With its intense character drama and a gripping post-apocalyptic narrative,Fallouthas emerged as one of the hit shows of the year. As the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards approach, the series has sweptan impressive 16 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor forWalton Goggins.Even outside the awards, his portrayal has garnered an enormous amount of praise from fans and critics alike.
Walton Goggins has builta fabulous resume over the years, playing both heroes and villains across film and television. From his chilling portrayal of Boyd Crowder inJustifiedto the terrifying Lee Russell inVice Principals, he has consistently showcased a flair for taking on the most cunning and layered roles. InFallout, he takes on the daunting task of portraying not one but two characters – The Ghoul and Cooper Howard. When asked byColliderto pick a role from his illustrious career, one that challenged him as an actor, Goggins confirmed it is indeed The Ghoul fromFallout.
“I suppose if you held a gun to my head and said, ‘Pick one,’ I’d say Fallout is the most difficult, only because of the challenges of the prosthetics, not knowing what was gonna come through, how uncomfortable all that gear was, and the elements and the temperature, and just not knowing this world or how to navigate this world, right out of the gate.”
Interestingly, Goggins also admitted that he had never played theFalloutgames and didn’t even bother checking them out after being cast for the role. Which makes his performance more jaw-dropping and his Emmy nomination well-deserved.
“I never played the game. So when this kind of came my way, I didn’t want to play it ‘cause I didn’t want to be influenced by whatever version of The Ghoul is in the games.”
The Duality Of Walter Goggins’ Fallout Characters
InFallout, Goggins cuts into the psyche of two characters: The Ghoul and Cooper Howard. The Ghoul is a tragic figure scarred by radiation and the ruthless remains of the world around him. His journey is one of survival, but he’s given up on all kinds of mercy to live a life of gun-slinging and bounty hunting. Cooper Howards, on the other hand, is a character from the pre-apocalypse era. A famous Hollywood actor and ambassador of Vault-Tec, he had a polished look and straight morals, and was protective of his family.
Goggins captures the duality of both his characters with remarkable finesse, which is testament to his acting skills. The Ghoul, particularly, demands more from the actor as his arc is intense and tragic. He not only grapples with his loss of humanity but also faces palpable struggles. His alliance with Lucy offers him a chance at redemption, but whether it will happen issomething Goggins himself is looking forward to finding out.
Fallout Fans Should Check Out This Criminally Underrated Brendan Fraser Movie From the ’90s
For Fallout Fans, a Brendan Fraser film from 1999, Blast from the Past, is a similar venture into the apocalypse – until it turns into a comedy.
Upon receiving the Emmy nomination for the taxing role, Goggins was quick to express his excitement and gratitude. He acknowledged his spot among the industry’s greatest and also praised the hard work of the entire Fallout team.
“For me to be included in this category with some of my heroes like Gary Oldman – are you kidding me? – and some friends – I’ve known some of these actors for quite some time – and just to be in that room with this level of professional storyteller, I’ve already won. I think we’ve all already won. I make my living as an artist and that, in and of itself, is like winning the lotto… I’m just so grateful to be invited to the party.”
Walton Goggins is nominated alongside Donald Glover forMr. & Mrs. Smith, Idris Elba forHijack, Gary Oldman forSlow Horses, Hiroyuki Sanada forShogun, and Dominic West forThe Crown.
