Westworld is an HBO show based on the film of the same name, which was written and directed by Michael Crichton in 1973. It focuses on a Wild West amusement park full of android hosts that cater to visitors’ needs, desires and fantasies.
The series premiered in 2016, and Season 3 is coming on March 15, 2020. That being said, let’s take a moment to study the cast of Westworld: Who are these actors and actresses? Where else can they be seen? What television series and films were they in previously? When did their careers begin? Here are some answers.
Evan Rachel Wood As Dolores Abernathy
The park’s oldest host is Dolores Abernathy, a strong and smart character who is played by Evan Rachel Wood. Before becoming the star of this series, Wood appeared in several other works, as her career started in the 1990s.
She has been in TV shows like Once and Again and True Blood and in movies like Thirteen and The Ides of March. She also recently provided the voice for Queen Iduna, Elsa’s and Anna’s mom, in Frozen II, an animated flick that proved this actress can also sing really, really well!
Thandie Newton As Maeve Millay
Another host in the park is Maeve Millay, a madam played by Thandie Newton. For this role, this actress won a Primetime Emmy Award, two Critics Choice Awards and nominations at the Golden Globe Awards, Saturn Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Besides being on this sci-fi show, Newton has been seen in big films like Beloved, Mission: Impossible 2, The Pursuit of Happyness and Solo: A Star Wars Story. She has also voiced characters in animated shows like American Dad and Big Mouth.
Jeffrey Wright As Bernard Lowe
The head of the Westworld Programming Division is Bernard Lowe, and one of the founders of Westworld is Arnold Weber, and Jeffrey Wright plays both of these characters.
Also on HBO, Wright was on Boardwalk Empire as Valentin Narcisse and in Angels in America as Belize, a role for which he won a couple of awards. He has been part of popular film series, as well, such as the James Bond flicks Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and No Time to Die and The Hunger Games movies as Beetee.
Shannon Woodward As Elsie Hughes
Someone else in the Programming Division is Elsie Hughes, and this supporting character is played by an actress named Shannon Woodward. While this is certainly her biggest and brightest role, fans have actually been seeing her for years, in a number of smaller parts.
For instance, she was Emma Sharp in Man of the House from 2005, and she was Leah in The Haunting of Molly Hartley from 2008. She has also appeared in TV shows such as Clarissa Explains It All, The Drew Carey Show, Without A Trace, Raising Hope and Portlandia.
Luke Hemsworth As Ashley Stubbs
Within this Western-themed park, Ashley Stubbs is in charge of security, and this character is played by Luke Hemsworth.
As an Australian actor, he has been in several Australian and American shows and films. One of his most interesting roles, though, came in 2017; he played Thor in a play that took place within Thor: Ragnarok… which, of course, stars his brother, Chris!
James Marsden As Teddy Flood
Teddy Flood is a host who is in love with Dolores and who is portrayed by James Marsden. While everyone on this list has acted before and after this show, Marsden is definitely one of the bigger names; yes, this actor has been seen in tons of TV shows and a variety of films over the years.
On television, he has acted in everything from Saved by the Bell: The New Class and Party of Five to Modern Family and 30 Rock. When it comes to action and comic book stories, he was Scott Summers / Cyclops in the X-Men flicks and was recently in Sonic The Hedgehog. And for fluffier and more romantic movies, he was in Hairspray, Enchanted (a part that is pictured here), 27 Dresses and Bachelorette, to name a few.
Tessa Thompson As Charlotte Hale
Tessa Thompson is an on-the-rise star who just keeps popping up more and more. And in Westworld, she is Charlotte Hale, the executive director of the Delos Destinations Board, which oversees this theme park and other parks.
Some of Thompson’s other films include Selma, Creed, Annihilation, and Men in Black: International. Of course, she is probably best known for being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as she is the character Valkyrie. She was also the voice of Lady in Disney’s live-action version of Lady and the Tramp from 2019. Here, she is shown in a supporting role from 2006, in the scary movie When A Stranger Calls.
Jimmi Simpson & Ed Harris As William/The Man In Black
This unique series jumps back and forth through time, meaning that two actors have played a character named William: Jimmi Simpson and Ed Harris. Simpson is the younger version, who hesitantly comes to the park for the first time, while Harris is the vet who has been so many times and now wants to know the park’s secrets.
Both of these men are well-known actors who have been acting for quite some time. For instance, Harris was in movies like Apollo 13 (which is shown here), The Truman Show, Snowpiercer and Mother. Simpson has been in movies like Herbie: Fully Loaded and Date Night and series such as It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (which is shown here), House of Cards and Black Mirror.
Anthony Hopkins As Robert Ford
Robert Ford is another one of the founders of this amusement park, and he is portrayed by Anthony Hopkins, an acclaimed and award-winning actor, director and producer. He is one of the best-known actors from this series and in the world.
Of course, Hopkins most notable role of all time was playing Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal and Red Dragon. And he has appeared in other notable movies, such as Nixon, The Elephant Man, Bram Stoker's Dracula and Meet Joe Black. Hopkins is in some of Marvel's superhero flicks, too, as he is Odin, Thor's father.
Aaron Paul As Caleb
This new season, a new character will be introduced who is named Caleb, who is a construction worker and who is portrayed by Aaron Paul. Of course, this actor will always be remembered as Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad, but he has appeared in several other works, as well.
Some of these examples include Beverly Hills, 90210, K-PAX, Mission: Impossible III and Black Mirror. He also voiced Todd Chavez in BoJack Horseman, an animated Netflix show that just ended and on which he was also an executive producer.