'Fallout' Star Walton Goggins Has Never Actually Played The Game

[@brandonmumek1282]

“I wanted to feel unencumbered” Walton didn’t know it, but he was playing Fallout all along.

[@alecdeter1999]

The game was rigged from the start

[@Hellomarsh]

Maybe fallout played him all along... 😅

[@retardigrade69]

Me, a non native english speaker: "wow a new word, i'll check what it means after reading the comments" The comments:

[@rianholmes1139]

Excellent​@@alecdeter1999

[@therealdannymullen]

Always has been

[@philonda]

Didn't play the games. Portrays one of the most Fallout-like Fallout characters. Leaves.

[@techgirl1337]

Underrated comment.

[@gagewarner6502]

Doesn't elaborate

[@colinmackey1262]

LEAVES

[@undeadinside3571]

He better stay part of the show for a long time. He's great!

[@KyungNim]

He's nothing like a Fallout character. He dropped his accent half of the time too.

[@latecore_]

this brother is so lucky he said "unencumbered" lmao he won hearts right there

[@GojoGunning]

Literally

[@collinmorgan6235]

I was just thinking about that

[@amrabdalhamed3928]

10 luck 😂

[@math3000]

​@@amrabdalhamed3928 10 Charisma

[@tbohn10]

And minds

[@Bonez9oh5]

He litterally described the experience of being a new player to the franchise, learning as he played his own character, with the personality he wanted his player character to have.

[@andrewdevlin6587]

And he did a top notch job doing it too like god damn

[@DatDamnLlama]

Welcome to the acting process. This is almost every character in every show when you have as good an actor as him. Most people are just 2x4's with a pretty face. Fallout actually hired actors and writers. How refreshing.

[@Bonez9oh5]

@@DatDamnLlama no

[@andrewkessler2020]

"I treated Fallout like any role I'd play"

[@AzaleaLala]

Yes! Perfect comment.

[@Mechanical-Animal]

He wants to be unencumbered. Just like any good Fallout player.

[@Andreiiul]

😂

[@whistlerwade]

Lol weight!

[@hannesgreen638]

HAH! .... No

[@rossfranklin7075]

Nice

[@sgtdrake]

Speech 100

[@hotwaff]

"I wanted to make sure i could always run and fast travel."

[@bigtuna45]

Perfect

[@TriggerWarning88]

Real OGs play on survival.

[@feitopuns]

​@@TriggerWarning88 as long as my game wouldnt crash

[@TriggerWarning88]

@@feitopuns Get a better rig is my suggestion.

[@feitopuns]

@@TriggerWarning88 I have a food gaming set up for fallout but I thnk fnv can only be fix by mod i think

[@amoose8439]

Crazy how he never played the game but his character is everyone's hundredth play through

[@badmamjamma]

Yeeessss

[@CodenameBaconSizzle]

Dude right we're all out here GHOULISHLY

[@petebagwell6666]

He didn't have a ghouls voice because he didn't even try

[@mbr-il6ud]

@@petebagwell6666he doesn’t have to. Honestly, he shouldn’t have had a ghoul raspy voice. The show itself is way too hammy by itself. They need someone like him to balance it out. I even predict that he will be the one that will save the show.

[@talentlessproductions819]

None of the ghouls did

[@Gluesnail]

He kills every role he’s in like he is an amazing actor

[@BirdOfHermes83]

I'm you 169th like. 😉😉

[@infiad1275]

@@BirdOfHermes83 I'm your first. :)

[@sidthekid1170]

Forsure💯 Definitely one of my favorite actors loved him in hateful eight😂

[@HAMMERMAAN]

Omni-Man supporting Cecil is wild to see

[@wildercerrate7295]

I remember first seeing him in the hateful 8 as Chris mannix and me and my friends loved that role and his acting so much

[@tnx301]

The irony of talking about being unencumbered - had he played any of the Fallout games, he would have known that encumberance is a real problem in those games.

[@Andreiiul]

So true lolol

[@emeraldviolet2001]

Thank god if this wasnt the top comment i would have passed out

[@jacktravis2718]

Exact thing I thought when I heard it. Absolutely transcendent.

