The Perfect Fit: C Thomas Howell's Destiny Unleashed in Netflix's Obliterated
Unveiling a shocking side, C Thomas Howell fearlessly embraces his role in Netflix's Obliterated, leaving both viewers and showrunners astonished by his raw and unconscious portrayal
If you've seen Netflix's latest action-comedy, Obliterated, you may already know about the series. It follows a group of special operative government agents trying to locate a nuclear bomb threatening to destroy Las Vegas. The catch? They're on the job after a wild night of partying, consuming copious amounts of alcohol and drugs. The result? Well, you'll have to watch to find out. Note: Light spoilers for Obliterated Season 1, available for streaming on Netflix.
The most astonishingly drunk member of the team is actually the bomb specialist himself, known as Haggerty. The role is played by C. Thomas Howell (known for Red Dawn, E.T., The Walking Dead), and his performance might be a bit unexpected. Not only does he appear fully nude on the show, but he also spends most of Season 1 passed out in a drug-induced haze.
While this may seem like an unconventional role for someone with Howell's background, Obliterated co-showrunner Jon Hurwitz told Our Website that it ended up being the opportunity of a lifetime for the talented actor.
"He is an incredibly intelligent and experienced individual in the industry," Hurwitz stated. "When he first read the script for Haggerty, he immediately saw the potential for this role. It's a character unlike any he has ever played before, and he really connects with it. He knows exactly how to bring this character to life."
Following this, the co-showrunner described the show as an "R-rated Weekend at Bernie's," with the team lugging him around in an inflatable raft or carrying him over their shoulders. There is also a particularly disgusting scene where his colleagues have to clean his own excrement off of him in a Las Vegas fountain.
"It was truly amazing to see him display such comedic brilliance in the first episode, and then to transition to spending four episodes largely unconscious," commented Hurwitz. "Even when Haggerty's character is unconscious, every scene he's in, he manages to be engaging and active. As an actor, it presented a unique challenge, but fortunately, he was able to draw from his extensive repertoire and bring these moments to life."
Hayden Schlossberg, one of the show's trio of showrunners, found the experience reminiscent of a project he and Hurwitz collaborated on nearly two decades ago.
I was reminded of working with Neil Patrick Harris on Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle while working with C. Thomas Howell. It's hard to believe that back then, Neil hadn't really done anything comedic of note," Schlossberg said. "You didn't think of him as a comedy star at the time. But we intentionally wrote something that we knew would be hilarious for him in that movie. The same goes for C. Thomas Howell. I knew him from a lot of dramatic works over the years. But we knew this was a very showy, crazy, wild character. We hope people watch this and think, 'Wow, that's C. Thomas Howell doing this? Awesome!'
Let's all hope for a Season 2 of Obliterated, if only so we can see more of Howell's adventures as Haggerty. It's hard to imagine how that character could fall any lower, but it would be fun to see the writers try.
Obliterated is streaming on Netflix now.
Editor's P/S
1. C Thomas Howell's performance in Obliterated is a revelation. He fearlessly commits to the role of Haggerty, a bomb specialist who is blackout drunk for most of the season. Howell's performance is both hilarious and heartbreaking, as he perfectly captures the pathos of a man who is struggling with addiction and self-destruction.
2. The showrunners of Obliterated took a big risk by casting Howell in this role, but it paid off. Howell's performance is one of the best things about the show, and he proves that he is a versatile actor who is not afraid to take risks. I can't wait to see what he does next.
