Ella Purnell and Aaron Moten discuss the challenges and pressure that comes with entering a well loved franchise like Fallout, as well as fun on set.
Prime Video’s Fallout talks place in a post apocolytpic world and tells the story of haves and have-nots. Based on the popular video game franchise, it is set more than 200 years after the apocalypse. The gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind — and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird and highly violent universe waiting for them.
We spoke with Fallout stars Ella Purnell (Lucy) and Aaron Moten (Maximus) about their new show. They discuss the pressure and nerves that come with entering well loved franchises such as this one, as well as the stunts they were able to do because of the insane action sequences. The two also talk about the incredible sets and production design that made it feel as if they were stepping into the game.
Ella Purnell and Aaron Moten Talk Fallout
Tessa Smith: Ella, this isn’t your first time stepping into a well loved franchise. Does it ever get any easier or do you always get nervous of what fans are going to think?
Ella Purnell: You always get nervous and I think the nerves is good. I think being intimidated shows great respect for the source material and that’s because you love it and because you want to do it justice. If I wasn’t nervous than I would wouldn’t be excited, and I probably shouldn’t be a part of the project.
Tessa Smith: Aaron for you, is it a little nerve wracking stepping into this world? Brotherhood of Steel is such a well loved group.
Aaron Moten: Well, yeah, Extremely so. But, you know, I just felt so saved by our collaborators on this piece. Our amazing scenic designer, Howard Cummings, and his team. Every set that I walked on to made me kind of forget and it all of a sudden became like, I get to play here today, this is just amazing. It’s dense, it’s full of so much detail. It would just wipe all of that away. This has been the most fun job I’ve ever had.
Tessa Smith: You mentioned the sets, which are insane. Ella, what was it like for you stepping into this world since you are in the vault and out in the wasteland.
Ella Purnell: It’s funny, because I played a little bit of the games, mostly because I wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. And I wanted to get as much out of it as I could to influence my character, all of that, but I wanted to get the most out of the show. And I’m so glad I did because I noticed so many more details. And I got to appreciate them properly. You know, the Nuka Cola, to the vault, the pit boy, every tiny little detail that they’ve meticulously recreated – the weight of that was was profound. I remember the first time putting on that vault suit was wild. And also, I had spent so much time making my character in Fallout look like me and now I look like the character that I had made. It was a really surreal moment of like, this is real. It really happened.
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Tessa Smith: The both of you have some pretty insane action sequences. Was there one action sequence in particular that you were most excited to film?
Ella Purnell: Episode three is pretty bonkers. Reading every episode was like, oh, how are we gonna do this? Every scene is bonkers. And there’s so so much that they said, Do you want a stunt double – the scene with me and Walton – or are you gonna do it? I said, I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna do it. And I’m so glad I did. Because it was terrifying and fun and challenging and rewarding all in one.
Aaron Moten: Especially with our stunt coordinators on this show. There’s a lot for Ella and I. Like, put me in coach. We wanted to do it. We felt safe. We felt taken care of by them and we felt like we wanted to get the experience.
Tessa Smith: I remember during the special screening, Aaron, you talked about your first day on set and that it was pretty intense. Can you talk about that for a second?
Aaron Moten: I mean, they wanted to put me on a helicopter, you know what I mean? They’re like get in this birdie bird, and it’s gonna be moving, and you need your harness. Do you have a harness on? Iwas like, No, I don’t have a harness on. You feel like there’s a moment where your voice is breaking on set, because you don’t want to scream and alarm people but you want to be like stunts? Really exciting stuff and that’s a Tuesday on Fallout. That’s just part of the experience, which is just a trip.
See Ella Purnell and Aaron Moren in action when all eight episodes of Fallout season one stream on Prime Video April 11th.
NEXT: Jonah Nolan & Michael Emerson On Fallout Easter Eggs & Sets
About Fallout
Based on one of the greatest video game series of all time, Fallout is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. 200 years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind — and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird and highly violent universe waiting for them.
From executive producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, the creators of Westworld, starring Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Walton Goggins and more.
All episodes of Fallout Season 1 arrive April 11 on Prime Video.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.