[@uglyboy6034]

That was clever lol

[@johnsilvey9491]

Todd obviously told him to say that word instead of another

[@metron_1991]

He didnt want to care about the material and lore, he wanted to care about this specific role and he aced it.

[@Clicky_The_Blicky]

He basically said “ there’s enough nerds around here that will tell me what to do and not to do to keep my character inline with the source material and it’s one less thing I have to do”

[@davidgomes4408]

You seem smart. Care to help me with this? You understand what he did there, and probably *why* he did it too. Now, your physical inability to respect *it* and your will to expose it (out of spite or attention seeking): does it constitute a paradox or not quite?

[@Clicky_The_Blicky]

@@davidgomes4408 the dumb people deserve to know the truth, your “ignorance is bliss” philosophy is for farm animals.

[@blueskyla7978]

I don't think this is lacking respect here. By saying 'one less thing' that implies he already has a lot to do and consider. And also that he trusts his coworkers to work together to get it right. All @Clicky did here was rephrase the statement. Kinda like what I did too. And calling someone a nerd is not offensive anymore. Hasn't been for a long time.

[@math3000]

And The Witcher had the conplete opposite, a nerd surrounded by imbeciles

[@birthd-y]

The show didn’t follow the source material at all more than the very very basics, literally has destroyed fallout but ok

[@quanicle101]

i like this strategy in writers’ rooms too. having a mix of people who are familiar and unfamiliar with the source material allows for more out-of-the-box ideas that don’t contradict established lore

[@aldrinmilespartosa1578]

Yeah, know about it to feel like fall out but also new ones that can and more yo fall out. One grounded the story while the other is moving it forward.

[@mhunsaker5623]

It worked out super well. It felt like it fit in and it also felt really fresh

[@Tyrannosaur6265]

I respect the approach, he nailed both Copper Howard and the Ghoul; they almost felt like two completely separate characters, making the implied descent of the man all the more powerful.

[@gageadams8864]

I 100% agree with you. Not saying it would have but it might have been a worse character had he gave himself more things to worry about. Every interview I see with him makes me appreciate him more.

[@keegantayolr1860]

I could watch a full series of just our boy in the wastes

[@TheoRae8289]

​@@gageadams8864I liked that he sat with the Ghoul makeup and gave himself time to get a feel for the man's humanity.

[@ATXhulk]

Bro killed it.

[@EnduringCrow]

Cooper became a feral human in Ghoul form. ...as it is with most all ghouls, I suppose. Before they descend further into feral ghouls. 🙃

[@leonkennedy9739]

whether he played the game or not he nailed the role.

[@eoneck709]

He talks about being unencumbered but he carries this whole series from ep. 1

[@brandonmumek1282]

He invested in the ‘Strong Back’ perk

[@richDonaldPump]

🤣🤣

[@RachelD9502]

Underrated comment hahaha 😂🙌

[@Brolys-drip]

All the characters for me are pretty solid.

[@MrMikeBaseballGuy]

@@brandonmumek1282and lone wanderer

[@AsherVolpe]

He has instantly become one of my favorite actors ever now.

[@britishdude101]

The best thing to come out of this show is that people are starting to appreciate Walton Goggins and his work. He's a great actor

[@kamron_thurmond]

That just means nobody's ever watched the TV show Justified

[@MileyCyrusSwollenGums]

Huh? Everyone who's not a complete casual in films and TV knows who Walton Goggins is. He's been in a Tarantino film that alone puts someone on everyone's radar.

[@garethsalmon5864]

I totally agree, I love Walton , he was great in every role he's done , I absolutely loved him in vice principals

[@SaltySaint88]

I really liked him in the Predator movies 😂

[@BDCDiesel]

@@garethsalmon5864watched that with my father great show

[@Smokey7186]

His character reminds me of John Hancock from goodneighbour in fallout 4

[@undeadinside3571]

He just needs the jacket and hat

[@lyoness6]

I love this man. He gets nowhere near the recognition he should as an actor.

[@Ds117]

Totally agree

[@mac_cheese]

nah he gets the big roles for a reason...

