Buffy The Vampire Slayer star Nathan Fillion missed out on jury duty during a recent vacation by cracking jokes about his 'role' on the 12-person panel.

The Canada-born star, who recently became an American citizen, admits he was looking forward to his time in court, but he blew it by making light of the process just before his selection.

The actor, who has upcoming roles in Much Ado About Nothing and Monsters University, explains, "The process was amazing; it's kinda lengthy... We're talking to this judge who belonged on Tv. He was handsome, he had good hair... He was telling us about the importance of jury duty... I was riveted. He was funny... and at one point they call you back into the room and they're gonna decide whether or not they're gonna use you... I walk in, they're all charming, they're all nice (and) one of them says, 'Hey, you're an actor!'

"I decided to have a little fun and I said, 'Yes, I'm a very good actor, which brings me to the point: I don't know which juror I'm playing; I still didn't get my script'. He (judge) didn't get it. He looks at me and he says, 'There's no script'. I said, 'Ok, improv, good. Let me give you a little back story to my character: I'm the guy when you sequester the jury in the hotel, I tie the bedsheets together, I come out the window and I pit the plaintiffs against the defence attorneys...'

"I got excused."