‘Sons Of Anarchy’ Episode 5 Recap: Yes, That’s Walton Goggins Under That Wig

After two weeks of crying thanks to the death of one of our favorite characters, Kurt Sutter did right by us with last night’s Sons of Anarchy by breaking the tension and letting us laugh, helped in large part by an unexpected and brilliant cameo by Walton Goggins as a transgender escort.

Last night’s “Orca Shrugged” was full of laughs (and some drama, to be sure). But since it would do you no service to talk through every moment bit by bit, we’ll instead focus on Walton Goggins and his transformation into transgender escort Venus Van Damme, whose cameo was last night’s jewel of a surprise, full of camp, fun, and humor.

When asked how he got pulled into the cameo by TV Guide, Goggins joked: “He’s [Kurt Sutter] got so many of my bones in his closet that I’ll pretty much do anything he asks.” On how he decided to play Van Damme, Goggins said:

“I wanted to be very respectful about the transgender culture in our society. This is a woman who, like a lot of people who have made this choice, doesn’t have a choice. That is who they are and that is how they need to express themselves. I wanted her to be, not a low-rent call girl, but a woman of some sophistication and class and a woman with a real sense of humor.”

Goggins also hinted that his cameo might open up a future for his transgender character on Sons of Anarchy:

“I think that you’ve not seen the last of Venus. I think that she will pop up again. And hopefully, once you are kind of over the initial shock of how strange it is, you’re with Venus, because she’s so much fun to be around and so smart and sassy,” he said, admitting, “Something’s already in the works.  But I don’t think I’m at liberty to say [when].”

Goggins also talked to Entertainment Weekly about his unscripted kiss with Charlie Hunnam’s Jax:

“It wasn’t scripted. And it was interesting. As respectful as Charlie and all of the guys were to me, I wanted to be respectful of them. We’d done takes a few different ways, and I just leaned over and whispered in Charlie’s ear, ‘Just trust me.’ And they yelled, ‘Action!’ and we began the scene again, and there was this moment where it was so sincere and so sweet, I just leaned in and kissed Charlie the way that Venus kisses him. The look on his face — the shock of What was that? It was tender and sweet! – it was sooo priceless. It was just like, wow, that’s what it’s like. That’s the moment.”

Oh, and Goggins didn’t need a body double for the cameo. That was all him:

“It was all me. That was my ass! I don’t want anyone taking credit for that but me. [Laughs]“

Fun fact: The name “Venus Van Damme” is a nod to Goggins’ character on The Shield. As Detective Shane Vendrell, he sometimes used the alias “Cletus Van Damme.” Sons of Anarchy has often employed elements of The Shield‘s fictional universe throughout the seasons. The One-Niners gang, for instance, is a fictional gang on both shows.

Did you see last night’s Sons of Anarchy? Did you enjoy the Walton Goggins cameo? Tell us your favorite moment from “Orca Shrugged” below.