[@Bugsy_Brown]

I think thatll be changing soon

[@Echelon111999]

@@mac_cheesehmmmm

[@mastermachado]

I think Fallout is gonna put him on the big leagues now

[@scottfrye]

I feel like his use of the word unencumbered stems from his lengthy talk with todd 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@tylergerig4670]

He played the role like an RPG… A true hero

[@waterwind2266]

That's a very polite and diplomatic way of saying "I didn't feel like playing the game."

[@peytongonavy]

True. Put another way: "I wouldn't have been able to do my job very well if I felt pressured to play an RPG when I don't even play videogames."

[@refugeehugsforfree4151]

Better than pretending he did like most actors.

[@theavenger2378]

​@@peytongonavywhich is completely fair! He's an incredible actor and knows how to portray that on screen. I'd much rather he spend 200 hours studying his character and asking Todd 'the fuck is a Gulper?' Than spending that time asking 'where do I find enough copper to upgrade my settlement?'

[@eli3998]

No, it was a way of saying that he wants to view the script and role from an outsiders perspective. Its just as important to have a fresh perspective as a super in depth lore hunter's perspective when you want to make a product that's great for everybody

[@LokaJohn]

Atleast he didn't pretend to be some mega fan. He is basically a new player at a dnd table, that says "I want to be a ghoul".

[@justsomeguy1691]

The respect that all of the actors seem to have for the source material is really admirable. Even in his explanation of why he chose not to play the games, he shows how much he respects them.

[@aracelymoran2504]

@justsomeguy1691 The way it should be. Followed the example of Cobra Kai in that sense.

[@ll3435_]

To be honest, Goggins did the 1950s swagger type of talk great and the ghoul type of behavior great too.

[@drewthezombie7138]

I actually respect that opinion. Not what I was expecting with a celebrity

[@Will057]

I wouldn't call Walton Goggins a celebrity. He is a true actor.

[@DankHillCometh]

He's an actor, not a celebrity, you can save that term for the Kardashians

[@bearwitty9690]

I don't even know if he did a good or a bad job, all I know is that what he's saying here isn't good. Engaging with the medium/franchise you're trying to portray should be a bare minimum. Not all of it necessarily, but at least a decent enough amount to understand what it's all about. Whether he did an absolutely amasing job or a hurrendous one shouldn't matter.

[@cnkfe1836]

Ehhhh maybe but you should understand that video games are very different from movies/books/comics. In the fallout games you kind of make the character your own as they have no personality of their own. And let's be honest fallout is pretty standard post apolotypic world. It's not like he would of learnt anything new people couldn't just tell him. ​@@bearwitty9690

[@thesmerelajiah2805]

@@bearwitty9690 He implied that his interaction with it was from his son and the people on set. So he trusted them to keep his character more in line with the series. Since apparently a lot of the people on set were fallout nerds.

[@gagewarner6502]

Its so cool to hear the very different approaches the actors took. He just trusted the writers and his ability and did a great job. Lucy's actress played the games specifically for the role and did a great job. If i remember correctly, Maximus' actor had played the games naturally/prior to the role and did great. The different approaches are so cool.

[@caleb_dume]

I’m usually really frustrated by actors saying they refused to read/watch/play their source material, but I honestly respect this.

[@jameshunter6121]

I like how he didn't refuse, more like he let others he trusted to keep him on the right path so he could get the right feel for the Ghoul as a character, and not as a characture from a universe.

[@hamtier]

its not the responsibility of actors to know the material. that's on the writers and directors. its a nice bonus if they know it but sometimes it can get in the way especially if the character isn't supposed to know all of the reality of the source material

[@leonerd1763]

Because he is sincere and prideless here.He didn't want to play the games not because he felt superior to them, but to have a free space to evolve and think out his character

[@jdp3578]

Well he at least has people informing him of the source material, and not ignoring it so thats good.

[@devforfun5618]

at least in his case he is playing an original character, if he was playing a character that existed then it would be better to have played the games

[@eedwards2859]

I hope when the whole series is said and done he makes the decision to sit down and play the games. He ought to see how much justice he does for the series by his portrayal.

[@WarNvrChanges]

You just keep doing what you’re doing with “The Ghoul” character. You’ve done an amazing job, definitely the best performance of any actor on the show.

