Nathan Fillion Reveals How ‘The Rookie’ Fame Helped Him Dodge a Speeding Ticket

Actor Nathan Fillion has shared a hilarious story about how his fame from The Rookie helped him escape a speeding ticket even though the police officer who pulled him over thought he was someone else entirely.

Speaking at San Diego Comic-Con on July 27, Fillion told PEOPLE that he was once stopped for speeding when the officer recognised him… sort of. “I got pulled over once, and the officer looked at my ID and said, ‘I recognize you’re an actor.’ I said, ‘Yes… actually, I’m pretty good,’” Fillion joked.

But the officer didn’t think he was Nathan Fillion he thought he was Jason Bateman, star of Arrested Development and Ozark. Instead of issuing a ticket, the officer offered Fillion a deal: “If you give my wife an autograph, I’ll let you off with a warning.”

Fillion agreed immediately. “He handed me his phone. I asked, ‘What’s your wife’s name?’ He said, ‘Lily.’” The actor didn’t reveal whether he signed as himself or as Bateman, but the crowd at Comic-Con erupted at the mix‑upNathan Fillion Reveals How ‘The Rookie’ Fame Helped Him Dodge a Speeding Ticket

Actor Nathan Fillion has shared a hilarious story about how his fame from The Rookie helped him escape a speeding ticket even though the police officer who pulled him over thought he was someone else entirely.

Speaking at San Diego Comic-Con on July 27, Fillion told PEOPLE that he was once stopped for speeding when the officer recognised him… sort of. “I got pulled over once, and the officer looked at my ID and said, ‘I recognize you’re an actor.’ I said, ‘Yes… actually, I’m pretty good,’” Fillion joked.

But the officer didn’t think he was Nathan Fillion he thought he was Jason Bateman, star of Arrested Development and Ozark. Instead of issuing a ticket, the officer offered Fillion a deal: “If you give my wife an autograph, I’ll let you off with a warning.”

Fillion agreed immediately. “He handed me his phone. I asked, ‘What’s your wife’s name?’ He said, ‘Lily.’” The actor didn’t reveal whether he signed as himself or as Bateman, but the crowd at Comic-Con erupted at the mix‑up

Fillion agreed immediately. “He handed me his phone. I asked, ‘What’s your wife’s name?’ He said, ‘Lily.’” The actor didn’t reveal whether he signed as himself or as Bateman, but the crowd at Comic-Con erupted at the mix‑up.

Fillion’s charm and the officer’s enthusiasm turned a routine traffic stop into a moment of comedy gold, proving that even mistaken celebrity recognition can come in handy.