Walton Goggins' Best Movies & TV Shows, Ranked (2024)

As one of the most underappreciated actors working in film and television — more the latter than the former — Walton Goggins is an illustrious character actor who commits to each role. He first caught the attention of viewers as Shane Vendrell in FX's The Shield, and his career hasn't stopped since.

Recently starring as the Ghoul in Prime Video's highly anticipated TV adaptation of the video game Fallout, Goggins is finally getting the recognition he deserves. Fans of Goggins' work and people looking to know more about the overlooked actor will find plenty of acclaimed TV shows and movies to watch.

Updated by Alex Roush on August 16, 2024: This list has been updated to include additional entries, enhance the reader experience, and fit current CBR formatting guidelines.

15 Big Bang Theory Has Multiple Spinoffs and Another in Progress

Character: Oliver

Walton Goggins is no stranger to sitcoms, and few have been more successful than The Big Bang Theory. The show follows an unlikely group of friends through relationships, career changes, and nerdy antics after aspiring actress Penny moves in across from Leonard and Sheldon, two Caltech physicists. Walton Goggins portrays Oliver, the husband of a woman having an affair with a member of the friend group.

Fans couldn’t get enough of the Big Bang Theory gang, so the creation of two — and soon-to-be three — spinoff shows was no surprise. The first was Young Sheldon, which is a prequel to The Big Bang Theory. Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage, coming October 17, 2024, is a sequel to Young Sheldon. Another spinoff is also in the works, but no details have been announced. Goggins is only in the series as a minor, albeit entertaining, character, which makes this role pale in comparison to many of his other projects, landing The Big Bang Theory last on this list.

The Big Bang Theory

A woman who moves into an apartment across the hall from two brilliant but socially awkward physicists shows them how little they know about life outside of the laboratory.

Created by

Chuck Lorre , Bill Prady

First TV Show

The Big Bang Theory

First Episode Air Date

September 24, 2007

Cast

Johnny Galecki , Jim Parsons , Kaley Cuoco , Simon Helberg , Kunal Nayyar

Current Series

Young Sheldon

Where to watch

CBS

Spin-offs

Young Sheldon

Character(s)

Sheldon Cooper , Leonard Hofstadter , Howard Wolowitz , Raj Koothrappali , Penny Hofstadter , Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz , Amy Farrah Fowler

Genre

Comedy , Sitcom

Where to Stream

Max , Paramount+

14 Ant-Man and the Wasp Was Goggins' MCU Debut

Character: Sonny Burch

While Ant-Man and the Wasp isn't considered the most rewatchable film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe by fans, it's still a fun heist adventure featuring the titular duo and acts as a comforting watch after the emotional roller coaster of Avengers: Infinity War. With Scott Lang/Ant-Man on house arrest, he secretly reunites with Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym for a high-stakes rescue mission.

Walton Goggins makes his MCU debut as Sonny Burch, one of Ant-Man and the Wasp's antagonists. He's a black market dealer who becomes greedier and decides to pursue Hank's mobile laboratory and the technology inside. Goggins brings his usual charisma to the role and the character has some ambiguity, but Sonny gets overshadowed by the film's other villain, Ava Starr/Ghost. Goggins' performance was passable, yet fans believe the MCU could have used his talent better.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

8

10

PG-13

Superhero

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Director

Peyton Reed

Release Date

July 6, 2018

Studio

Marvel Studios

Cast

Paul Rudd , Evangeline Lilly , Michael Pena , Walton Goggins , Bobby Cannavale , Judy Greer

Runtime

118 minutes

Main Genre

Superhero

13 Community Is an Innovative Sitcom

Character: Mr. Stone

Considered by many to be one of the best sitcoms of all time, Community features hilarious but relatable characters in inventive premises. Joel McHale plays the series’ main protagonist, Jeff Winger, a fraudulent lawyer who enrolls at a community college after his false credentials are discovered. The beloved show has formed a cult following since its release thanks to its unique structure and brilliant writing.

