Walton Goggins: Biography

Fresh-faced, southern-born character actor Walton Goggins specialized in portrayals of hot-headed and rebellious types, often with an authoritarian or aggressive edge. Raised in Lithia Springs, GA, Goggins began his film career in his twenties with small supporting roles in A-list features, including Forever Young (1992), The Next Karate Kid (1994), and The Apostle (1997). He signed for his most successful and enduring role, however, as the sharp-tempered, racist detective Shane Vendrell on the FX network's popular police drama The Shield, a role Goggins held for multiple seasons, beginning with the program's debut in 2002. Beginning not long after this, Goggins stepped behind the camera to produce and turned out a number of noteworthy efforts, including the Billy Bob Thornton-headlined psychological drama Chrystal (2004) and the crime comedy Randy and the Mob, both directed by Ray McKinnon and both co-starring Goggins. ~ Nathan Southern