Fallout showrunner explains why Macaulay Culkin was the right choice to play Lacerta Legate

When Fallout Season 2 unveiled Macaulay Culkin as Lacerta Legate, fans were really shocked. It is the same actor who became famous for playing the lovable kid in Home Alone, and thus, it was surprising to see him enter the harsh, violent world of the Prime Video post-apocalyptic series. However, this is precisely why the casting works, as showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet puts it.

Lacerta Legate is an influential but ethically complex leader within Caesar’s Legion, which is a position that Culkin could never have imagined he would play at the beginning of his career. What might have appeared as a stunt instead turned out to be one of the most discussed moments of the season, with Robertson-Dworet also making it clear what creative logic went behind the audacious decision.

---

Why Macaulay Culkin’s casting works so well in Fallout Season 2

Initially, Macaulay Culkin may appear to be a very odd selection for the roughness of Fallout. However, according to showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet, this is the very contrast that makes the casting work. Culkin gives depth to Lacerta, portraying him as a charismatic leader with a morally ambiguous character.

In a recent interview with People, Geneva Robertson-Dworet stated:

“We were so honored to have him. We met with him before he started and he's such a thoughtful person and I love what he brought to the role. He had this very particular read on the kind of character that he wanted to play within the Legion and I think he really brought that to the screen….Of course, I was someone who grew up going to the theater many times to see Home Alone as a kid. That innocent boy now running a slave society just felt really fun to us. It was very delicious.”

Robertson-Dworet also complimented Culkin on the seriousness with which he took the role, adding ideas of his own to a character who is torn between ideology and survival. The show subverts the expectations by capitalizing on the disconnect between the image of the innocent, familiar Culkin and the vicious reality that Lacerta has to endure. Things in Fallout are seldom what they appear, and that is exactly the message that Culkin’s casting brings to the show.

---

Great casting is also about great chemistry

The other reason why the casting of Culkin works so well is because of the relationships that he brings with him. Walton Goggins, who stars as The Ghoul, has publicly acclaimed Culkin not only as a very skilled actor but also as a friend and creative partner since they have collaborated with each other in the past.

Walton Goggins told People,

“I didn't know about him because they don't tell me a lot of things. Justin [Theroux] I knew about, obviously, and Jon [Gries] and a few other people, but Macaulay I didn't know about. When they told me, I just lit up because I think the world of him. We had such a great time on Righteous Gemstones and we became friends after that. The way he fits into this world is so specific and he is so uniquely suited for it. I'm just grateful that he said yes and that he was onboard.”

Goggins was actually thrilled about the idea of working with Culkin when Fallout announced his arrival, not only because it meant they would be co-stars, but also because he had a genuine desire to work together with him. That sort of authentic chemistry is important in a show full of intense dramatic twists and morally grey situations. It makes the cast feel like a team, not a group of actors delivering lines, and therefore, makes the strange and perilous universe of Fallout seem more real.

It is a fun meta-factor as well to see the person who is tied to childhood nostalgia introduced to such dark content. It is shocking and humorous, and it provides a level of fresh content to discuss among fans, which is just right, given that the show is a combination of post-nuclear anarchy and pop culture.

---

Why was this role worth it for Macaulay Culkin

Macaulay Culkin has frequently joked about how he is perpetually retired and only takes roles for projects that genuinely excite him. But then, take a look at the choices he made to land a role in Fallout.

His character, Lacerta Legate, doesn’t appear to be just a cameo role. He has the potential to get involved in the conflicts that rage between Caesar’s Legion, the New California Republic, and other factions for control over the wasteland. A character like this provides the opportunity for Culkin to move past his normal playing grounds and pursue a different path.

It feels like he’s there as the result of some careful consideration, as if he’s brought something to the table. It is a reminder that even in retirement, Culkin is clearly not lacking in instinct for unexpected roles and that surprising choices tend to have the greatest effect in an unpredictable world like that of Fallout.

---

For more such insights on Fallout Season 2, keep following SoapCentral.