that experience to playing Castle, who’s a public figure?

Nathan> Certainly, I know what it’s like to be up in front of a bunch of people and talk to them and do panels. It’s old hat. It’s on my resume now. It’s a piece of cake for a guy like Castle, and it’s a piece of cake for a guy like me.            

MediaBlvd> Celebrity gives Castle access. Have you found that at all, in your own life?

Nathan> Yes. I don’t have to wait in line at the DMV. That’s a big thing.

MediaBlvd> Can you talk about Castle’s relationship with his daughter (played by Molly Quinn) on the show?

Nathan> I was fortunate enough to be able to sit in on a lot of the auditions, for a lot of the characters on the show, and all you want is for someone to walk in, grab the room and knock the part out of the park. Stana did that. With Molly, I was very surprised. She was 14, at the time. She is so present. She connects with you. She is not shy. She’s not putting on a version of herself, or acting the way she thinks you want her to act. When you meet Molly, you’re meeting Molly. She really was exactly what we were looking for. She was phenomenal. When she walked out of the room, they were on the phone saying, “She’s got the part. Make the deal. Sign it. Go.” It was a done deal. She’s beyond her years. She’s so clever.

MediaBlvd> Do you feel like you’re the next Angela Lansbury?

Nathan> That’s what I like to say, but they hate it when I say that. Maybe if Angela Lansbury was more manly.

MediaBlvd> Are you a reader?

Nathan> love to read. I’m not a fast reader. I can read as fast as I can put it together and play the movie out in my head. I was a huge fan of the Harry Potter novels. I went back and re-read all of the Lord of the Rings, right before the movies started coming out. I wanted it to be fresh. I read mostly fiction.

MediaBlvd> Are you a fan of detective novels?

Nathan> As soon as I got the part, I started getting into them.

MediaBlvd> Do you find yourself figuring them out as you go, or do you just read them for the pure pleasure of it?

Nathan> I’m certainly reading them for the pleasure. Something that Robert Parker has done very well is his attention to detail. That’s also one of Castle’s strengths. He pays very close attention. He is a spoiled brat. He does his own thing. He’s in his own world, but he’s a clever guy.

MediaBlvd> Anything recent?

Nathan> I like Clive Cussler, Robert Parker and James Patterson. I like to be transported to those periods of time. I like escaping.

MediaBlvd> Besides reading mystery books, did you do any research into your character, like ride-alongs with cops or meeting mystery novelists?

Nathan> Sure. They had a couple of wonderful detectives on set, when we were filming in New York. The stories of where they go and what they have to go through, and how you can trick a guy into saying something was fascinating. The stuff that they can do is phenomenal. But, I didn’t sit down with any authors.    

MediaBlvd> Are you doing any physical prep for this role?

Nathan> No. I work 14 hours a day. I have zero time for the gym. I’m trying, right now, to get up early, just to go for a little jog in the morning, to try to get some exercise in ‘cause I’m feeling a little lethargic. Not that I’m missing out on life experience, but it’s really long hours.

MediaBlvd> What was it about this project that made you want to take on the lead role?

Nathan> I spent some time on Desperate Housewives, and they were a lovely group of really nice people. I made a lot of friends. They were very kind to me. But, I spent a lot of time sitting around in a living room, saying “Uh-huh. Yes. That’s right. Well, I’ll back you up on that.” I’m an actor. I have that wonderful job, where every day can be an adventure for me. That’s what Castle is. Every day of his life is a field trip. He’s a child inside. I’m more of a child on the outside. My advantage is that I look grown-up. So, I wanted to have fun, every day, and this how has that, in spades.

MediaBlvd> Are you at all nervous about carrying a show?

Nathan> There’s a little bit of the insecure actor inside of me. Having the title character means I probably won’t get killed off, in the second season.                    

MediaBlvd> Why do you think the whole “will they, or won’t they” theme is so popular and relatable with viewers?

Nathan> I’m not sure. People seem to like it. There’s a trap that a lot of actresses can fall into, as far as playing a predominantly male-dominated role, like a police officer, because they really try to play a man. And, one of Stana’s strengths is that she plays a woman who is a tough cop. She’s a good cop. She’s no-nonsense. She’s as serious as a heart attack about solving crime. But, she’s a woman. So, you have a man and a woman, and these things happen. That’s real life. You have two attractive people who are working closely together, who are almost diametrically opposed, like polar opposites of a magnet that seems to attract.

MediaBlvd> Did Desperate Housewives introduce you to a very different audience?

Nathan> It certainly did. I actually thought it would be just ladies, ladies, ladies. And, I was actually at a Kentucky Fried Chicken one time, picking up some popcorn chicken, and there was a fella next to me. He was about 6'4", big as a brick house, with a baseball cap. He was kinda greasy with a handlebar mustache. He leaned over to me sideways and whispered, “You’re that fella on Desperate Housewives, right?” I said, “Yeah, that’s me.” He said, “I don’t want anybody to know I watch it, but my wife got me started on it, and now I can’t stop.” I was very interested to know that they’ve got a wide, diversified audience.                                                   

MediaBlvd> You were very underutilized on Desperate Housewives. Is that a common complaint among the guys on that show?