[@Onyxthefem]

Walton Goggins is a god tier actor. He was so good in Justified as well

[@meepmeep3018]

As soon as I heard the ghouls voice in the flashbacks without the accent I recognized it immediately. Cecil from invincible, I looked up Walton goggins after that and didn’t realize how many movies and shows he’s in. Perfect actor for this video game show.

[@badcerealcat4047]

He didnt need to play them he just needed to have an idea of what the game was about and what he was gonna play. Dude killed it!

[@EstaTuLoco]

he NAILED the ghoul, as well as the pre-war shots, lucy and ghoul carried for sure. Supporting cast of the actors in the vaults and moldaver are also well done as well

[@apblolol]

there is a fine line that comes to adapting material that comes from games or books, between staying true to the source and making the hard decision cutting what needs to be cut to make great film. as a fallout fan and film lover this show is good.

[@Bizz4r2m0ke]

No this show is not good, this show is quite possibly the best video game adaptation ever.

[@thechongers]

​@Bizz4r2m0ke lmao worst? Have you seen halo? Now that is a steaming pile of dog shit

[@DanJuega]

@@Bizz4r2m0ke It’s between the last of us and fallout for me.

[@Dino-god69]

@@Bizz4r2m0ke it has problems but they are massively overshadowed by the quality and direction the show is going. I agree that it’s a great show, 8-9/10. And that’s the first season, I think season 2 is gonna be even better.

[@birthd-y]

You fake fallout fans amaze me, the show has ruined the legacy of fallout? New Vegas is destroyed only 15 years after the events of the game? all the plot holes in general. You people are fallout 4 players at best, stop going around speaking for REAL gamers

[@brandonr8269]

This shows what an incredible actor Walton is. He truly is able to interpret a script and follow direction so well that no only fit in perfectly with the world of Fallout, but carved out his own chapter in terms of what a Level 100 Ghoul Wastelander would be like.

[@mohamedjamaludeen3010]

Ghoul is such a great character. Superb acting

[@Padronous]

I kind don’t care so much about the actors knowing the lore as much as I do the writers and producers Besides fallout 3 NV and 4 is a large undertaking for one sitting

[@chardaskie]

He has the right idea. He is a good enough actor he doesn't need the source material to become the Ghoul

[@mutantraze3681]

Well the “ghoul” isnt an actual character in fallout. They can do whatever they want with him and all they have to do is show signs of him becoming feral

[@RidinDirtyRollinBurnouts]

He also knows playing a video game is not going to help you act in a tv show. He knows his trade. Let him cook he doesnt need your cookbook

[@bandit3019]

@@mutantraze3681it’s a lot easier than you might think to accidentally make a very unlikeable character especially with someone who hasn’t seen the source material (ex: halo)

[@max7971]

@@RidinDirtyRollinBurnouts yeah, like halo show. Or rings of power. Or even this show, that fucked up games that Bethesda didn’t even write.

[@rickytickytabby9822]

The moment he said "unencumbered"

[@domino_201]

He’s respectful and he was willing to listen to others. That’s more than can be said for OTHER actors…

[@Lubble-]

Other actors??

[@bandit3019]

@@Lubble-master cheeks

[@Lubble-]

@@bandit3019 Master Chef

[@max7971]

This show is as bad as halo

[@bandit3019]

@@max7971 tweaking, respectfully. This is one of the only game adaptations that have had this many positive reviews ever, aside from the whole new Vegas canon issue (which was quickly resolved and was a misunderstanding because people don’t know how to use a timeline) there’s been no issues with the show. Stop trying to be different and give some accurate reasons.

[@Faustin_Ducasse]

Whem Walton Goggins said "unencumbered" Everyone loved that.

[@photoguy4212]

Brilliant actor. He knows exactly what he's doing.

[@brittlespy9083]

It’s impressive that despite him not playing the games and also not wanting to play the games, the man still has so much respect for the source material

[@joshnizzle]

Walton has been amazing forever. Loved him in justified

[@JoseRodriguez-bl3vt]

The Fallout show is a great and increasingly rare example where the cast and creators actually respect the original IP, and work hard to create a show that doesn't throw the games out the window or directly try to insult the gamers that made it successful in the first place. Ella Purnell played some of Fallout 4 and learned about the lore, the writers and directors did a fantastic job bringing this world to life, even Walton Gogginsand Aaron Moten who didn't play the games still convey their respect for the IP (looking at you Halo) rare W all around for a game-to-tv development!

