Daniel Gillies Biography: Height, Ethnicity, Age, Net Worth, Siblings, Parents, Ex-Wife, Films, Kids, Girlfriend, Awards

Daniel Gillies is a Canadian–New Zealand actor, screenwriter, director, and producer whose portrayal of Elijah Mikaelson on The Vampire Diaries and its spin-off, The Originals, garnered him widespread recognition.

His turn as a conflicted yet principled vampire resonated with audiences and helped establish him as a fixture on genre television.

In addition to his work on supernatural dramas, Gillies has written and directed films, including Broken Kingdom.

Profile

• Full name: Daniel Joshua Gillies
• Date of birth: March 14, 1976
• Age: 49 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
• State of origin: Manitoba
• Nationality: Canadian and New Zealander
• Profession: Actor, screenwriter, director, producer
• Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)  
• Parents: N/A
• Siblings: N/A
• Spouse: Rachael Leigh Cook (m. 2004; finalized divorce March 10, 2021)  
• Children: Daughter Charlotte Easton Gillies (born September 28, 2013), son Theodore Vigo Sullivan Gillies (born April 2015)  
• Relationship status: In a relationship with cellist Julia Misaki
• Religion: Christianity
• Ethnicity: Caucasian
• Net worth: US $3 million  

Early Life and Education

Daniel Gillies is now 49 years old, having been born on March 14, 1976. He arrived in New Zealand at age five when his parents returned to their homeland, first settling in Invercargill before moving to Hamilton.

His father worked as a pediatrician, and his mother as a nurse; he is a direct descendant of pioneering surgeon Sir Harold Gillies. Gillies attended Hamilton Boys’ High School in Hamilton, New Zealand, graduating in 1993.

Personal Life

Gillies married actress Rachael Leigh Cook on August 8, 2004, after meeting in Los Angeles. They had two children: a daughter, Charlotte (born September 28, 2013), and a son, Theodore (born April 2015).

The couple separated in June 2019, filed for divorce in July 2020, and finalized it on March 10, 2021. Since 2021, he has been in a relationship with Julia Misaki, a professional cellist.  

Career

Gillies began his career with the Auckland Theatre Company, featuring in more than twenty stage productions. His first TV role came in 2000 with New Zealand’s Street Legal.

After acting stints in Sydney and Canada, where he worked odd jobs such as waiter and dishwasher, he moved to Los Angeles. He landed minor roles in Bride and Prejudice (2004) and Spider‑Man 2 (2004), then guest‑starred in Masters of Horror, NCIS, and True Blood.

His breakout came as Elijah Mikaelson on The Vampire Diaries (2010), leading into the The Originals series (2013–2018). From 2012 to 2015, he also played Dr. Joel Goran on the television series Saving Hope.

In 2012, he wrote, directed, and starred in Broken Kingdom. Since then, he has appeared in Virgin River (2019–2022), Coming Home in the Dark (2021), The Newsreader (2022), and Sight Unseen (2024).  

Awards

• Molins Film Festival (2021) – Special Mention, Best Actor (Coming Home in the Dark): Winner  
• BloodGuts UK Horror Awards (2022) – Best Actor: Nominated (Coming Home in the Dark)
• BloodGuts UK Horror Awards (2022) – Best Villain: Nominated (Coming Home in the Dark)  

Net Worth

Daniel Gillies’s net worth is estimated at US $3 million, derived from his extensive acting career and his roles as writer and director.  

Social Media

• Instagram: @mr.danielgillies
• X: N/A

Filmography

• 1998 Pleasantville – Fireman #2
• 2001 No One Can Hear You – Dirk Mettcalfe
• 2002 Various Positions – Marcel
• 2004 Spider‑Man 2 – John Jameson
• 2004 Bride and Prejudice – Johnny Wickham
• 2007 Captivity – Gary Dexter
• 2007 Matters of Life and Death – Jimmy
• 2008 Uncross the Stars – Troy
• 2012 Broken Kingdom – Jason ‘80’ (writer, director)
• 2020 Occupation: Rainfall – Wing Commander Hayes
• 2021 Coming Home in the Dark – Mandrake