Walton Goggins appears in Season 5, Episode 4, “Cooperative Polygraphy” as Mr. Stone, the lead of a team of investigators who arrive at the school to investigate Pierce Hawthorne’s death. Stone leads them through individual polygraph tests filled with ridiculous questions, revealing secrets and causing conflict to break out in the group. A virtual script reading of the Community episode was held in 2020 to support charity, and almost all the cast members participated, with Goggins’ role filled by Pedro Pascal, his costar in The Uninvited.

Community

TV-14

Comedy

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

September 17, 2009

Cast

Joel McHale , Danny Pudi , Donald Glover , Chevy Chase , Gillian Jacobs , Alison Brie , Ken Jeong , Yvette Nicole Brown

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

6

12 SIX Is an Underrated Military Show

Character: Richard "Rip" Taggart

Whether action-packed or mainly dramatic, the military genre on television has several noteworthy shows. However, some also slipped through the cracks, like the History Channel's SIX. The show chronicles members of SEAL Team Six as they undergo high-priority missions overseas. Out of SIX's two seasons, the first remains the most memorable due to Walton Goggins' involvement.

Goggins plays Richard "Rip" Taggart, a former Navy SEAL who gets captured by the terrorist group Boko Haram. This event leads to his former team members banding together and going on a rescue mission. Considering that Goggins was the big-name actor in the cast, he delivers a layered performance as Rip, a soldier who gets haunted by past mistakes and braves through pain to survive. Goggins didn't return for Season 2 of SIX, which led to Olivia Munn becoming the new headliner for the show.

11 The Unicorn Was a Heartwarming Sitcom

Character: Wade

When looking at Walton Goggins' career, he excels in dramatic films and TV shows, which is why The Unicorn was an interesting new venture for the actor. In the short-lived but lighthearted CBS sitcom, Goggins plays a widower named Wade who tries to move on from the death of his wife. With support from his two daughters and his group of friends, Wade steps back into the world of dating and tries his hand at love again.

Goggins didn't have a lot of experience in comedy, but The Unicorn allows him to showcase his funnier and more sympathetic side. As Wade, Goggins infuses enough humor and fatherly charm to make him a lovable protagonist. He knew when to turn on the comedic bits and when to pull back for the more dramatic moments. Plus, it's always nice to watch a show where a father puts his kids as his first priority. Sadly, as unique as The Unicorn was, it got canceled after two seasons.

The Unicorn

TV-PG

Drama

Family

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

A widower is eager to move on from the most difficult year of his life, only to realize he's utterly unprepared to raise his two daughters on his own and equally unprepared for the dating world where he's suddenly a hot commodity.

Release Date

September 26, 2019

Cast

Walton Goggins , Rob Corddry , Omar Miller , Maya Lynne Robinson

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

2 Seasons

Creator

Bill Martin, Mike Schiff, Grady Cooper

Producer

Grady Cooper, Walton Goggins, Sophia Lear, Scott Sites

Production Company

Trill TV, Kapital Entertainment, Mike and Bill Productions, CBS Studios

Number of Episodes

31 Episodes

10 The Uninvited Is Nadia Conners' Directorial Debut

Character: Sammy

Premiering at South by Southwest (SXSW) 2024, The Uninvited follows Rose, a mother and once-beloved actress, who is a victim of the entertainment industry's ageism and is continually deemed too old for roles. While hosting a house party with her husband Sammy (Walton Goggins), Rose finds herself helping an endearing surprise guest with a faulty memory. At the same time, Sammy, amid his own midlife crisis, tries to win over his client and impress Rose's celebrity ex-boyfriend Lucien, played by Pedro Pascal.

Goggins delivers an excellent and nuanced performance of the complex, self-doubting husband in The Uninvited. The independent comedy-drama explores Hollywood’s notion that the value of a woman degrades with age, and is also inspired by a true story, one experienced by Goggins and wife writer-director Nadia Conners, no less. This film ranks tenth in this list mainly because it has only been shown at SXSW 2024 and isn’t available to stream anywhere.

The Uninvited (2024)

Comedy

Drama

A stranger crashes a party, sparking a comedy of errors, and a reordering of life.

