SmartLess – "Walton Goggins"

Date: December 15, 2025
Hosts: Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett
Guest: Walton Goggins

Episode Overview

This episode features the ever-versatile and charismatic Walton Goggins (known for "Justified," "The Shield," "Vice Principals," "The Righteous Gemstones," "Django Unchained," and more), joining Jason, Sean, and Will for a spirited and thoughtful conversation. Goggins discusses his wild new adventures, his unusual path through Hollywood, his southern roots, and the outlook that grounds his craft and infectious personality. The discussion is an engaging mix of hilarious banter, vulnerable storytelling, and deep dives into craft, family, resilience, and fame.

Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Walton’s Entrance & Immediate Camaraderie

After the usual goofy banter between the hosts about Will’s wardrobe and leftover dinner plans, Sean introduces Walton with a heartfelt tribute highlighting the breadth of his work and the trust audiences place in him.

“He’s the kind of actor that gives you the grin of expectation and the feeling of relief that you’re in good hands wherever you’re going.” (Sean, 08:54)
Walton jokes immediately, referencing earlier jokes about Ernest Borgnine's infamous habits, showing his instant comfort with the crew.

"I know you had to masturbate every day to lead Male's Navy." (Walton, 09:50)

2. The Fallout Press Tour & Dressing Room Life-hack

Walton is fresh in the middle of a press tour (junket) for "Fallout," his hit Amazon series. The guys dig into on-set logistics, particularly Goggins’ smart trick: owning a trailer/van and renting it back to productions as his dressing room.

“You buy it yourself, then you rent it back. So they give you the money for dressing room rental... It pays for itself.” (Sean, 12:52)
He describes the hardship but also the fun in using his trailer as both a home and basecamp, especially while filming in remote deserts.

"I just stayed at base camp. Everybody else leaves... I just had my food." (Walton, 13:20)

3. Big Adventure: Horseback Trekking Across Mongolia with His Son

Walton recounts taking his 14-year-old son on a life-changing, two-week horseback expedition across Western Mongolia—a mix of wild travel, hard truths, and father-son bonding.
- The story includes culture shock, emotional struggle, a brutal rib injury, and moments of profound connection.
“My son looked at me and he said, ‘I’ve never been this happy in my life, Dad.’” (Walton, 17:17) “This is really fucking hard, Dad… I said, ‘Buddy, you can accept that this is your reality and actually learn, or you can let that fester.’” (Walton, 17:24)
The group riffs on their own outdoor limits with Sean and Jason emphasizing their love for “creature comforts” and Will reflecting on his own teenage adventure canoeing in Ontario—a story complete with survival, rescue by bush pilots, and wild bush country.

“About day four of us being way behind, we started to get a little bit scared. Nobody knew where we were.” (Will, 33:07)

4. Resilience and Southern Roots

Walton speaks candidly about his hardscrabble Georgia upbringing with “crazy Southern hippies,” parental divorce, and learning to be content with very little.

"We just didn't have much... But we didn't want for much." (Walton, 21:46)
He talks openly about not growing up with luxury, learning to value both comfort and discomfort, and ties this to how he approaches acting and life.

“I know what it’s like to be hungry. I know what it’s like to be cold. I know now what it’s like to wear really nice clothes... I’m wearing them like I’ll never get to wear them again.” (Walton, 34:45)

5. Journey to Hollywood

Walton left Georgia for LA at 19 (the “vertical-ness” of New York was too much for him) and narrates his early hustle: couch surfing, a string of survival jobs (parking cars, selling cowboy boots, LA Fitness check-in), and near-brushes with eviction.

“I got dropped off at this apartment… she asked me to sign this paper. I don’t really know. If you don’t sign it, you have to leave... Can I spend the night?... [Then I] had an audition and sat with my luggage for four hours.” (Walton, 40:41)

6. Breakthrough & Philosophy on Success

Landing a role in "The Apostle" with Robert Duvall at 24 changed Goggins’ self-perception and career trajectory.

“Through telling that story and the relationship I had with Bobby... I can do this. I’m just gonna focus on this.” (Walton, 58:12)
- He reflects on the arbitrary nature of fame, the importance of saying yes, and not getting fixated on other people's definition of success.
“I just don’t compare myself to anybody else, really.” (Walton, 43:29)

7. On Insecurity, Fame & Being Genuine

The group dives into “imposter syndrome,” insecurity at industry events, and the exhaustion of performative socializing.

