Nathan Fillion spills on Guy Gardner's big Lanterns return
Nathan Fillion finally got to prove to his friends he's in HBO's Lanterns, with his character Guy Gardner making his first appearance in the show's sixth episode, per Variety.
In the episode, set in 2026, Gardner is revealed as the active Green Lantern after John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) permanently hangs up his power ring. The character, sporting his classic bowl haircut, enters the story when he bails John out of jail after receiving a distress call.
Fillion told Variety that wearing the ring is more crucial to Gardner's ego and sense of identity than it was for his predecessors. The actor explained that Gardner is a very public figure who is keenly aware of branding and even has corporate sponsorships, like a cardboard cutout for Electro Punch in a grocery store.
He's also a guy who feels he's owed the spotlight. Fillion told TheWrap that Gardner's mindset is, "Yeah, finally. I deserve this. What took you so long?" The actor added that Gardner sees Hal and John's past troubles as damaging to the Green Lantern brand, which he takes personally because he has financial goals, like opening a bar.
Fillion described Gardner as narcissistic and egotistical, but not hateful. He said the key is playing someone you can have fun disliking. Despite appearing in tonally different projects like the family-friendly Superman movie and the gritty Lanterns, Fillion said the character remains consistent. He likened it to being the same person spending a weekend in two very different cities.
When asked about the character's signature hairstyle, Fillion admitted the updated bowl cut wig for the series looks so good that people stopped commenting on it after the first time.