Director

Nadia Conners

Release Date

March 11, 2024

Cast

Pedro Pascal , Walton Goggins , Rufus Sewell , Elizabeth Reaser , Lois Smith , Eva De Dominici , Kate Comer , Annie Korzen

Writers

Nadia Conners

Runtime

97 Minutes

Main Genre

Comedy

9 Vice Principals Brought Comical Chaos

Character: Lee Russell

After the success of Eastbound & Down, actor and show creator Danny McBride created another dark comedy series, Vice Principals, and brought Walton Goggins to be his co-star. McBride and Goggins play two high school vice principals who get thrown for a loop when the principal retires. Once rival administrators, the two team up to take down an English teacher who has filled the open position.

Vice Principals was one of the first series that showed Goggins' abilities as a comedic actor after mostly being in dramas. However, he still gets the chance to play another antagonistic character, one who has comical schemes up his sleeve. Goggins plays off well with McBride, providing a central duo that is equal parts unlikable yet hilarious. Although Vice Principals only lasted two seasons and 18 episodes, the show still went out on its own terms and proved Goggins should do more projects like this.

Vice Principals

TV-MA

Comedy

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Two rival administrators at a suburban high school go to comedic extremes in their battle to become the principal. Their outrageous antics and schemes not only disrupt the school environment but also lead to unexpected bonds as they face various personal and professional challenges.

Release Date

June 17, 2016

Creator(s)

Jody Hill , Danny McBride

Cast

Danny McBride , Walton Goggins , Georgia King , Shea Whigham , Edi Patterson , Busy Philipps

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

2

Network

HBO Max

Streaming Service(s)

HBO Max

8 Walton Goggins Brought Plenty of Laughs in The Righteous Gemstones

Character: Baby Billy Freeman

The Righteous Gemstones is another exceptional and underappreciated creation from the outrageous mind of Danny McBride. A satire on televangelist families and pastors, the show centers on the fictionally famous Gemstone family and their growing empire. With a cast that includes McBride, John Goodman, Adam Devine, and Edi Patterson, The Righteous Gemstones is a clever dark comedy that carefully tackles religious subjects.

Another notable cast member is Walton Goggins as Baby Billy Freeman, Eli Gemstone's brother-in-law. Once a celebrated performer, Baby Billy now has a strained relationship with the rest of the family. He acted as the antagonist for the show's first season before becoming a recurring character in the later seasons. Nevertheless, Goggins is clearly having a blast, thanks to his line delivery and musical personality. Baby Billy should be a hateable character, but Goggins' performance turns him into one of The Righteous Gemstones' best scene stealers.

The Righteous Gemstones

TV-MA

Comedy

Release Date

August 18, 2019

Cast

John Goodman , Danny McBride , Adam Devine , Edi Patterson

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

4

7 Goggins Played a Standout Character in The Hateful Eight

Character: Sheriff Chris Mannix

2015's The Hateful Eight might be one of Quentin Tarantino's most underappreciated films, but that doesn't take away from how engaging it is from start to finish, despite its over 3-hour runtime. Set in post-Civil War Wyoming, the film follows eight strangers who seek shelter in a cabin to avoid a blizzard. When inside, the secret intentions of each character come to light, leading to a series of betrayals and bloodshed.

Even in a cast with names like Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, and Bruce Dern, Walton Goggins gets a lot of prominent screen time as Sheriff Chris Mannix. Considering The Hateful Eight is full of deceitful people, the other characters and the audience cast some doubt about Chris' claims that he is the new sheriff. Tarantino must have seen something promising when casting Goggins as Chris, and it shows in the final product. Blurring the lines between lies and honesty, Goggins delivers a standout performance in a film full of equally captivating ones.

The Hateful Eight

R

Drama

Mystery

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

In the dead of a Wyoming winter, a bounty hunter and his prisoner find shelter in a cabin currently inhabited by a collection of nefarious characters.

Director

Quentin Tarantino

Release Date

December 30, 2015

Cast

Samuel L. Jackson , Kurt Russell , Jennifer Jason Leigh

Writers

Quentin Tarantino

Runtime

2 Hours 48 Minutes

Main Genre

Crime

Production Company

Visiona Romantica, Double Feature Films, FilmColony.