[@TheBrandonwelty]

Well put. Dude nailed it.

[@Guru316]

He's absolutely incredible in Fallout. He fits the role to perfection.

[@garyford814]

It doesn’t take having played the game to nail…”Ass jerky don’t make itself!” Walton did a stellar job. Bigger budget…more time to flesh things out…season 2 will be amazing. 😉

[@stuartanderson3172]

One of the great character actors we have today. Gets not enough recognition for his work.

[@TheoRae8289]

Walton is one of the best character actors doing it right now

[@SeanMac1776]

Big fan, interesting strategy and approach for the lead antagonist.

[@germfreepizzawi1839]

I feel like he would have loved fallout had he played it 😂

[@TheoRae8289]

I think he'd get into it with a whole other appreciation now that's he's had time in that world "first-hand".

[@isaacholstein6530]

If he played 1,2, NV, he would be disappointed in the show.

[@karlmarx8158]

​@@isaacholstein6530i did and im not.

[@isaacholstein6530]

@karlmarx8158 to each their own.

[@AdeptusSkibidicus]

⁠​⁠@@isaacholstein6530played all three and loved the show, not everything has a hardon for obsidian like you

[@LS1Highwind]

Respect for being honest about it. And after his performance, he absolutely did not need to play

[@Vipre-]

He made a great choice. Another great choice was not attempting to adapt a specific game's story but to just create a story in the universe with unique characters. He didn't need to do an imitation of a ghoul as a result he just needed to figure out who Cooper was and how he'd gotten to where he was mentally.

[@MegaImmortal89]

What a good actor. He respected the fans instead of crapping on them. Which is more then I can say for a lot of the people in Hollywood.

[@Yomommashouse91169]

I took the final, but I didn’t want to be encumbered by studying.

[@gunkid6368]

And he scored 100/100

[@Angel-Otk]

@@gunkid6368you shouldn’t need more than the script if it’s a good show. He’s acting a completely original character. Having to play the games is redundant, especially since the show isn’t even set in those times anyway

[@jamesstewart3856]

It’s not the actors job to write idiot lol. Do you think Liam neeson played fallout 1 and 2 before he played James????

[@Skiipper1]

“I wanted to feel unencumbered” just like war the urge to be unencumbered never changes 😢

[@bobbykins1754]

I feel like it really helped with his performance cause a lot of video game movies and shows fall into that trope of servicing the game to a degree where it feels like the characters are almost aware it's a video game movie, but with goggins, he was just a ghoul at the end of the world, no cameo or references to make, just pure immersion

[@MisterMick113]

This was my thought too. This story isn't a direct telling of any of the game stories so knowing the characters or story of the game doesn't matter much and could actually bring unnecessary influence from the game into the show.

[@dgaf9843]

The man is an actor in a tv show. Knowledge of the mythology isn't required. Only skill in his profession and respect of the script

[@max7971]

Yeah, just look at halo. No knowledge of lore required.

[@bandit3019]

@@max7971 entirely different situation when you can play through all of the halo games on the easiest difficulty in a single day, but literally every fallout game combined has a runtime of probably 500 hours, he played the part perfectly with what he had.

[@brofistbro]

GREAT actor, not having so much source material, but acts the best character within the characteristics of the story! Talent!

[@poppinpineapples3481]

I think it’s good to have some people who aren’t massively into the series, it protects the scripts from getting to cringey imo

[@Dutch972]

That is a fantastic way of navigating that question

[@MikeSiegert]

He absolutely nailed the role. The one thing I couldn’t get over is his bright whites of his eyes as a radiated ghoul. Some dingy yellowed contacts would have completed the look. Sometimes it looked like he was just wearing a mask.

[@james5780]

He done a amazing job, touché to the script writers as well. They knocked it out the park on this one 👏

[@level180onkick]

Love that people are loving this man more. He is a phenomenal actor

[@Ghost3lite21]

I appreciate this guys good acting over the years

[@crackdog3523]

Agree with this take, the worldbuilding is not his responsibility, hes there to be a character. If he was a writer than thats different.

