Walton Gogginsisn’t the kind of actor you forget, as his commitment to each of his characters on the TV shows he’s been featured in speaks to why he’s become an actor synonymous with this period of television. Whether Goggins leads the cast or gives a cameo performance,he’ll make the most of his character’s impact on the story.
ThoughWalton Goggins' best moviesare just as fun to watch, it’s his TV show roles that most audiences know him best for. Goggins can be seen in everything from gritty crime dramas to over-the-top comedies, and he’s no less believable in any of these roles. While waiting to watchGoggins inFalloutseason 2,his past works are the perfect projects to catch up on.
10Mr. Stone
Community (2009–2015)
Inhis single-episode appearance onCommunity,Goggins steps out of his comfort zone as Mr. Stone, a stone-faced envoy who arrives to test the study group after Pierce dies. The episode, “Cooperative Polygraphy,” sees Mr. Stone put the characters through polygraph tests before they can receive what Pierce left them in his will.
Goggins has the tough job of delivering most of the exposition in the narrative while keeping things funny.
The episode serves to air grievances held between the characters, rehash some old storylines, and allowCommunityto say goodbye to Chevy Chase, who was let go from the cast (viaVariety). Goggins has the tough job of delivering most of the exposition in the narrative while keeping things funny, and he lives up to the audience’s expectations.
The tough, inscrutable Mr. Stone later lets loose and opens up to the protagonistsabout how stressful the experience was, juxtaposing with his no-nonsense attitude from earlier. In this way,Communitytakes full advantage of the performer’s skills in comedy and drama, using them to elevate each other and make this a great installment of the show.
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9Wade
The Unicorn (2019–2021)
The Unicornis unlike most of Goggins' projects, which carve out unique spaces on TV, as the series is a typical sitcom in many ways. However, the twist ofThe Unicornis that Goggins' Wade has recently lost his wife, so the story focuses on his grieving process and his complicated path toward re-entering the dating scene while being a good father to his daughters.
Goggins is a naturally sympathetic actor, making it easy to root for him to find love inThe Unicorn. Compared to his recent turns in action-packed and often violent shows likeThe White LotusandFallout,it’s nice to watch him portray a regular guy who’s easier to relate to.
The Unicornwas canceled after season 2,despite its decent reception from critics and audiences alike. However, this isn’t because of Goggins' work as Wade, as he’s a charismatic anchor, breathing life into a show that sometimes relies on formula. Thanks to Goggins and the sincere premise of the show,The Unicornis a sweet series to revisit today.
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8Lee Russell
Vice Principals (2016–2017)
Though audiences typically associate Goggins with his intense, dramatic roles, he’s a hilarious comedic actor, and this part of his skill set shouldn’t be overlooked. Before he joined the cast ofThe Righteous Gemstones, letting everyone know about his comedic timing, Goggins starred alongside Danny McBride inVice Principals, a hilariously dark take on bureaucracy in a small town high school.
Goggins portrays Lee Russell, the co-Vice Principal to McBride’s Neal Gamby,and the two characters are impossible to forget, if deeply unlikable. Spending the series plotting to take down the woman who was appointed as the new Principal of the high school, a job they both wanted, the pair go to extreme lengths to meet their goal.
ThoughVice Principalshas a style and tone that’s a little off-putting at first, as soon as the viewer embraces the awfulness of the characters, it’s easy to see why the series is such a cult classic.Goggins and McBride get to behave terribly inVice Principals,and it’s clear that the actors are having an enormous amount of fun doing it.
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Invincible (2021–Present)
Though Cecil isn’t one of the powerful and terrifying heroes inInvincible, he’s a significant character in his own right, and a mysterious figure who draws Mark into the world of superheroes as the show evolves. For audiences who are aware of Goggins and his work,it isn’t impossible to pick out his voice from the cast.
However, he still does a great job of blending into the world of the story and becoming Cecil. As the series progresses, Cecil remains an important character, as he leads the Global Defense Agency and isn’t shy about the fact thathe believes the ends justify the meanswhen it comes to saving the world.
Invincibleseason 4promises to be just as thrilling as the other installments of the show, as the action and stakes have only become more thrilling with every season. Cecil has something going on behind the scenes, as he’s a character who’s almost always pulling the strings, whether the other characters know it or not.
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6Venus Van Dam
Sons Of Anarchy (2008–2014)
Introduced in season 5, episode 5, “Orca Shrugged,” Venus Van Damis a late addition to the cast ofSons of Anarchy, but that doesn’t make her less significant. ThoughSons of Anarchyprimarily focused on Jax and his struggles to balance his ties to the biker club with his personal desires, the series incorporates many great supporting characters like Venus.
Goggins clearly has a lot of love and respect for Venus and understands what a great addition to the show she is.
Though Goggins isn’t trans, and today the role would’ve been given to a trans woman, he does a decent job of playing a nuanced character who deepens the world ofSons of Anarchy. Goggins clearly has a lot of love and respect for Venus and understands what a great addition to the show she is, especially through her relationship with Tig.