“It’s exhausting being interested in somebody you don’t know, sitting at a table... and you have to start from scratch… I get anxiety about that, not about status.” (Jason, 45:19) “I live my life, every moment, like… I know what it’s like to be hungry… I just want to see the world.” (Walton, 34:45)
Goggins shares that he's the same person on the street as in private, and feels gratitude rather than hassle at being recognized.

"Whether you like me or you don't... I am me privately, I am me publicly… I genuinely love meeting people I don't know. I never meet a stranger." (Walton, 60:30)

8. Acting, Growth, and Empathy

Walton and the hosts discuss the old myth that you have to be broken to play broken people, and how age and empathy are more powerful tools as a performer:

“You can just be really evolved and not create distance between yourself and that experience… Actually really empathize with these people.” (Walton, 54:48)
Sean and Walton talk about how anxiety can be a superpower, not a drawback.

"I show up for everything. And if you put that much into it, well then… it’s not performative. It’s not a performance... But it takes a lot from you." (Walton, 56:23) "I like being insecure in as many things and situations as I can. I just feel like I'm a little bit more. Eyes open, ears open, heart open." (Sean, 57:08)

9. Craft, Curiosity, and Continuous Adventure

Goggins credits regular exploration (literal and artistic) as fuel for his roles and his well-being.

“This is my time now. I’m gonna finish a job and take off and go somewhere in the world…” (Walton, 65:19)
Discussion of "Fallout" (his latest series), the extensive three-hour makeup process, and technicalities of his post-apocalyptic look — including CGI for his missing nose.

"Do you have to act with a tracking mark on the tip of your...?" (Sean, 67:52)
"Four dots. I'll send you a photo." (Walton, 68:00)
He expresses pride in the show's global reach and the opportunity to return for another season.

“It became one of the biggest shows in the world... We got an opportunity to do it again.” (Walton, 68:10)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On grit and growing up:

“Look, I’m a poor kid from Georgia, and my parents divorced when I was three. I grew up around a bunch of… curious and really colorful Southern women… We didn’t have much, but we didn’t want for much.” (Walton, 20:59, 21:46)
On adventure and fear:

“Nobody’s coming to get you. There’s no helicopter coming to airvac you out of here, man. You gotta go. You gotta ride.” (Walton, 20:13)
On acting and personal growth:

“You don’t have to be fucked up to play fucked up people… You can just be really evolved and not create distance between yourself and that experience. Actually really empathize with these people.” (Walton, 54:48)
On presence and age:

“Aging is an extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been.” (Jason quoting David Bowie, 47:30)
On being the same in public and private:

"I am me privately and I am me publicly... I never meet a stranger." (Walton, 60:30, 61:46)
On resiliency:

“I’ve just gotten to where I’m really comfortable at work. When I’m working, I’m not very social. I’m alone. ... It scares me a little bit, but I've gotten comfortable there.” (Walton, 46:50)

Key Timestamps

[09:22] – Sean introduces Walton Goggins with an actorly love letter
[13:19] – Walton details his "van-as-trailer" survival trick
[15:56] – Walton recounts Mongolia adventure and parenting lesson
[19:27] – Goggins breaks a rib, applies his own advice about resilience
[21:46] – Walton’s upbringing and emotional roots
[34:45] – Walton’s approach to life, gratitude, and clothes ("wearing them like I'll never get to wear them again")
[40:41] – Early LA years, hustling, near homelessness, big auditions
[58:12] – The breakthrough with "The Apostle"
[60:30] – On being genuine and meeting strangers
[68:10] – Fallout’s global success and technical filming details

Episode Tone & Vibe

The conversation is a blend of smart, heartfelt sincerity, off-the-cuff humor, and real vulnerability. The authenticity and warmth of Walton’s personality shine through, making the discussion lively, moving, and genuinely fun.

Summary Takeaways

Walton Goggins’ journey is as textured as the types of characters he plays—rooted in tough beginnings, wide-open curiosity, a love of adventure, and a refusal to let go of humility or wonder. His stories brim with lessons about parenting, resilience, being open to strangers, and evolving as both a person and an artist. Whether he’s recounting near-disaster on a horse in Mongolia or describing his circuitous route into Hollywood, Goggins embodies a lust for life and a big-hearted presence that impacts those around him—hosts included.

The episode is a love letter to cultivating empathy, keeping it real, and approaching each new experience (on screen and off) with courage and a sense of adventure.

Recommended For:
Fans of acting and showbiz, those interested in resilience and creative growth, anyone curious about the adventure of life—and all lovers of Walton Goggins’ signature blend of grit, warmth, and wit.

