Nathan Fillion straddles the line between everyman and hunk — and he’s built a career out of it. He’s a natural in roles that require both charisma and a touch of self-awareness, whether he’s solving crimes, commanding a spaceship or enforcing the law.
In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.
Fillion played the wisecracking mystery novelist Richard Castle in ABC’s crime drama “Castle” and stars in ABC’s “The Rookie” as John Nolan, a forty-something who navigates his midlife crisis by joining the LAPD. Of course, to sci-fi fans, Fillion will always be Captain Mal Reynolds from “Firefly,” the short-lived but beloved space Western that has kept him a staple at comic conventions for over two decades. Though “Firefly” lasted just one season in 2002, its cult status has endured, cementing Fillion as a fan-favorite in the genre world.
Now he’s stepping into an even bigger universe: the DC Universe. Fillion plays the role of the Guy Gardner / Green Lantern (complete with the iconic bowl cut) in James Gunn’s “Superman,” a highly anticipated reboot hitting theaters on today.
“You got to be really lucky,” he says of his 30-year career. “It’s just not up to you whether or not you stay relevant and popular and on TV and in movies.”
Living close to the hills in Hollywood, Fillion’s ideal Sunday involves relaxing at home, catching up with his favorite people and some late-night gaming. Here’s how he’d spend a perfect day in the city.
7:30 a.m.: Greet my cat and make some art
I much prefer waking up to sunlight than an alarm. I like having open curtains so the sun comes in, I wake up and feel awake, whereas if an alarm goes off in the dark, I don’t. My cat doesn’t sleep in my room, but every morning when I wake up, he’s at the foot of my bed. This is Bowie. I named him Bowie because he has heterochromia: one blue eye, one gold. He’s massive, 25 pounds, a Norwegian Forest Cat and Turkish Angora. He’s great about not waking me up, which I appreciate. Then he follows me around while I make my coffee — creamy and sweet, like my cat. I’ll sit in my kitchen — I’ve got nothing but birds chirping and the sun’s coming in — doodling for hours if I’m allowed. I say “doodle” instead of “draw” because my work is abstract, just black ink on paper, but only with the right pen, ink and paper. It’s an ASMR thing.
9 a.m.: Eggs benny at Sweet Butter
I love eggs for breakfast. I will do a classic scramble and toast with a little bacon or some sausages. But if I really want to be treating myself, it’s eggs Benedict. There’s a place called Sweet Butter down on Ventura Boulevard, and they do a real nice eggs benny.
10 a.m.: A hike with a view (and a rainy day contingency plan)
After breakfast? A hike. I live close to the hills in Hollywood. You’re up there, you’re in nature, you’re seeing animals, you’re seeing the birds. You’re just out there, looking out over the city. It’s better for your body to move a little bit after you’ve got some food. If it’s a rainy day, all bets are off. You’ll find me at the IPIC Theaters because of their luxurious seats and their incredible food, seeing a matinee.
12 p.m.: Nothing beats a backyard hang
I love having friends over. I’ve got a really beautiful backyard. I just had some friends over and their three-year-old twins. We threw them in the pool, and we made pork ribs. We had an incredible salad with some roasted tomatoes. We made corn on the cob. It was perfect weather. We found some shade, and we just sat there for hours and ate and laughed. And that’s a fantastic way to spend a Sunday, with people that you don’t get to see very often. Los Angeles is a beautiful city, but it’s rather spread out and gathering can be a little bit difficult. So when people make the time, it’s really nice.
4 p.m.: Channel my inner Marie Kondo
My house has too much clutter, so lately I’ve been trying to pick out a room or a closet or a drawer, and I’m organizing everything and getting rid of anything I don’t use or don’t like. Just trying to declutter the house — that’s something I’ve been engaging in in the last month. Do I enjoy it? I don’t enjoy the process. I do enjoy the results. And also just the inventory, knowing what you have. Oh, I’ve got these. I don’t need to buy any more of these. I got five of them in the back here.
6 p.m.: Sushi and streaming
Sunday nights are for ordering in. There’s a pho place, a ramen place and Iroha Sushi, my favorite sushi in the city. And LALA’s Argentine Grill. And [Sunday nights are also] for binging television. And right now we just finished binging “From.” [Editor’s note: Fillion is notoriously private and didn’t state who “we” is.] Super scary, and we love being judgmental of the parenting done by the one couple that have their kids there with them. They really let their kids run around unsupervised in this horror town. Also “Invincible” and “Landman.” We’re making our way through those.
9 p.m.: Answer the “Call of Duty”
In the very late evening, I have a group of about 25 guys who have been playing Xbox Live together for about 20 years. We do “Destiny 2,” “Halo” and “Call of Duty.” Some different games get sprinkled in now and again, but it’s mostly just those top three. There’s a text thread, and you’ll just say, “Hey, I’m jumping on for about an hour.” Or sometimes we’ll play late into the evenings, and we catch up, we laugh, we chat and maybe twice a year, we gather. I say, “This is my last game because I’m getting tired,” and I just roll into bed and wait for the next Sunday.
