Exploring the Complex Characters of Fallout: Insights from the Cast and Creators
If there’s one defining characteristic of Prime Video’s *Fallout*, it is the presence of deeply complex characters.
The series, which premiered its second season earlier this year, continues to take viewers on an adventure through the Mojave wasteland to the rebuilt, post-apocalyptic city of New Vegas. Central to this storyline is Lucy, who, along with her companion, is on a quest to find her father, Hank, portrayed by Kyle MacLachlan. Initially depicted as a loving parent, Hank’s true nature—a ruthless pre-war Vault-Tec executive responsible for the nuclear destruction of Shady Sands—is revealed at the close of Season 1.
“Hank is a beautifully complicated man, but honestly, the writing is so great, I’ve been able to find justification for everything that he does, and it makes complete sense in my mind,” MacLachlan stated. “He is the kind of guy that brings a gun to a knife fight, I’ll be first to admit, but he loves his daughter beyond everything else, and I think that’s been the core of his character, and the writing has been supportive of that.”
Joining MacLachlan at the Contenders TV event were director and executive producer Lisa Joy, along with actors Aaron Moten and Frances Turner. Both Moten and Turner also portray characters entwined in the series’ intricate plotlines for Season 2. Turner plays Barb Howard, a high-ranking Vault-Tec executive, who is uniquely identified as the Ghoul’s wife. While Lucy seeks to confront Hank for his actions, the Ghoul journeys alongside her in search of his own family in the aftermath of the nuclear fallout.
Turner admitted to knowing “absolutely nothing” about the trajectory of Barb’s storyline upon accepting the role. “I wasn’t aware of the heel turn in the first season, and I wasn’t aware of the heel turn in the second season. But all of it made sense, if you just follow the story as it unfolds,” she reflected. “Barb made complete sense to me, and I trusted every step of the way that she wasn’t lying when she said she was trying to protect her daughter and her husband in the face of the inevitability of the world ending.”
Meanwhile, Moten’s character, Maximus, is a soldier of the Brotherhood of Steel who grapples with his loyalties and the implications of his past actions. Moten described this conflict as a journey toward understanding how he can positively impact his surroundings.
Though based on a video game, *Fallout* features an original narrative crafted by showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet and the creative team, allowing for the development of unique characters in collaboration with the actors. Robertson-Dworet emphasized the appeal of the project, stating, “One of the reasons I really wanted to collaborate with Lisa and Jonah on this show is because they make the most morally complicated shows. These three actors do such a phenomenal job making you care so deeply and see the humanity in very flawed individuals who are struggling to find ways to make the world a better place or care for the people they love, even in an incredibly violent, tricky world and situation. So I’m just so grateful for these incredibly brave actors, because so often you collaborate with people who don’t want to play villains or people who are complicated.”
For more insights, stay tuned for the panel video set to be released on Monday.
