Nathan Fillion Net Worth

What is Nathan Fillion's Net Worth and Salary?

Nathan Fillion is a Canadian-born actor and producer who has a net worth of $20 million. Nathan Fillion is best known for starring as Richard Castle on the ABC series "Castle" from 2009 to 2016, a role that earned him $100,000 per episode. Fillion also built a dedicated fan base playing Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds on Fox's "Firefly" and later reprised the character in the 2005 film "Serenity." Since 2018, he has starred as John Nolan on the ABC series "The Rookie." Over his career, he has accumulated more than 90 acting credits, including the films "Slither," "Waitress," and "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters," as well as the TV series "One Life to Live," "Two Guys and a Girl," "Desperate Housewives," and "Modern Family."

Fillion starred as Captain Hammer in the cult-favorite web series "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog," and he has served as a producer on "Castle," "The Rookie," the short film "Uncharted: Live Action Fan Film," and the web series "Con Man." His voice work includes roles in "King of the Hill," "Big Mouth," "Monsters University," "Cars 3," and numerous DC animated films in which he portrayed Hal Jordan / Green Lantern.

Early Life

Nathan Fillion was born Nathan Christopher Fillion on March 27, 1971, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. His parents, June (better known as "Cookie") and Bob, were both English teachers, and Nathan's older brother, Jeff, also became a teacher. Fillion grew up in the Mill Woods neighborhood in Edmonton and studied at Holy Trinity Catholic High School. After graduation, he attended Concordia University College of Alberta and the University of Alberta, where he joined the Kappa Alpha Society.

Career

Fillion made his TV debut in the 1993 Canadian film "Ordeal in the Arctic," and the following year, he moved to New York City, appeared in "Strange and Rich," and landed the role of Joey Riley Buchanan on the soap opera "One Life to Live." He remained with the series until 1997 and later returned for two guest episodes in 2007. After relocating to Los Angeles, he was cast as Johnny Donnelly on the ABC sitcom "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place" (later known as "Two Guys and a Girl") in 1998, appearing in 60 episodes. Around this time, he also played Pvt. James Frederick "Minnesota" Ryan in "Saving Private Ryan" and booked guest roles on "The Outer Limits" and "Pasadena." In 2002, he began starring as Captain Malcolm Reynolds on Joss Whedon's "Firefly," one of the most beloved single-season series in modern television. He reunited with Whedon to appear in the final episodes of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in 2003 and later in the viral hit "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" in 2008.

During the mid-2000s, Fillion continued to work steadily in film and television. He earned critical attention for the 2005 feature adaptation "Serenity," then appeared in the horror film "Slither" and the indie hit "Waitress." He recurred on "Miss Match," guest-starred on "Lost," and headlined the short-lived Fox drama "Drive." From 2007 to 2008, he played Dr. Adam Mayfair on "Desperate Housewives," earning a SAG Award nomination as part of the ensemble cast.

Fillion reached a new career peak in 2009 when he began his eight-season run as mystery novelist Richard Castle on the ABC series "Castle." The show aired 173 episodes, generated spinoff novels and graphic novels, and became one of the most popular procedural dramas of its era. During this period, he also voiced Hal Jordan / Green Lantern in several DC animated films, including "Green Lantern: Emerald Knights," "Justice League: Doom," "The Flashpoint Paradox," "Throne of Atlantis," "The Death of Superman," and "Reign of the Supermen." His film work included playing Hermes in "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters" and a cameo voice role in Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy."

Between 2014 and 2018, Fillion appeared on "Community," "The Big Bang Theory," "Drunk History," and "Kroll Show," and he recurred as weatherman Rainer Shine on "Modern Family," Gary West on "Santa Clarita Diet," and Jacques Snicket on Netflix's "A Series of Unfortunate Events."

In 2018, he returned to network television as the lead of ABC's "The Rookie," playing LAPD officer John Nolan. The series became a reliable performer for the network, and Fillion also stepped into an executive producer role. His work continued outside of live-action projects as well, including voice roles in "Monsters at Work" and other animated titles.

Beginning in 2020, Fillion entered a new chapter of his career with a mix of blockbuster films, voice work, and franchise expansion. In 2021, he appeared as T.D.K. in James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad," a comedic, detachable-limb antihero written specifically for him. He also voiced Wonder Man in the animated series "M.O.D.O.K." and continued adding film, streaming, and audiobook projects to his résumé. In 2023, DC Studios cast him as Guy Gardner, one of the lead Green Lanterns, in the 2025 film "Superman," positioning him for an ongoing role in the new DC Universe. He is also expected to appear in the upcoming series "Lanterns," further solidifying his place in a major superhero franchise.

Throughout this period, Fillion has remained active in fan-driven projects, conventions, gaming crossovers, and collaborative ventures with longtime colleagues, particularly those from the Whedon and James Gunn creative circles.

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Podcast

In 2025, Fillion expanded into audio storytelling with the launch of a podcast titled "Once, We Were Spacemen," created in partnership with longtime friend and frequent collaborator Alan Tudyk. The project draws on their shared history on "Firefly" but is not limited to that universe. Instead, the podcast features conversations with actors, filmmakers, writers, and industry friends about creativity, fandom, genre storytelling, and the often chaotic world behind science-fiction and fantasy productions. The tone is casual and deeply conversational, giving Fillion and Tudyk space to share personal anecdotes, revisit memorable career moments, and spotlight lesser-known stories from sets, auditions, conventions, and fan interactions. Designed as a hybrid of nostalgia and industry insight, the podcast quickly developed a following among sci-fi fans and longtime supporters of both actors.

Philanthropy

In 2007, Nathan co-founded Kids Need to Read with author PJ Haarsma. The non-profit organization is dedicated to providing underfunded libraries with books, and initially, money was raised through online auctions of autographed memorabilia from "Firefly" and "Serenity." Fillion is also a supporter of Charity: Water and has raised more than $600,000 for the organization. Nathan became an American citizen in 1997, and he is a comic book collector and video game fan.

Awards and Nominations

In 2003, the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films honored Fillion with the Cinescape Genre Face of the Future Award for "Firefly," and he was named Best Actor at the 2005 SFX Awards for "Serenity." "Waitress" earned him a Feature Film Award for Acting at the 2007 Newport Beach Film Festival, and he has received four TV Guide Awards for "Castle," winning Favorite Actor in 2014 and sharing a Favorite Couple Who Should award and two Favorite TV Couple awards with Stana Katic. Nathan has earned four People's Choice Awards for "Castle" as well: Favorite TV Drama Actor in 2012 and 2013, and Favorite Crime Drama TV Actor in 2015 and 2016.

The "Justice League: Doom" cast won two Behind the Voice Actors Awards for Best Vocal Ensemble in a TV Special/Direct-to-DVD Title or Short in 2013, taking home both the People's Choice Voice Acting Award and the Special/DVD Voice Acting Award. Fillion has also earned nominations from the Daytime Emmy Awards ("One Life to Live"), Empire Awards ("Serenity"), "Fangoria" Chainsaw Awards ("Slither"), Fright Meter Awards ("White Noise 2: The Light"), Golden Schmoes Awards ("Serenity"), NAVGTR Awards ("Halo 3: ODST" and "Destiny 2"), Online Film Critics Society Awards ("Serenity"), Satellite Awards ("Castle"), Soap Opera Digest Awards ("One Life to Live "), Teen Choice Awards ("Castle"), and The Streamy Awards ("Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" and "PG Porn").

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