Walton Goggins on Reuniting in ‘Fallout’: The Ghoul, New Allies, and a ‘White Lotus’ Reunion in the Wasteland
Walton Goggins on Reuniting in ‘Fallout’: The Ghoul, New Allies, and a ‘White Lotus’ Reunion in the Wasteland
The radiated dust has finally settled—or rather, kicked back up—as Fallout Season 2 has officially taken over our screens this January 2026. While the world is buzzing about the shift to New Vegas and the introduction of iconic game characters, the heart of the show remains its singular, weathered star: Walton Goggins.
Goggins, who portrays the dual roles of pre-war actor Cooper Howard and the post-apocalyptic bounty hunter known only as The Ghoul, has been the primary bridge between the show’s gritty reality and its darkly comedic soul. In a series of recent interviews as the new episodes drop on Prime Video, Goggins has opened up about what it’s like to return to the Wasteland—and more importantly, what it’s like to reunite with a cast of friends, both old and new.
The Surprise ‘White Lotus’ Reunion: Jon Gries as Biff
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the new season (so far) came in Episode 3, "The Profligate." Viewers were treated to an unexpected appearance by Jon Gries, who fans recently saw alongside Goggins in the third season of HBO’s The White Lotus in Thailand.
In Fallout, Gries plays Biff, a weary soldier for the New California Republic (NCR) stationed at a forgotten outpost. The reunion between Gries and Goggins provides a moment of strange, familiar warmth in an otherwise desolate landscape.
"Jon is a very dear friend of mine," Goggins shared in a recent press event. "Whenever you work with someone like Mike White, you develop this community that feels like family. Seeing Jon show up in the desert—after we just spent months together in the humidity of Thailand—it was surreal, but perfect."
The dynamic between the two actors is palpable. While their White Lotus characters were entangled in high-society grifts, their Fallout counterparts represent two different versions of survival. Goggins noted that Gries brought a "profoundly empathetic quality" to Biff, a character who has been waiting for an NCR contact that hasn't come in over a decade.
A Gemstones Connection: Macaulay Culkin Joins the Fray
The "reunion" theme continues with the addition of Macaulay Culkin to the Season 2 cast. While Culkin is a newcomer to the Fallout universe, he is a familiar face to Goggins. The two previously worked together on the HBO hit The Righteous Gemstones, where they developed a close friendship.
In Fallout Season 2, Culkin plays a "crazy-genius type" character within Caesar’s Legion, known as Lacerta Legate. Goggins admitted he was initially kept in the dark about Culkin's casting.
The Surprise: Goggins found out about Culkin’s involvement later in the production process.
The Reaction: "When they told me, I just lit up," Goggins said. "I think the world of him. He is so uniquely suited for this world because he has this specific, thoughtful approach to character that fits the weirdness of the Wasteland perfectly."
The Lore: Culkin himself has admitted to being a fan of the Fallout lore, reportedly explaining the subtext of the games to his family while watching Season 1.
Bringing Mr. House to Life: The Justin Theroux Collaboration
One of the most anticipated elements of Season 2 is the proper introduction of Robert House (Mr. House), the ruler of the New Vegas strip. While the character appeared briefly in Season 1, he is now portrayed by Justin Theroux.
Goggins and Theroux have been "longtime friends" for years but had never actually shared a screen together until now. Goggins was instrumental in nudging Theroux toward the role, knowing the "delicious scenes" they would get to chew on as pre-war versions of their characters.
The Power Dynamic
| Actor | Character | Role in Season 2 |
| Walton Goggins | Cooper Howard / The Ghoul | Searching for his family and the architects of the end. |
| Justin Theroux | Robert House | The enigmatic CEO of RobCo and visionary of New Vegas. |
Goggins described watching Theroux work as "getting invited to watch your favorite magician do their magic tricks." Their scenes together, particularly the flashbacks to 2077, offer a deeper look at the corporate machinations of Vault-Tec and RobCo that led to the Great War.
The Internal Reunion: Becoming Cooper Howard Again
For Goggins, the most profound "reunion" wasn't with a co-star, but with the character of Cooper Howard. Season 2 reportedly doubles down on the pre-war flashbacks, allowing Goggins to spend more time as the man Cooper was before the skin-peeling radiation turned him into a monster.
The Ritual of the Makeup
Goggins has described the process of becoming The Ghoul as a "ritual" that demands intense focus. However, he noted that Season 2 felt different:
The Groove: "We found the rhythm," Goggins said. "In Season 1, I was still figuring out how to eat, talk, and breathe in that face. This year, it just clicked."
The Weight: The actor noted that playing Cooper Howard now feels heavier. "He’s a man who has realized his wife may have been a principal architect in the ending of the world. That hysteria and loss of control is what drives him this season."
The "Uneasy Alliance" with Lucy MacLean
Fans of the show's first season were captivated by the "forced road trip" dynamic between The Ghoul and Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell). As they travel toward New Vegas, Goggins says their relationship undergoes a fundamental shift.
"Last season, she wasn't human to me. She was bait," Goggins explained. "This season, he is seeing her as a human being for the first time. We talked at length about the reality of two people walking for days—the silence, who's walking ahead, how close they get. It’s an evolution of an alliance born out of necessity."
Why Season 2 "Blows the First One Out of the Water"
Walton Goggins is notoriously picky about the projects he takes on, often citing his work on Justified and The Shield as his benchmarks for quality television. His praise for Fallout Season 2 has been effusive, claiming the new episodes "blow the first season out of the water."
His confidence stems from the writers’ willingness to "dig deeper" into the emotional wreckage of the characters. While Season 1 was about world-building and the shock of the new, Season 2 is a character study wrapped in a high-stakes political thriller involving the Brotherhood of Steel, Caesar’s Legion, and the mysterious Mr. House.
What to Expect in the Coming Weeks:
More New Vegas: We will see the flesh-and-blood reality of the Strip.
The Legion's Reach: The brutal faction modeled after the Roman Empire plays a major role.
The Truth About Barb: The mystery of Cooper’s wife and daughter will reach a fever pitch.
As Fallout continues its run toward the February 4th finale, Goggins’ performance remains the gravitational center of the show. Whether he’s reuniting with old friends like Jon Gries or clashing with new ones like Justin Theroux, he continues to prove that even in a world covered in ash, the most interesting things are the relationships we refuse to let die.
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