For a long time in Hollywood, Walton Goggins was That Guy.
In his newest role, Goggins is a lot more than “That Guy.”
In fact, he’s barely aguyat all.
“To play a person that spans 250 years.
What has he seen before that he’s carrying into the current world?
How do you bridge these two people and have them speak to each other over time?
All of these were puzzles to really figure out.”
You know, I’m a poor kid from Georgia.
I come from very humble beginnings and I’ve never been afraid of work in my life.
I moved to Los Angeles when I was 19 years old.
I had $300 in my pocket.
I had enough to last a month.
And the first morning I was in LA I had a job at a health club.
I had that for a couple of years.
I sold cowboy boots.
I became a personal trainer.
But along with all of that I was very fortunate to start working as an actor straight away.
So I actually continued to have side jobs for five years past the point of needing those jobs.
I took all the money I was making from storytelling and just put that in the bank.
I lived off what I was making on these side gigs.
That’s how I structured my money.
It was when I got the role in “The Apostle.”
That’s when I decided I felt confident enough that I had enough cushion to really go for it.
“The Apostle” came out in 1997.
Then, a few years later, the FX series “The Shield” changed everything for you.
And so episode number two was really kind of about my character.
And [then] the brass saw it and were like, “He’s our guy.”
Becoming a star was never my intention.
That was never the reason why I got into this in the first place.
And I think that’s because there was never an opportunity I wasn’t ready to step into.
And I think God, whoever she is, structured my life in that way.
I have been ready for every moment that has come my way.
If it had been different in any way, I think I would have left the business.
I don’t think it would have worked out for me.
So I feel it all came for a reason.
I hope there are more shows I do with them, and movies.
Their comedy is so specific.
It makes me laugh on a level that many people can’t.
I just think they are very special.
It’s a curated experience working with them.
I am so grateful to be in their stable.
Yeah, I was considered for it.
But obviously, they went another way.
How are you with rejection?
Are you a competitive person?
Do you get bitter when you see someone else playing a role you went out for?
I am a competitive person with myself.
Not with anyone else.
I mean, I want to win when I play my wife in tennis.
I want to win against my son in chess.
I fancy myself a great Scrabble player.
But when you saw Sudeikis playing Shane, you weren’t bitter?
I believe roles come into your life.
I’ve never missed out on a role.
It ebbs and flows.
I’m in my lane.
I’m not competing against anyone.
I am authentic to me.
What I have to give, only I have to give.
No one else is giving what I have to give.
I am my own author of what I have to share.
And I love to see other people’s work; I’m not threatened by that at all.
Two legends, but also two directors who I have to imagine are vastly different on set.
Steven wears a tie to work every day.
He’s very passionate, but he’s reserved.
He’s not excitable.
He’s gentle on set, the way he approaches a scene and talks to actors.
Quentin is a fucking righteous madman.
He lives in his body and his emotions.
Excitable and extremely passionate.
But the great thing is there’s a place for both of them.
I’m a very expressive and passionate person and I gravitate to those people in my own life.
That was an incredible time for me.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
