Actors Walton Goggins and Macaulay Culkin, starring in the upcoming Fallout TV season 2, have shared that they haven't played the source video games extensively. Goggins plans to avoid them entirely to preserve his character portrayal, while Culkin relied on YouTube lore videos. The second season premieres on December 17, 2025, on Prime Video.
Actor Insights on Source Material
Walton Goggins, who portrays the Ghoul in Amazon's Fallout adaptation, emphasized in an interview with PC Gamer that he has never played any Fallout games and has no intention of doing so. "No, I haven’t sat down to play the games," Goggins said. "And I won’t. I won’t. I won’t play the games. I’m not interested." He explained his decision stems from a desire to avoid influencing his interpretation of the character and the post-apocalyptic world, noting that the Ghoul is an original creation for the TV series, not directly from the games.
Similarly, Macaulay Culkin, joining the cast as a soldier in Caesar's Legion for season 2, told IGN that he lacks hands-on experience with the Fallout games due to his busy schedule. Instead, he immersed himself in the lore through online videos. "I'm very familiar with the lore," Culkin stated. "I've less hands-on experience with the games themselves, but that being said, I knew what I was walking into." He mentioned pausing the first season to explain references and subtext to his partner, Brenda Song, showcasing his research via YouTube content.
Context and Broader Trends
These revelations highlight a pattern among actors adapting video game properties, where some opt out of playing the originals to maintain fresh perspectives. For instance, God of War showrunner Ronald D. Moore found the 2018 game too challenging, and Helldivers 2 director Justin Lin hasn't played it either. Season 2 shifts the story to New Vegas and introduces cast members like Kumail Nanjiani alongside Culkin. Meanwhile, the Fallout universe expands in gaming with a recent Fallout 76 update adding a playable version of Goggins' Ghoul character, voiced by the actor himself.