For Nathan Fillion family is everything. The actor – who enjoyed a happy childhood in Edmonton, Canada – is extremely close to his parents, not to mention his older brother Jeff.
Speaking to Oprah.com in 2009, Nathan, 53, was asked about his greatest inspiration, and his response was truly heartwarming. “You know, I endeavor to be more like my older brother,” noted the star. “He’s very magnetic. He’s actually very much like [Richard] Castle in that people are attracted to him, and just want to be near him. You want to know where my brother is in a crowded room? He’s the guy with the crowd around him. He’s incredibly talented, incredibly patient, incredibly kind and people just like him.”
The Fillion brothers couldn’t be more supportive of each other and Jeff has even accompanied Nathan to several high-profile events, including Entertainment Weekly’s Comic-Con Celebration in 2012 and the People’s Choice Awards in 2013.
Chatting to The TV Addict in 2009, Nathan – who was starring in Castle at the time – was asked if he ever kept an eye on his show’s ratings. “I’ve got a dedicated team of people that scour the internet for information such as this,” quipped the actor. “They’re known as my family; My brother, mother and father. They are my team, my Google alert if you will.”
While Nathan is notoriously private about his personal life, the A-lister has made a point of celebrating Jeff on special holidays. Posting a throwback photo of his brother in April 2020, Nathan wrote: “I’m a little late, but in honor of Canada’s National Sibling Day, I’d like to introduce my brother, Jeff. To say he has influenced me is an understatement.
“To say I admire him is an understatement. To say he has an unusual number of nicknames for me is an understatement. I cannot say enough about how proud I am of what he’s accomplished. Thank you, Jeff. I endeavor to be more like you all the time.”
Nathan has also celebrated Jeff’s role as a doting dad, and regularly posts about him on Father’s Day.
“This is my dad and my brother,” Nathan captioned a photo in 2022. “While I am the spitting image of my dad, my brother is a clone of my dad’s dad. Clearly, the blood runs strong through Fillion veins. We all act alike, we all laugh alike, and we all sound alike.
“We don’t choose our family, but if we could, I would choose them. Of all the influences in my life, these men have influenced me the most, and I couldn’t be more proud. Happy Father’s Day, you guys – and thanks for always being there for me.”
