‘Superman’ star Nathan Fillion staunchly defends his character’s extreme hairstyle: ‘I was team bowl cut the whole way’

By Dan Heching, CNN

(CNN) — Chances are you’ve seen the promos for the new “Superman” movie and wondered, “What the heck is going on with Nathan Fillion’s hair?!”

The “Rookie” actor is featured in the new DC Studios extravaganza as Guy Gardner, one of the comic book characters who is elected to a position of intergalactic law enforcer known as a Green Lantern (yes – like the Green Lantern that Ryan Reynolds portrayed in the 2011 film). In the new “Superman” movie, just as in the pages of the comics, Guy rocks a severe bowl cut, complete with a mop of blondish bangs.

Fillion was on hand at the “Superman” premiere in Hollywood earlier this week, where he was quick to defend the very unique (for a grown man, and definitely a superhero, at least) haircut, which some might feel doesn’t translate seamlessly from page to screen.

Reminding us that the hairstyle is “canon” to the original comics, Fillion told CNN, “I don’t think you can do a Guy Gardner without doing the hair. I think it would be a disservice.”

Adding that the look is “integral to the character,” Fillion pointed out that it even may clue viewers in to Gardner’s specific brand of bravado: “If you see a guy walking down the street with a bowl cut, that guy clearly doesn’t give a damn what you think about him. And that’s Guy Gardner.”

Indeed, Fillion’s Gardner is one of the many characters who provides brashness and comic levity to “Superman” – somehow he gets by throughout the entire film with only Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) making one (much-needed) crack about his coif.

“I embrace the bowl cut,” he also said this week. “There was some talk about trying different hairstyles, and I was team bowl cut the whole way.”

And while the haircut didn’t pose too much of a problem for Fillion on the set of the new tentpole, something else about portraying the Green Lantern did prove challenging.

“Flying is so fun to watch, it’s fun to do, but the harnesses that you have to wear, they’re not built for comfort,” he shared. “They’re claustrophobic, they’re very constricting, they’re uncomfortable. I had a fist-sized purple bruise on my kidney from one.”

He added that the physical discomfort notwithstanding, he considers himself to be “very very picky about flight in film, so it was extremely important to me to get it right. That was a challenge.”

Fillion has worked repeatedly with “Superman” director James Gunn, ever since starring in Gunn’s gross-out horror comedy “Slither” in 2006.

Next year, Fillion will be reprise the role of Guy Gardner in a DC-based TV series titled “Lanterns,” costarring Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre and co-executive produced by Gunn.

“Superman” debuts in theaters on July 11. The film is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, which is owned by CNN’s parent company.

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