6 Django Unchained Is One of the Best Modern Westerns

Character: Billy Crash

When thinking of the best modern western movies, Django Unchained is a film that instantly comes to mind. The film centers on a freed slave teaming up with a German bounty hunter and rescuing his captured wife from a sad*stic plantation owner. Highly regarded as one of Quentin Tarantino's best films, Django Unchained also got many people interested in the Western genre again.

Django Unchained's cast is stacked with incredible actors. Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz — who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar — are stellar as Django and Dr. King Schultz. Meanwhile, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson give award-worthy performances as the villainous Calvin Candie and Stephen. Amidst the well-established talent, Walton Goggins also appears as Billy Crash, a gunslinger who serves as Calvin's right-hand man. Billy is a despicable man who enjoys torture and makes slaves participate in death matches. Out of all the characters Goggins has played, Billy is the cruelest and most irredeemable.

Django Unchained

R

Drama

Western

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

A bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery.

Director

Quentin Tarantino

Release Date

December 25, 2012

Cast

Jamie Foxx , Christoph Waltz , Leonardo DiCaprio

Writers

Quentin Tarantino

Runtime

2 hours 45 minutes

Main Genre

Western

Production Company

The Weinstein Company, Columbia Pictures

5 Sons of Anarchy Is a Violent TV Drama

Character: Venus Van Dam

Sons of Anarchy is a massively popular crime drama that follows Jax Teller, Vice President of Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original (SAMCRO), after the death of his father. Taking inspiration from the real-life Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, the series deals with themes of loyalty, betrayal, and even racism. Walton Goggins appears in the last three seasons of the show as transgender prostitute Venus Van Dam.

The hit FX series also has a spin-off series, Mayans M.C., which showcases a different motorcycle club and takes place around two and a half years later. The series had one season before being canceled due to low ratings. There were plans for a Sons of Anarchy prequel series, but the show was killed off by Disney before it could turn into anything. Goggins’ role is the comedic relief that viewers needed while watching the dramatic show, making this show land in the top third of his performances.

Sons of Anarchy

9

10

TV-MA

Action

Drama

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

A biker struggles to balance being a father and being involved in an outlaw motorcycle club.

Release Date

September 3, 2008

Cast

Charlie Hunnam , Katey Sagal , Kim Coates , Mark Boone Junior , Tommy Flanagan , Ron Perlman , Johnny Lewis

Main Genre

Crime

Seasons

7

Creator

Kurt Sutter

Number of Episodes

92

Network

FX

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu

4 The Shield Was Goggins' Breakout Project

Character: Shane Vendrell

FX's The Shield — which premiered in 2002 — was a groundbreaking police drama that broke away from usual tropes at the time while still being an impressive procedural. Set in Los Angeles, Vic Mackey (played by Emmy winner Michael Chiklis) runs a police division that uses unconventional and law-breaking methods to solve cases. The Shield was one of the first shows to have an anti-hero as the protagonist, and the activities committed by Vic and his Strike Team only increased the stakes.

Among those in Vic's Strike Team is Shane Vendrell, played by Walton Goggins. One of the best character relationships in The Shield is the partnership between Vic and Shane. The chemistry between Chiklis and Goggins is electric, and their characters' friendship gets tested across the show's seven seasons. Without giving too much away, Shane goes on a roller coaster of a character arc, and Goggins delivers with each developmental change. The Shield was the show that got Goggins his big break, acting as the start of a magnificent career.

The Shield

Drama

Action

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Drama series following the lives and cases of dirty cop Vic Mackey and the corrupt LAPD unit under his command.

Release Date

March 12, 2002

Cast

Michael Chiklis , Catherine Dent , Reed Diamond

Seasons

7

Creator

Shawn Ryan

Number of Episodes

88

3 Fallout Was a Post-Apocalyptic Hit

Character: Cooper Howard/The Ghoul

Fallout is the latest television adaptation of a best-selling video game, following the success of The Last of Us. Set in Los Angeles over 200 years after the Great War of 2077, survivors of the war live in underground shelters, referred to as Vaults. The series follows Vault-dweller Lucy Maclean as she emerges to the surface and journeys through the devastating, radioactive wasteland on a search to find her missing father.