[@derekbunay8953]

Keep doing that. The ghoul is my favorite character bc he's so raw with his approach to everything

[@JWoodcock]

Crazy to think of how seriously good actors take these roles and each decision that goes with them.

[@WillyStinkman8593]

In a way its almost like blind play through, i think it made his character seem more genuine to how his character was portrayed.

[@janetdeloach8522]

He had always been an amazing Actor in Any role he has taken on. He is an Awesome guy who plays both characters very well ..❤❤

[@mistarrraze6254]

Mate you've done well. All of you have is amazing I'm playing fallout but watching it I watching a certain decision I would make to change a story long it's awesome to think on this level I hope the courier is in the next season or will be good to hear his story on tv about what side he really chose.

[@kazuthesimp]

Dude did the right choice, he made a unique character instead of a dumb fallout npc level interaction. Read his characters profile and made it his own. Thats why hes the real MC.

[@learningguitarforchicks]

I feel like there’s a real validity to that and how just being a character in a world without playing the games makes it more authentic

[@OriginalMrBandicoot]

He has no idea how accurate his character portrayal is how accurate to the games he is with what he said and it's great he's taking the fanbase into account for it all. Hope he plays the games when he gets the time

[@DannyMorrs]

He didn't have to "play the game." He respected the universe, he worked on his character, and he entered the world that was set in front of him. He lived the Fallout experience, but in Hollywood

[@blackmagicheart6369]

the most honest actor and in the end the best played character.

[@robertstull8759]

This also speaks to how strong the scripts and other material he saw was, because without ever playing the games he was able to embody two iconic characters that feel like they should have always existed in the narrative.

[@bradlafferty6076]

Walton Goggins was excellent in all 8 episodes. I just finished season one

[@PNNYWZEPRODUCTIONS]

Walton Goggins is a terrific actor, and fans are lucky to have him in that role

[@nathanr950]

I truly hope he understands how well he did in this role and how much the community loves him. I truly hope he can return to this role in some way.

[@themagicgamer69magic4]

Even though he didn’t study the game, man killed his role like perfectly

[@raine-time]

He's my favorite character in The Hateful Eight

[@fanmail32]

As someone who has played almost every franchise in gaming this show finally made me break down and try fallout

[@captaincringe2839]

What he described is literally what happened the first time I played fallout. Had never played or even heard of it before but once I booted it up I knew I was hooked

[@merikfishman2128]

Then you see how good an actor he is. He completely fulfilled his role in such a way that his character was perfect Fallout

[@timdog666]

He nailed it, one of the best performances I’ve seen in years. I hope this show carries on for years with the same solid quality of season 1.

[@That-guy-there1]

I still wished he played them because it’s always helpful to know minor details as well, he may want to focus on the acting but his acting could benefit from knowledge

[@mbr-il6ud]

. That free’s the actor in so many ways and just focus on the character he is playing. And it works for his character because he is a lone wanderer who has no responsibility to the brotherhood or a vault community or anyone. He gets to play out the best version of himself or the worst version of himself without much consequence. I think he is great for this role because he has played some criminal roles.

[@donobrien4827]

Ironically, thats what much of playing the games is (or at least should be) about. Being /your/ character *within* the wasteland. And given Walton is a main character, seeing him take the initiative to make the character undoubtedly him, made for some great scenes

[@swarnski8uu]

This is why the show was so good. Caretaking a franchise. Protecting what makes people love it.

[@antonioluevano7630]

He is the show

[@carsilk2492]

"I've never played the game, and 'unencumbered' is just a word in my casual lexicon."

[@lede7077]

His weigh management both physically and mentally is perfect

[@prworswick]

You did the best job out of all the characters ❤️

[@Kopenich]

Absolutely respect this! It's fine not to commit to learning the entire world you're playing a small part in as long as you know you've got the right guidance!

[@foolicooli]

He was by far the best casting choice i cant imagine anyone else doing the ghoul justice

[@ericaguayo764]

Walton has always been a good actor i knew he was gonna to great it was the direction we were all waiting for

[@lasthope909]

What a great take. He wouldn't have to worry about whether or not he is doing right by the franchise and instead leaving that to the writers and his acting.

[@LuciferMorningstar-zu1ud]

He did PHENOMENAL!! I cannot wait for s2,3,4,5……