“You can just be really evolved and not create distance between yourself and that experience… Actually really empathize with these people.”
– Walton Goggins, 54:48

SmartLess – "Walton Goggins"

Date: December 15, 2025
Hosts: Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett
Guest: Walton Goggins

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Walton’s Entrance & Immediate Camaraderie

After the usual goofy banter between the hosts about Will’s wardrobe and leftover dinner plans, Sean introduces Walton with a heartfelt tribute highlighting the breadth of his work and the trust audiences place in him.

“He’s the kind of actor that gives you the grin of expectation and the feeling of relief that you’re in good hands wherever you’re going.” (Sean, 08:54)
Walton jokes immediately, referencing earlier jokes about Ernest Borgnine's infamous habits, showing his instant comfort with the crew.

"I know you had to masturbate every day to lead Male's Navy." (Walton, 09:50)

2. The Fallout Press Tour & Dressing Room Life-hack

Walton is fresh in the middle of a press tour (junket) for "Fallout," his hit Amazon series. The guys dig into on-set logistics, particularly Goggins’ smart trick: owning a trailer/van and renting it back to productions as his dressing room.

“You buy it yourself, then you rent it back. So they give you the money for dressing room rental... It pays for itself.” (Sean, 12:52)
He describes the hardship but also the fun in using his trailer as both a home and basecamp, especially while filming in remote deserts.

"I just stayed at base camp. Everybody else leaves... I just had my food." (Walton, 13:20)

3. Big Adventure: Horseback Trekking Across Mongolia with His Son

Walton recounts taking his 14-year-old son on a life-changing, two-week horseback expedition across Western Mongolia—a mix of wild travel, hard truths, and father-son bonding.
- The story includes culture shock, emotional struggle, a brutal rib injury, and moments of profound connection.
“My son looked at me and he said, ‘I’ve never been this happy in my life, Dad.’” (Walton, 17:17) “This is really fucking hard, Dad… I said, ‘Buddy, you can accept that this is your reality and actually learn, or you can let that fester.’” (Walton, 17:24)
The group riffs on their own outdoor limits with Sean and Jason emphasizing their love for “creature comforts” and Will reflecting on his own teenage adventure canoeing in Ontario—a story complete with survival, rescue by bush pilots, and wild bush country.

“About day four of us being way behind, we started to get a little bit scared. Nobody knew where we were.” (Will, 33:07)

4. Resilience and Southern Roots

Walton speaks candidly about his hardscrabble Georgia upbringing with “crazy Southern hippies,” parental divorce, and learning to be content with very little.

"We just didn't have much... But we didn't want for much." (Walton, 21:46)
He talks openly about not growing up with luxury, learning to value both comfort and discomfort, and ties this to how he approaches acting and life.

“I know what it’s like to be hungry. I know what it’s like to be cold. I know now what it’s like to wear really nice clothes... I’m wearing them like I’ll never get to wear them again.” (Walton, 34:45)

5. Journey to Hollywood

Walton left Georgia for LA at 19 (the “vertical-ness” of New York was too much for him) and narrates his early hustle: couch surfing, a string of survival jobs (parking cars, selling cowboy boots, LA Fitness check-in), and near-brushes with eviction.

“I got dropped off at this apartment… she asked me to sign this paper. I don’t really know. If you don’t sign it, you have to leave... Can I spend the night?... [Then I] had an audition and sat with my luggage for four hours.” (Walton, 40:41)

6. Breakthrough & Philosophy on Success

Landing a role in "The Apostle" with Robert Duvall at 24 changed Goggins’ self-perception and career trajectory.

“Through telling that story and the relationship I had with Bobby... I can do this. I’m just gonna focus on this.” (Walton, 58:12)
- He reflects on the arbitrary nature of fame, the importance of saying yes, and not getting fixated on other people's definition of success.
“I just don’t compare myself to anybody else, really.” (Walton, 43:29)

7. On Insecurity, Fame & Being Genuine

The group dives into “imposter syndrome,” insecurity at industry events, and the exhaustion of performative socializing.

“It’s exhausting being interested in somebody you don’t know, sitting at a table... and you have to start from scratch… I get anxiety about that, not about status.” (Jason, 45:19) “I live my life, every moment, like… I know what it’s like to be hungry… I just want to see the world.” (Walton, 34:45)
Goggins shares that he's the same person on the street as in private, and feels gratitude rather than hassle at being recognized.

