Daniel Gillies facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daniel Gillies
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Gillies at the 2014 PaleyFest
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Daniel Joshua Gillies
14 March 1976 |
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| Years active | 1998–present |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2 |
Daniel Joshua Gillies is an actor, producer, director, and writer. He was born in Canada but also has New Zealand citizenship. You might know him best as Elijah Mikaelson from the TV shows The Vampire Diaries and its spin-off, The Originals. He also played Dr. Joel Goran in Saving Hope. Daniel even wrote and directed a movie called Broken Kingdom in 2012.
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Early Life and Beginnings
Daniel Gillies was born in Winnipeg, Canada. When he was five years old, his family moved to New Zealand. His parents worked in the medical field. His father was a doctor and his mother was a nurse. But Daniel found his passion in acting. He felt it was the one thing he was truly good at.
He started acting in plays in New Zealand. Later, he moved to Australia and Canada to find more acting opportunities. Eventually, he decided to move to Los Angeles, USA, to follow his acting dreams.
Acting Career Highlights
Daniel Gillies began his TV career in New Zealand. He had a main role in the TV show Street Legal. After moving to Los Angeles, he quickly got roles in big movies. These included Bride and Prejudice and Spider-Man 2.
Since 2002, Daniel has worked on many films and TV shows in North America. He appeared in popular shows like Masters of Horror, NCIS, and True Blood.
Playing Elijah Mikaelson
In 2010, Daniel was cast in the hit TV show The Vampire Diaries. He played a character named Elijah Mikaelson. Elijah was an "Original" vampire. His role became very popular.
Because of this, the CW network created a spin-off show in 2013. It was called The Originals. This show focused on the lives of the first vampires. Daniel's role as Elijah became a main character in The Originals.
At the same time, Daniel was also playing Dr. Joel Goran in the show Saving Hope. This show was popular in Canada. Daniel managed to work on both shows at once!
Other Notable Roles
In 2012, Daniel Gillies wrote, directed, and starred in a movie called Broken Kingdom. His wife at the time, Rachael Leigh Cook, also starred in it.
From 2019 to 2022, Daniel played Mark Monroe in the Netflix romantic drama Virgin River. He was in the show for four seasons. In 2021, he starred in a thriller movie called Coming Home in the Dark. He also joined the cast of the Australian TV series The Newsreader in 2022. In 2024, he started a main role in the TV series Sight Unseen.
Personal Life
Daniel Gillies married American actress Rachael Leigh Cook in 2004. They had two children together: a daughter born in 2013 and a son born in 2015. In 2019, they announced they were separating. Their divorce was finalized in 2021. Since 2021, Daniel has been in a relationship with cellist Julia Misaki.
Filmography
Film Roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | A Soldier's Sweetheart | Medic | |
| Pleasantville | |||
| 2001 | No One Can Hear You | Dirk Mettcalfe | |
| 2002 | Various Positions | Marcel | |
| 2004 | Spider-Man 2 | John Jameson | |
| Evil Remains | Mark | ||
| Bride and Prejudice | Johnny Wickham | ||
| 2006 | The Sensation of Sight | Dylan | |
| 2007 | Captivity | Gary Dexter | |
| Matters of Life and Death | Jimmy | Short film | |
| 2008 | Uncross the Stars | Troy | |
| 2012 | Broken Kingdom | Jason '80' | Also director and producer |
| 2020 | Occupation: Rainfall | Wing Commander Hayes | |
| 2021 | Coming Home in the Dark | Mandrake |
Television Roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Young Hercules | Antos | Episode: "My Fair Lilith" |
| 2000 | Cleopatra 2525 | Hot Guy | Episode: "Mind Games" |
| Street Legal | Tim O'Connor | Seasons 1 & 2 | |
| 2002 | Mentors | King Arthur | Episode: "Once and Future King" |
| Jeremiah | Simon | Episode: "The Long Road: Part 1" | |
| Snow Queen | Delfont Chalfont | Television movie | |
| 2005 | Into the West | Ethan Biggs | Miniseries |
| 2007 | Masters of Horror | Jack Miller | Episode: "Dream Cruise" |
| 2010 | The Glades | Dave Rollins | Episode: "Doppelganger" |
| True Blood | Jon | Episode: "I Smell a Rat" | |
| NCIS | Royal Marine Major Peter Malloy | Episode: "Royals & Loyals" | |
| 2010–2014 | The Vampire Diaries | Elijah Mikaelson | Recurring role (seasons 2–5) |
| 2012–2015 | Saving Hope | Dr. Joel Goran | Seasons 1–3 |
| 2013–2018 | The Originals | Elijah Mikaelson | Director for episodes: "Phantomesque", "There in the Disappearing Light" |
| 2017 | SEAL Team | Nate Massey | Episode: "Pilot" |
| The Lost Wife of Robert Durst | Robert Durst | Television film | |
| 2019–2022 | Virgin River | Mark Monroe | Main (season 1) Guest (seasons 2–4) |
| 2022 | The Newsreader | Charlie | Main role (season 2) |
| 2024- | Sight Unseen | Jake Campbell | Main (Season 1) |
Voice Acting Roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–2020 | Thor: Metal Gods | Various/all | Episodes 1-15 |
As a Director
- The Originals (2017–2018), 2 episodes: "Phantomesque", "There in the Disappearing Light".
Images for kids
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Daniel Gillies at PaleyFest 2014
See also
In Spanish: Daniel Gillies para niños
