The Fallout TV series has been out for less than two weeks, and already it is garnering considerable attention from casual viewers and hardcore fans alike. The positive reception of the show is undeniable, and Amazon Prime has already taken its victory lap with the recent announcement that a second season has been greenlit.
Although much can be said for the creative talents of Jonathan Nolan and Todd Howard who worked their magic behind the camera, they cannot take all the credit. Several exceptional actors brought new characters of the franchise to the next level, and it was Moisés Arias who truly stole the show for many. His portrayal of Norm MacLean and the journey taken to discover the secret behind Vault 31 was essential in setting the tone and building tension.
Since the show’s debut, I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Arias about his experience on Fallout. While fans may best remember him from the Disney series, Hannah Montana, the actor has continued to see success with films including: The King of Staten Island, Samaritan, and American Murderer, among others. He was a pleasure to speak with and I am very much looking forward to seeing what awaits his character in the next season. Please enjoy our exciting interview with Moisés Arias.
Fallout Showcases the Talents of Moisés Arias
Thank you for speaking with FandomWire. Can you tell me how you found out about the role of Norm and the process you went through to prepare for it?
Yeah, I meant it was an opportunity that was kind of cryptic and you just saw the people involved and it was very exciting. But once we got to New York and started rehearsing and talking about what it was or the world we stepped into yeah it was a lot of conversations. Because as you know it’s a retro-futuristic post-apocalyptic world where people live in vaults for over 200 years now.
So it was definitely an interesting sort of idea of what the dynamics were between families and the fact that our entire vaults are practically all related at this point, which leads to why my sister Lucy wants to meet someone from another vault. And you know all these elements are really intriguing and really fun to sort of play with and try to make feel real. And obviously, it helps that the vaults were so well constructed, we didn’t have to imagine much.
Did you have any experience playing Fallout before taking on the role of Norm?
I hadn’t no, but the Pip-Boy is so incredibly iconic I was definitely surrounded by it my entire life.
Can you tell me a little bit about the props? Like the Pip-Boy looked so cool was it fully functional?
Besides the touchscreen yes. I forget who exactly was coding. But the app…we were looking at the games we were playing, we were looking at getting transferred to different vaults, our power levels, all those things, which was really cool because we’re not pretending to look at anything, like our eyes are moving to what’s happening.
As viewers near the end of the first season, Norm is a big part of uncovering the mystery behind Vault 31. What was your reaction to that twist and what do you think Norm will do in his current predicament?
I mean it doesn’t seem good. It doesn’t seem like he’s in a position to have many options. But hopefully, like anything else, he’s seeing something that we don’t. And you know finds a way to either use the help of Bud’s Buds or to find a way back to his vault.
When fans talk about your work in Fallout, you don’t have to look hard before seeing something about Hannah Montana. How do you feel about still being associated with a series that’s nearly two decades old now?
I don’t think they’ll ever stop, but I guess that’s a good thing because it just means that the series is as big as it was. And you know, it was crazy it was a crazy time. That was basically like my high school and that’s my yearbook. Those years are documented on television, and not only me but like the people who grew up on it. So it’s nice to see that those fans of Hannah are also fans of Fallout and that they’re enjoying the series.
Norm develops significantly from the first episode to the last. What do you think of the character’s evolution and how do you adjust for that when filming, since the scenes were probably not shot in order?
Yeah, it’s tough. I mean but very very rarely if ever have I shot something in order. I think…we didn’t receive all eight episodes at once. I was also deciphering with the audience as we were watching. And I think that led to the reason why it feels the way it does.
I was reading and left with cliffhangers as well every time we finished an episode. And it’s understanding where you are in the time and in the space and if anyone had to really understand what they were doing it’s Walton.
What was your experience just being on the set with everything around? Did you ever just have that sort of moment like “Oh wow I’m really a part of this?”
Yeah, I think every day was that way. Everyone involved has done all these amazing things and I’m working with incredible actors. But at the end of the day, you have to do your job and luckily, we’re not imagining much and we’re going off of other people that are just as excited and just as prepared or whatever it is. So, this is just a great group of people. And I’m excited. The two years of anticipation finally put together, it’s special.
You can watch Moisés Arias on the Fallout TV series, which is now streaming its first season on Amazon Prime. And don’t forget to check out our other interviews in gaming and entertainment!
