Superman star Nathan Fillion defends his character’s haircut after fan uproar on social media

Nathan Fillion, the Superman star, has defended his character’s iconic hairstyle in the movie after his look faced criticism from fans. The actor plays the DC Comics character Guy Gardner, a law enforcer who is also the Green Lantern, in the new Superman film, which was released on Friday, July 11, 2025. He plays the role of a superhero who derives powers from his sparkling green ring. Fillion wears a blonde bowl cut wig.

As various teasers and trailers were released ahead of the film’s release, viewers and fans have said that they don’t like this hairstyle. The “Rookie” actor, however, has now come out in defense of the haircut. He told CNN that the look is “canon” to the original character in the DC Comics. “I don’t think you can do a Guy Gardner without doing the hair. I think it would be a disservice,” he said.

“‘Ummm, Guy Gardner is meant to look dumb with the bowl cut,’ I don't care it still looks dumb,” one wrote in December 2024, according to Independent. While another wrote on X at the time: “Hyped for Nathan Fillion as a Lantern, but a bowl cut?” “Wtf happened to Green Lantern. Why is his haircut so ridiculous?” a third wrote in May.


Many people, however, agreed that the bowl cut was a big part of Fillion’s character. “Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern looks terrible in the exact way he should. Comic accurate,” one wrote on X in December 2024.

In an episode of HBO Max’s DC Studios Showcase Official Podcast in May 2025, Fillion said that the hairstyle of his character was discussed before the movie was filmed. He, however, ultimately pushed for Gardner to have the bowl cut.

“There was some talk about some different types of things we were going to go,” he said. “I was team bowl cut the whole way. It's canon. It's set. I said, ‘If we don't do a bowl cut, we're going to hear about it,’ he added.”