Background
Gillies was born 14 March 1976 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. When Gillies was five, his parents decided to return to their native New Zealand, and moved to Invercargill and then to Hamilton.
Gillies was born 14 March 1976 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. When Gillies was five, his parents decided to return to their native New Zealand, and moved to Invercargill and then to Hamilton.
He was raised in New Zealand and went to Southwell School and the Hamilton Boys' High School.
Gillies starred in his acting debut in the New Zealand drama Street Legal, where he played Tim O'Connor (2000–2002). He has been featured in the blockbuster movie Spider-Man 2 (as John Jameson) alongside Kirsten Dunst and Tobey Maguire.
He also recently guest-starred on NCIS as a British MI-6 agent, and on The Vampire Diaries as one of the Originals, Elijah.
Soon he will be seen in the new NBC medical drama, currently entitled ‘Saving Hope’. Gillies plays Joel Goran, the hotshot young surgeon.
Gillies’ other recent television credits include HBO’s True Blood and A&E’s The Glades. Other guest appearances include Masters of Horrors, Jeremiah and Mentors.
A veteran of the theater, Daniel participated in over twenty plays professionally; including ‘Julius Caesar’, ‘Three Sisters’, ‘Long Day’s Journey into Night’ and ‘The Judas Kiss’. In 2006 he played a lead in the International Festival darling ‘The Sensation of Sight’, alongside Academy Award nominee David Strathairn. The following year, Gillies started his own production company – Holy Monster.
In 2010, he wrote and directed his first Independent film ‘Broken Kingdom.’ The film was shot in Bogotá, Colombia and Los Angeles.