Nathan Fillion Hilariously Reveals How He Once Got Out Of A Speeding Ticket After Being Confused For Jason Bateman

Getting out of a speeding ticket usually takes a little luck. Nathan Fillion just happened to have Jason Bateman's face... at least according to one very confused police officer. The Rookie star, 55, shared the hilarious story while appearing with his castmates during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con, where they traded stories about being pulled over.

In a video captured by People at the event on Sunday, July 27, Fillion recalled an officer recognizing him as an actor—but not quite getting the identity right.

The Castle alum recalled the memorable traffic stop:

“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.’”

The actor stars as John Nolan in The Rookie, ABC's long-running police drama about the LAPD's oldest rookie officer. Considering he spends much of the series enforcing the law, it's only fitting that one of his funniest real-life stories involves trying to avoid it.

Fillion explained what happened next:

“He said, ‘If you give my wife an autograph, I’ll let you off with a warning.’ I said, ‘Great.’ He handed me his phone. I asked, ‘What’s your wife’s name?’ He said, ‘Lily.’ So I wrote, ‘To Lily…’”

That's when the actor realized the officer had mistaken him for someone else entirely.

According to Fillion, he overheard the officer telling his wife over the phone that he had pulled over Jason Bateman, 57. Rather than spoil the moment, Fillion leaned into the misunderstanding.

He revealed how the story ended:

“Then I heard him say, ‘Hey, honey, I’m getting you an autograph, it’s Jason Bateman.’ And I signed it… ‘All my love, Jason Bateman.’”

Considering the two actors have been compared for years thanks to their similar looks, it's safe to say this probably wasn't the first mix-up—although it may be the only one that ended with a free pass instead of a speeding ticket.

As for the real Bateman, he's staying plenty busy, starring in Netflix's limited crime thriller series Black Rabbit while continuing his work as an actor, director, executive producer, and co-host of the hit comedy podcast SmartLess.

You can view the viral clip below:

Viewers were just as entertained by the story as the Comic-Con crowd, with many saying they would've made the exact same mistake.

Others joked that Bateman deserved partial credit for helping Fillion dodge the ticket:

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Fillion's story wasn't the only traffic-stop confession to come out of the panel. Deric Augustine, 36, admitted he also received a bit of celebrity leniency after an officer recognized him from The Rookie.

Augustine shared his own experience:

“I recently got pulled over because of my tinted windows, and the officer recognized me from 'The Rookie'… He let me go.”

Lisseth Chavez, 37, wasn't nearly as fortunate. The actress recalled being pulled over on California's Pacific Coast Highway and said she "still got the ticket."

Apparently, starring in The Rookie isn't a guaranteed get-out-of-ticket-free card.

With The Rookie set to return for Season 9 in early 2027, Fillion also has plenty on his plate, including reprising Guy Gardner in DC's Lanterns. He and former Firefly co-star Alan Tudyk also confirmed at Comic-Con that they're developing an animated continuation of Firefly to shop to buyers.

Still, if another traffic stop ever comes his way, Fillion already knows one thing that apparently works in a pinch: signing "Jason Bateman."