"Whether you like me or you don't... I am me privately, I am me publicly… I genuinely love meeting people I don't know. I never meet a stranger." (Walton, 60:30)

8. Acting, Growth, and Empathy

Walton and the hosts discuss the old myth that you have to be broken to play broken people, and how age and empathy are more powerful tools as a performer:

“You can just be really evolved and not create distance between yourself and that experience… Actually really empathize with these people.” (Walton, 54:48)
Sean and Walton talk about how anxiety can be a superpower, not a drawback.

"I show up for everything. And if you put that much into it, well then… it’s not performative. It’s not a performance... But it takes a lot from you." (Walton, 56:23) "I like being insecure in as many things and situations as I can. I just feel like I'm a little bit more. Eyes open, ears open, heart open." (Sean, 57:08)

9. Craft, Curiosity, and Continuous Adventure

Goggins credits regular exploration (literal and artistic) as fuel for his roles and his well-being.

“This is my time now. I’m gonna finish a job and take off and go somewhere in the world…” (Walton, 65:19)
Discussion of "Fallout" (his latest series), the extensive three-hour makeup process, and technicalities of his post-apocalyptic look — including CGI for his missing nose.

"Do you have to act with a tracking mark on the tip of your...?" (Sean, 67:52)
"Four dots. I'll send you a photo." (Walton, 68:00)
He expresses pride in the show's global reach and the opportunity to return for another season.

“It became one of the biggest shows in the world... We got an opportunity to do it again.” (Walton, 68:10)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On grit and growing up:

“Look, I’m a poor kid from Georgia, and my parents divorced when I was three. I grew up around a bunch of… curious and really colorful Southern women… We didn’t have much, but we didn’t want for much.” (Walton, 20:59, 21:46)
On adventure and fear:

“Nobody’s coming to get you. There’s no helicopter coming to airvac you out of here, man. You gotta go. You gotta ride.” (Walton, 20:13)
On acting and personal growth:

“You don’t have to be fucked up to play fucked up people… You can just be really evolved and not create distance between yourself and that experience. Actually really empathize with these people.” (Walton, 54:48)
On presence and age:

“Aging is an extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been.” (Jason quoting David Bowie, 47:30)
On being the same in public and private:

"I am me privately and I am me publicly... I never meet a stranger." (Walton, 60:30, 61:46)
On resiliency:

“I’ve just gotten to where I’m really comfortable at work. When I’m working, I’m not very social. I’m alone. ... It scares me a little bit, but I've gotten comfortable there.” (Walton, 46:50)

Key Timestamps

[09:22] – Sean introduces Walton Goggins with an actorly love letter
[13:19] – Walton details his "van-as-trailer" survival trick
[15:56] – Walton recounts Mongolia adventure and parenting lesson
[19:27] – Goggins breaks a rib, applies his own advice about resilience
[21:46] – Walton’s upbringing and emotional roots
[34:45] – Walton’s approach to life, gratitude, and clothes ("wearing them like I'll never get to wear them again")
[40:41] – Early LA years, hustling, near homelessness, big auditions
[58:12] – The breakthrough with "The Apostle"
[60:30] – On being genuine and meeting strangers
[68:10] – Fallout’s global success and technical filming details

Episode Tone & Vibe

Summary Takeaways

The episode is a love letter to cultivating empathy, keeping it real, and approaching each new experience (on screen and off) with courage and a sense of adventure.

“You can just be really evolved and not create distance between yourself and that experience… Actually really empathize with these people.”
– Walton Goggins, 54:48

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"Walton Goggins"

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Summary

SmartLess – "Walton Goggins"

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Walton’s Entrance & Immediate Camaraderie

2. The Fallout Press Tour & Dressing Room Life-hack

3. Big Adventure: Horseback Trekking Across Mongolia with His Son

4. Resilience and Southern Roots

5. Journey to Hollywood

6. Breakthrough & Philosophy on Success

7. On Insecurity, Fame & Being Genuine

8. Acting, Growth, and Empathy

9. Craft, Curiosity, and Continuous Adventure

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Key Timestamps

Episode Tone & Vibe

Summary Takeaways

Summary

SmartLess – "Walton Goggins"

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Walton’s Entrance & Immediate Camaraderie

2. The Fallout Press Tour & Dressing Room Life-hack

3. Big Adventure: Horseback Trekking Across Mongolia with His Son

4. Resilience and Southern Roots

5. Journey to Hollywood

6. Breakthrough & Philosophy on Success

7. On Insecurity, Fame & Being Genuine

8. Acting, Growth, and Empathy

9. Craft, Curiosity, and Continuous Adventure

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Key Timestamps

Episode Tone & Vibe

Summary Takeaways