Walton Goggins was recently interviewed by the Times of London, all to promote his latest film, The Uninvited. It was written and directed by Goggins’ wife, Nadia Conners. Which makes it super-awkward because the Times really just wants to talk about The White Lotus and all of the gossip surrounding Walton’s relationship with the British actress Aimee Lou Wood. Aimee and Walton were seemingly very close during TWL’s filming, often posting photos together on Instagram, something shifted months after TWL wrapped. They both used the same Fleetwood Mac song, “Silver Springs,” a song about an affair, on their IG Stories while posting photo tributes to each other. They unfollowed each other on IG and for all of the TWL promotion, they completely avoided each other. They were very close for months (Walton even said Aimee was his soulmate and they were enmeshed) and now it appears as if they do not even speak or communicate. Well, Walton had TWO publicists in the room with him for this interview, and as the Times’ journalist pressed him on Aimee Lou, the publicists shut down the interview. My God. Some highlights:

His stardom reached a new level because of The White Lotus: “I would say so. The White Lotus is the Super Bowl of culture, a turbocharged experience, and Mike White is a very caring, kind, astute observer of the human condition. I’ve had a lot of crazy times in my life in front of and not in front of a camera, but this is certainly something that is profound, not just for me, but I think for everybody that has been a part of it.”

Now everyone knows his name. “A blessing and a curse, isn’t it? Honestly, buddy, and I really mean this, I treat those two impostors the same. My life was OK before The White Lotus, my life will be OK after The White Lotus. I have had a career that has given me opportunities when I could handle them. If this had happened in my twenties or early thirties it would have been a very different reaction.”

Whether he’s fallen out with Aimee Lou: “I’m not gonna have that conversation,” Goggins says. “We’re not going there, thank you,” says the American publicist, one of two who is sitting in on the interview. “Next question,” the British publicist adds.

On people talking about his bald spot & big teeth: “I don’t think about getting older. I don’t give a sh-t. I leave it to other people to talk about hairlines or my big f***ing teeth [he has inserts after losing his front teeth in a baseball accident as a child]. I don’t live a superficial life — looks are irrelevant to me.” That’s easy to say when you look like him. He frowns. “Do you think I’m handsome? That’s very kind of you to say.” It makes a change from the start of his career, when he was told he wasn’t good-looking enough. “I don’t go out of my way to look handsome in a role. I just think about the pain the character is going through.”

The Times brings up Aimee Lou again: When I bring up Wood again he cuts me off. “There is no conversation to be had about that. Sharing politics on social media — it’s in a vacuum.” I make a last forlorn attempt. “What the f***, Ed!” Goggins gasps. “Come on buddy. Wow.” “We’re going to end it there,” the American publicist says. Which is probably just as well.

[From The Times]

I mean… what did Walton expect, especially given that he was speaking to a British outlet and he has all of this not-so-secret drama with a British actress? Those two publicists are doing their jobs poorly as well – could they not give Walton some talking points for when the inevitable Aimee Lou questions came up? Something like Walton saying “Aimee is a doll, we got along great, but it was like having a best friend at camp.” Something in that vein. By shutting down the interview, they’re making it into a much bigger story and adding to the lore of what went down in Thailand. As Stevie Nicks sang, “I know I could’ve loved you, but you would not let me/I’ll follow you down ’til the sound of my voice will haunt you/Give me just a chance/You’ll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you.”

Note: while this interview came out last week, both Walton and Aimee Lou attended the Met Gala on Monday. I didn’t see any photos where they posed together, of course that doesn’t mean much. But Aimee was asked about Walton on the gala carpet, and she said: “I loved working with Walton. It was the best thing ever.” That… was sort of what Walton should have said.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.