HitFix Interview: Adam Baldwin talks reuniting with Nathan Fillion on 'Castle'

Nearly a decade has passed since Adam Baldwin played the hero of Canton, the man they call Jayne on FOX's criminally short-lived "Firefly."

 

Since that time, Baldwin hasn't exactly been absent from the small screen. He was a regular on "The Inside" and "Day Break." He did guest appearances on shows including "Angel" and "Stargate SG-1." There was also that little five-season run as John Casey on "Chuck," one of the few shows capable of giving "Firefly" a run when it comes to pure cult dedication. 

 

But for all of those credits in the intervening years, there's still something instantly and specifically pleasing about seeing ABC press stills of Baldwin sharing the frame with Nathan Fillion on this Monday's (April 16) "Castle." 

 

In Monday's episode, titled "Headhunters," Baldwin plays a gritty detective named Ethan Slaughter. There aren't many actors who can get away with playing a character named Detective Slaughter, but with Baldwin, it seems only fitting. 

 

I chatted with Baldwin last week about reuniting with Fillion. I don't think you're going to be able to mistake the respect that exists between these two. 

 

HitFix: So how much of what drew you to this part was wanting to work with Nathan again and how much was just wanting to play a character named "Detective Slaughter"?

 

Adam Baldwin: Yeah. "Detective Slaughter"! I had thought that maybe we could call him "Captain Slaughter" so that the tables would be even more turned on Nathan and he would have to call me "Captain" in this show, but it didn't work out. So he's just Detective Ethan Slaughter. But the opportunity to play opposite Nathan again was one of the more thrilling ideas that had been thrown my way, because I miss him so much whenever I'm not around him, even though I've had the opportunity to work with great people. It's just that we had such a close family that was torn assunder back in '02 -- and of course then we got a little revival back in '04 with a little movie -- but just to be on-set with Nathan again and just have the laughs and the great professionalism and the good writing and the supporting cast was just a treat. It's the way every show should be.

 

For the full interview visit HitFix.