Walton Goggins plays Cooper Howard, a famous actor who suffers severe effects from the apocalypse and transforms into the Ghoul, an undead gunslinger. As one of the main protagonists of Fallout, Goggins has received much praise for his portrayal and was a 2024 Primetime Emmy Award nominee for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. In its first five days of streaming, Fallout was watched for a record-breaking 2.9 billion minutes, the most of any Prime Video series debut, according to Variety.

Fallout

Action

Adventure

Drama

Sci-Fi

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

In a future, post-apocalyptic Los Angeles brought about by nuclear decimation, citizens must live in underground bunkers to protect themselves from radiation, mutants and bandits.

Release Date

April 10, 2024

Cast

Moises Arias , Johnny Pemberton , Walton Goggins , Kyle MacLachlan , Xelia Mendes-Jones , Aaron Moten , Ella Purnell

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Seasons

1

Creator(s)

Geneva Robertson-Dworet

Production Company

Amazon Studios, Kilter Films, Bethesda Game Studios

Writers

Geneva Robertson-Dworet

Number of Episodes

8

Directors

Jonathan Nolan

2 Invincible is One of the Best Current Superhero Series

Character: Cecil Stedman

Prime Video's Invincible is an animated series that is hard to pull away from due to the graphic action and other mature material. The show further proves that some of the best superhero stories are mainly for adults. Invincible chronicles the titular superhero as he battles many powerful enemies while juggling his personal life as Mark Grayson. Mark is front and center, but he also has a massive supporting cast of equally important characters.

One of those characters is Cecil Stedman, the director of the Global Defense Agency. Walton Goggins hadn't done a lot of animated work before Invincible, but he plays Cecil as if he is an experienced voice actor. Cecil keeps tabs on Invincible and the Guardians of the Globe to make sure nothing gets out of hand, yet he butts heads with the heroes on several occasions. Goggins successfully portrays Cecil as someone so stubborn yet determined to ensure the planet's safety. Considering Cecil is physically scarred and old, it's still hard to realize that it's Goggins voicing him.

Invincible (TV Show)

9

10

TV-MA

Animation

Action

Adventure

An adult animated series based on the Skybound/Image comic about a teenager whose father is the most powerful superhero on the planet.

Release Date

March 26, 2021

Cast

Steven Yeun , J.K. Simmons , Sandra Oh , Zazie Beetz , Grey Griffin , Gillian Jacobs , Walton Goggins , Andrew Rannells , Kevin Michael Richardson

Main Genre

Superhero

Creator

Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley and Cory Walker

Writers

Robert Kirkman

Streaming Service(s)

Prime Video

1 Justified Defined His Long-Running Career

Character: Boyd Crowder

The most defining show in Walton Goggins' career is FX's crime drama Justified. The show follows U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens - played by the incredible Timothy Olyphant - as he returns to his home state of Kentucky to take down various criminals using his unorthodox methods. Justified hooked viewers for six seasons and earned high critical praise, with Goggins' portrayal of Boyd Crowder being one of the most notable factors.

A renowned lawbreaker, Boyd is a former coal-mining acquaintance of Raylan's before he fell down a path of criminal behavior. Originally, Boyd was only supposed to be a recurring character, but that decision changed and Boyd became both an important character in the cast and the show's main antagonist. Even if other villains showed up to raise the stakes, the intense rivalry between Raylan and Boyd was a crucial element that kept Justified going until its spectacular finale. As a result, both Goggins and Olyphant turned in two career-best performances that should have garnered them and Justified more Emmy buzz.

Justified

TV-MA

Action

Crime

Drama

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Enforcing his own brand of justice, U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, a strong-willed, quiet law-man haunted by his past, returns to his native town to see that justice is served to those in need.

Release Date

March 16, 2010

Cast

Timothy Olyphant , Walton Goggins , Joelle Carter , Jacob Pitts

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

6

Creator

Graham Yost

Network

FX

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu