Nathan Fillion believes the attraction between his character and Keri Russell’s had to do with a connection the two felt that’s not easy to explain. “I think you can feel it when someone is attracted to you. There’s something in their actions; there’s something in their energy and what it gives off that says, ‘I like you more than maybe you realize or maybe I should.’ Whether subconsciously or not, I think people read that and feel that.
I think it’s part of when somebody likes you, even not in a romantic sense, but somebody truly likes you and cares for you and respects you, that’s what keeps you coming around and hanging out with that person. You have that sense, that feeling, on some level that they’re there for you. I think there’s certainly that going on with Jenna and Dr. Pomatter.”
Fillion also had a great time working with Hollywood legend Andy Griffith. “I thought I would be really star-struck by him,” admitted Fillion. “I thought it would be very nerve wracking, exciting and amazing and wonderful. It was amazing and wonderful but in a way I didn't expect, as far as hearing his voice is like listening to a family member. When you see him in front of you, you have a familiarity that I did not expect at all. He feels like family. Listening to him, I was like, ‘I completely trust you, everything you say. I believe everything you say.’ I'm nodding; I'm smiling. ‘Your voice soothes me.’ I feel very comfortable when he's talking to me and it's that familiarity.
All my life I've heard that voice. I know what that sounds like. I know what he looks like.”
After working on a flood of action films and TV shows, Waitress allowed Nathan Fillion the opportunity to return to playing more of a romantic lead. “There are people who say, ‘This is a real departure for you,’ because they’re only familiar with my last few projects whereas if you go back a little further, I was a romantic foil in a sitcom. Before that I spent three years on a soap opera and this movie screams soap opera – infidelity between a doctor and a patient.”
“Everything I do I try to ground in reality and if you’re on a spaceship, you’re still playing the reality of what that relationship is,” said Fillion. “If you’re in a speeding car, you’re still playing the reality of a relationship. So regardless of the backdrop and the setting, I just try to always be truthful. It’s fun. There are different challenges with every job, of course. I’m always having fun.”
Fillion’s happy with the path his career has taken and with his body of work. Explaining how he chooses his projects, Fillion said, “People talk to me as far as, ‘When you pick your projects…’ and I think they have an idea that there's like five scripts in front of me and I think, ‘You know what? I'm going to go with sci-fi.’ Really, that's not what's going on. Myself, I'm in a position, I'm sure later on in their careers when people are far more popular and box office draws, they can pick and choose as they please. But my experiences right now, not even so much for pocketbook for as what opportunities are coming my way, I'm right now at the stage in my career where I'm actually working a great deal with people that I've already worked with. I've built a reputation with these people working my way up and now I'm actually returning to people whose talent I know and respect and can work with them again.”