Aaron Moten, the actor bringing Maximus to life in Amazon’s critically acclaimed Fallout series, has made a conscious decision to remain a viewer, not a player, when it comes to the video game franchise that serves as the show’s foundation. Moten revealed he’s “forbidden” himself from diving into the Fallout games, despite being an avid gamer.
“I am a gamer,” Moten told GamesRadar. “I really enjoy taking a break from watching TV, and movies. It’s work for me, and I really have a hard time turning that brain off when becoming a viewer. I have not played Fallout, but I have watched Twitch streams… I’ve watched others play it. But, partly, I forbid myself from playing it at this point. It’s our job to bring a sense of humanity to these three characters.”
Moten’s reasoning speaks to a dedication to inhabiting the role of Maximus, a former knight of the Brotherhood of Steel, without the potential influence of pre-existing gameplay knowledge. He believes immersing himself in the game world as a player would compromise his ability to approach the character with a fresh, unburdened perspective. This approach highlights a growing trend among actors involved in video game adaptations – a deliberate separation between experiencing the source material as a consumer and embodying it as a performer.
This isn’t an isolated case within the Fallout cast. Walton Goggins, who delivers a standout performance as The Ghoul (and his pre-war counterpart, Cooper Howard), has similarly eschewed playing the games. Goggins has been vocal about his desire to approach the character without the filter of the interactive experience, believing it allows him to fully commit to the reality of the show’s post-apocalyptic world. As he explained in an interview with PC Gamer, “No, I haven’t sat down to play the games and I won’t. I won’t. I won’t play the games. I’m not interested.”
Goggins elaborated on his reasoning, stating, “All of a sudden, I’m looking at this world from a very different perspective, and as something on a screen in which I am an avatar in. I don’t believe that I’m an avatar. I believe The Ghoul exists in the world. I believe that Cooper Howard exists in the world. The best way that I can serve this world and serve the fans of this game, I think, is to go to work every single day and believe the circumstances that I’m presented with.”
The Ghoul’s presence extends beyond the television series. The character, originally introduced in Fallout 76’s “Burning Springs” expansion in , demonstrates the interconnectedness between the game and the show. However, despite this integration, Goggins remains steadfast in his decision to avoid the games themselves.
Interestingly, Ella Purnell, who portrays Lucy MacLean, took a different approach, spending time with Fallout 4 before filming began. She found that playing the game “heightened the enjoyment and the experience” of stepping onto the show’s sets, particularly the meticulously crafted Vaults. This divergence in preparation methods underscores the individual processes actors employ to connect with their roles, especially when adapting established intellectual property.
Moten’s situation is somewhat unique. While he hasn’t played the Fallout games, he does acknowledge watching others play via Twitch, suggesting a level of indirect familiarity with the source material. However, he maintains that actively playing the games would be detrimental to his performance. He also hinted at a potential future engagement with the franchise, stating, “I haven’t played them before, and I can’t play them now. I feel like I need to be done with the work that we’re doing before I can jump in.”
The actors’ choices reflect a broader conversation about adaptation and the balance between honoring source material and creating something new. While some actors find value in immersing themselves in the games to understand the world and its fanbase, others, like Goggins and Moten, prioritize a more independent interpretation. This approach suggests a desire to avoid being constrained by pre-conceived notions and to bring a fresh perspective to beloved characters.
Moten also playfully speculated about the longevity of the series, suggesting, “And who knows, maybe we’ll be working on this so long that Bethesda will have a new Fallout number for us to jump into.” This comment acknowledges the potential for a long-running adaptation and the possibility of future games influencing the show’s narrative.
As Fallout continues to garner critical acclaim and a dedicated fanbase, the cast’s dedication to their roles – and their varying approaches to engaging with the source material – will undoubtedly be a key factor in the show’s continued success. The series is set to return for a second season on , and anticipation is high for its exploration of the New Vegas setting.