Nathan> I don’t think anyone’s complaining over there. Everybody’s well-treated and having a good time, and doing what they love. They’re all actors, actually acting. But, it’s a show called Desperate Housewives. It’s about the housewives.

MediaBlvd> When you joined that show, were you led to believe there would be more for your character?

Nathan> Absolutely. But, I’m not complaining. They didn’t kill off my character. He got a real beating, but he didn’t die. I’m always willing to go back. Dana Delany is a lovely lady. I’ve worked with her many times. She’s good friend of mine. And, Marc Cherry has been very kind to me. I’m always willing to go back, if I have the time.

MediaBlvd> Did you ask to be written out?

Nathan> No. In the beginning, that was the deal. I just signed on for the one season, and I was happy with that. I’ll take what I can get.

MediaBlvd> You have a big sci-fi fan following. Do you think those fans will follow you to this show, considering it’s a different genre?

Nathan> Absolutely, yeah. They better! I’d like to think that I’ve come to count on them, and rely on them. They’ve always been very kind to me. I don’t see any reason they should stop now. We’re going to have a lot of fun on this show. What drew me to this show is the humor and the light side of it. They’ve been very kind, in letting me play and throw in bits and pieces, here and there. I think that people who have seen my work before will enjoy it.           

MediaBlvd> Have you had any weird encounters, in filming this show, with your sci-fi fans or people recognizing you?

Nathan> We’ve had that once or twice. My sci-fi fans have been really great. They’re always very polite. They’re kind of Canadian, in that way. They’ll be like, “Excuse me, I hate to bother you while you’re filming, but I’m a big fan”

MediaBlvd> Any talk of doing a Dr. Horrible sequel, in the near future?

Nathan> There is talk about a Dr. Horrible sequel. But, Joss Whedon is busy with Dollhouse right now, and I’m a little bit busy with Castle right now, so it won’t be in the near future.

MediaBlvd> Were you actually paid for doing Dr. Horrible?

Nathan> Not up front, no. What we did was that we all own a piece of it. It’s this wonderful, new idea where there were no producers involved, deciding who gets what, and taking a huge chunk for themselves. We all own a piece. The contract was half a page, and it was the sweetest contract I’ve ever signed.

MediaBlvd> What was the appeal of doing that, as an actor?

Nathan> A) It’s a Joss Whedon project. B) I finally get a piece of one of his musicals. They call them Whedonverse trifectas. If you’ve done three projects with Joss Whedon, you’re a trifecta. Well, I was up to four, and a musical was the only one I had left to do. I had wanted to do a musical, and that was my chance.

MediaBlvd> Do you still have fans of Firefly, wondering if there will ever be another movie?

Nathan> Constantly! I love that character. It’s the best job I’ve ever had. It was fantastic! But, nothing is on the horizon yet.                

MediaBlvd> Can you talk about your role as Steve Trevor, in the animated Wonder Woman?

Nathan> I had a good time doing that. I’ve done some voice work with those people before. They’re very friendly and very kind, and it was another opportunity to work on the same project as Keri Russell.

MediaBlvd> Do you still get recognized for One Life to Live?

Nathan> Absolutely! Depending on the age, I say, “You should have been in school, at that point in time.”

MediaBlvd> What made you decide to go back to the show for Ace’s funeral? Did your people say, “No, don’t do it!”?

Nathan> Nobody said, “Don’t do it.” A lot of my friends on the show said, “We can’t believe you came back!” The fact of the matter is, that was my first job on television, here in the United States. Those people took very, very good care of me. I’ve heard that other people on other shows haven’t had a similar experience to mine. It was tragic or terrible or nerve-wracking. But, those people were very nurturing. I was going to be a high school teacher, and I got thrust into that job. I fell backwards into it. I won the lottery. Those people are all very near and dear to my heart, so I would do anything for them.

MediaBlvd> Do you write?

Nathan> I’ve written. I actually wrote a pilot for ABC, this past year, that didn’t get picked up. We ended up doing Castle instead.

MediaBlvd> How difficult is it for you to write?

Nathan> The first pilot just came to me, a little bit in a dream and a little bit with a private joke between Alan Tudyk and I. He’s a good friend of mine from Firefly. And, I wrote the show to be a buddy comedy, with the two of us playing brothers. Writing the one episode was fine. As it got closer and closer, and ABC actually bought it, we started talking about doing a series and the pressure started hitting me, as far as being responsible for having a great script and great ideas, every week. That’s a lot of responsibility and pressure that I don’t think I’m built for.