Westworld FYC Event Brings Out Creators and Stars!

With just 2 weeks to go until voting for Emmy nominations begins, the casts and crews of contending television shows are in full-blitz mode. One of the more popular strategies to win over the Academy’s voters is For Your Consideration events, and last night, Westworld held its very own in Los Angeles.

And boy, did the show bring its best! Included on the panel were co-creators and showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, Executive Producer J.J. Abrams, and stars Evan Rachel Wood (Dolores), Thandie Newton (Maeve), Jeffrey Wright (Bernard), James Marsden (Teddy), and Jimmi Simpson (William).

Indie Wire TV critic Ben Travers (@BenTTravers) was in attendance at the event, and live tweeted some of the more memorable lines from the evening. While the cast and crew refrained from divulging information regarding the upcoming second season, they did provide some fun tidbits and anecdotes from the freshman run.

HBO pulls out the big guns for #Westworld FYC panel, as JJ Abrams joins creators, Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright, Thandie Newton & more. pic.twitter.com/4pu3kFpB6r

— Ben Travers (@BenTTravers) May 31, 2017

At one point, Wright spoke about what went through his head after he got the part of Bernard, but before it was revealed to him the true nature of his character. The actor jokingly mentioned to Nolan that he thought Dr. Ford (Anthony Hopkins) would actually be Bernard’s artificial creation. Turns out, he was actually onto something, but had the two characters switched!

When he got the part, Jeffrey Wright joked to Nolan that Dr. Ford would turn out to be Bernard’s creation. “Close but no cigar.” #Westworld pic.twitter.com/VNGN4W3mhg

— Ben Travers (@BenTTravers) May 31, 2017

When speaking about some of the requirements of his character, Marsden claimed, “I finally learned to ride the horse by Episode 10.” While this assertion is probably a bit exaggerated, given how frequently Teddy successfully rides a horse early on in the first season, it does reveal the actor’s well-hidden unfamiliarity with the animal.

“I finally learned to ride the horse by Episode 10.” – James Marsden on Teddy’s well-faked heroism. #Westworld pic.twitter.com/q1g5vSuxUV

— Ben Travers (@BenTTravers) May 31, 2017

Perhaps one of the funniest moments of the night came courtesy of Wood. The actress mentioned that people will yell at her on the street to “cease all motor functions.” Her response? “And I do! It freaks them out!”

Strangers are yelling “cease all motor functions” at @evanrachelwood on the street — “And I do! It freaks them out!” #Westworld #EvilGenius pic.twitter.com/vDIjX7oGW5

— Ben Travers (@BenTTravers) May 31, 2017

However freaky it may be, at least we can rest assured that she’s keeping her robotic movements finely tuned!

The Hollywood Reporter was also present and covered last night’s event. According to Joy, one of the most important things she and Nolan attempted to do in the first season was flip the switch on the traditional male-dominated heroic journey:

“It was the double inversion. Not only the kind of robot thing, where it’s normally about the guests being terrorized by the robots but from the robot’s point of view. But then to do a Western, where it’s normally the archetypal male hero in a kind of unknown land. Then to turn it into these fair damsels who are nothing but ferocious warriors when you get to know them, both personally and on-screen, I feel like each of them brings all the layers in life and on-screen that you would want from a heroine.”

Abrams was quick to praise her and Nolan for their relentless desire to portray female characters as the hero. “The idea of a female at the center was something you guys pushed even when we were looking at materials and posters for the show”, says Abrams. “It was a male figure and the idea that it should be a female figure, you guys were always behind that.”

Wood also recalled being incredibly appreciative of Nolan and Joy’s efforts, not only in pushing the female hero, but in creating a character as complex as Dolores: “When we wrapped, I just went over to Jonah and Lisa and started weeping and said, ‘Thank you.’ It’s so rare you find a show like this and it’s so rare you get to work with people like this or play a role like this.”

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The full stream of Travers’ tweets from the evening is below. What do you think of the stars’ and creators’ reflections on the first season? Let us know!

HBO pulls out the big guns for #Westworld FYC panel, as JJ Abrams joins creators, Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright, Thandie Newton & more. pic.twitter.com/4pu3kFpB6r

— Ben Travers (@BenTTravers) May 31, 2017

When he got the part, Jeffrey Wright joked to Nolan that Dr. Ford would turn out to be Bernard’s creation. “Close but no cigar.” #Westworld pic.twitter.com/VNGN4W3mhg

— Ben Travers (@BenTTravers) May 31, 2017

“The things that were so gross were going to be used against the grossness.” – Thandie Newton on the explicit nature of #Westworld. pic.twitter.com/lii8fOyzE2

— Ben Travers (@BenTTravers) May 31, 2017

“I finally learned to ride the horse by Episode 10.” – James Marsden on Teddy’s well-faked heroism. #Westworld pic.twitter.com/q1g5vSuxUV

— Ben Travers (@BenTTravers) May 31, 2017

“You did a really good job hiding it from me. I didn’t want to believe it was happening.” @evanrachelwood to @jimmisimpson #Westworld pic.twitter.com/6YOq5N01ph

— Ben Travers (@BenTTravers) May 31, 2017

“We [tried to get the] lovely owners of the Pacific Design Center to let us take horses onto the fourth floor.” – Jonathan Nolan #Westworld

— Ben Travers (@BenTTravers) May 31, 2017

“It’s ultimately a story about the oppressed. It’s about revolution. It’s freakishly timely.” – JJ Abrams on #Westworld @WestworldHBO pic.twitter.com/2EYTYRgJmR

— Ben Travers (@BenTTravers) May 31, 2017

Strangers are yelling “cease all motor functions” at @evanrachelwood on the street — “And I do! It freaks them out!” #Westworld #EvilGenius pic.twitter.com/vDIjX7oGW5

— Ben Travers (@BenTTravers) May 31, 2017