Sons of Anarchyoverwhelmingly treats Venus with respect andmakes her a three-dimensional character whom audiences grow to lovethroughout the show. The representation isn’t perfect, but it was ahead of its time in many ways, and it’s fun to see Goggins give so much to a character that viewers might not typically associate with him.
Sons of Anarchy (2008–2014)
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5Rick Hatchett
The White Lotus (2021–Present)
The White Lotus' anthology format allows for each season to bring in great new actorsand characters, and the most recent installment features Goggins in the tragic but compelling role of Rick. His storyline turns out to be one of the most important of the season, as he arrives at the resort with Aimee Lou Wood’s Chelsea with a dark secret in tow.
However, this is the cast with all the characters onThe White Lotus, as the season follows their intersecting lives and the audience tries to piece together who will die by the end of the story. Rick is holding onto a lot of hate and anger that prevents him from moving forward, andGoggins brings all sides of the character to life.
Though Goggins has plenty of name and face recognition, many viewers who might not have been familiar with his work were able to see how skilled he is in the recent season. While Rick isn’t a character who will be seen again inThe White Lotus, his time onscreen will always be remembered by fans of the show.
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4Baby Billy Freeman
The Righteous Gemstones (2019–2025)
After working with McBride onVice Principals, Goggins teamed up with the actor-writer againfor one of the most popular comedies of the past few years,The Righteous Gemstones. A satire that explores the lives of a family of televangelists, the titular Gemstones, the series recently wrapped up its acclaimed run, with Goggins making his last appearance as Baby Billy Freeman.
Though Baby Billy takes on more of a recurring role after season 1, every time Goggins is onscreen in his over-the-top wig and costumes, viewers take notice. While each character inThe Righteous Gemstonesis flamboyant and distinct, Baby Billy is largely disliked by the rest of the Gemstones because of his loose connection to the family and his tendency to ask them for money.
The characters inThe Righteous Gemstonesare near-irredeemable, but this is what makes their antics and pitfalls so fun to watch.
AsThe Righteous Gemstonesprogressed,the series found its footing and became an even cleaner, tighter comedythat appealed to viewers everywhere, not just long-time fans of McBride and his TV shows. As with all of McBride’s projects, the characters inThe Righteous Gemstonesare near-irredeemable, but this is what makes their antics and pitfalls so fun to watch.
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3The Ghoul / Cooper Howard
Fallout (2024–Present)
As one of the best video game adaptations of the 2020s,Fallouthad to work hard to earn this title with so many great takes on beloved games coming out every year. However, the world ofFalloutis so sweeping and full of exciting mysteries that it wasn’t hard to bring new viewers into its post-apocalyptic world who hadn’t played the games.
While the writing and atmosphere have a lot to do with what we love aboutFallout, the characters were vital in getting the audience to care about the story. Alongside Ella Purnell and Aaron Moten,Goggins plays the Ghoul, a man ravaged by time and radiation,who serves as the touch point between the two timelines inFallout.
Though he’s a harsh, unflinching character in the present,Falloutshows the viewer how the world ended and the ways the hierarchies of the end of the world came into existence.It’s thrilling to imagine whatFalloutseason 2 will hold,as Goggins will be back, and this time he and Lucy have a shared goal.
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2Boyd Crowder
Justified (2010–2015)
The chemistry between Goggins and Timothy Olyphant inJustifiedis fantastic. Playing characters in a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse throughout the seasons, Goggins and Olyphant are clearly having fun in their scenes together throughoutJustified. As Boyd Crowder,Goggins gets to embrace his inner villain, bouncing off Olyphant’s heroic but flawed Raylan Givens.
It’s this dynamic that demonstrates what’s so great aboutJustified.
It’s this dynamic that demonstrates what’s so great aboutJustified, as the series makes its characters nuanced, imperfect, and unpredictable at times, keeping us on our toes. Though the characters are at odds in season 1, they have a friendship that changes both men forever, as they’re still often fighting for different things, even if they’re willing to team up.
There are no updates thatJustified: City Primevalseason 2will happen, but the existence of the spinoff shows just how popular and intriguing the original show still is today. As new criminals and mysteries appear in Givens' territory, he and Boyd face challenges and tragedy, shaping them into even more interesting characters.
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1Shane Vendrell
The Shield (2002–2008)
The Shieldis often overlooked in conversations about the best crime dramas of the early 2000s, with projects likeThe WireandThe Sopranoscited more often. While Michael Chiklis leads the cast ofThe Shieldas Vic Mackey,Goggins is at his best as Shane Vendrell,which is largely considered his breakout role.
Vendrell is a complex, morally gray characterthat Goggins brings to life brilliantly, cementing him as a dramatic actor for the ages. Set in Los Angeles against the background of a corrupt group of police officers led by Mackey and Vendrell,The Shieldis too often overlooked within its genre, and not only because of the stellar performances.
Part of the main cast for all ofThe Shield’s seven seasons,Goggins’work in the drama paved the way for the rest of his career and is still a hallmark of his filmography. ThoughThe Shieldis packed with a stellar ensemble cast who breathe life into the series' dark premise, this didn’t stopWalton Gogginsfrom making his mark on the show.
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