Westworld Casts TV Veteran Sela Ward as William's Wife

Screen Rant

By Brittany Rivera

Published Jun 11, 2018

Sela Ward joins the Westworld season 2 cast as the older version of William's wife, Juliet, in next week's episode, 'One True Thing'.

Veteran actress Sela Ward is joining the cast of Westworld as Juliet, William's (Ed Harris) wife. The HBO drama has added a number of new actors to its cast for the second season, including Katja Herbers as William's daughter Emily. The show has also expanded to include two new parks outside of the original, wild west themed one.

Season 1 of Westworld saw the robot hosts trying to gain consciousness and fight back against their human oppressors. Season 2 has shown this rebellion in full force. Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) is leading one side of this revolution - and is willing to win by any means necessary. Maeve (Thandie Newton) wants to find her daughter. And poor Bernard is just trying to survive. Just like season 1, the events of Westworld season 2 are told non-chronologically, leaving eager fans to put the pieces together.

Variety is confirming that Ward will be joining Westworld season 2 for its penultimate episode. Fans got a first glimpse of the actress in the teaser for the episode. The clip features shots of Dolores and Teddy (James Marsden) confronting the Ghost Nation, as well as what appears to be a flashback of Juliet and William at a party, accompanied by a voiceover from the Man in Black. He says, "No one else sees it. This thing in me. You and I didn't see it at first and then one day it was there. This stain." He seems to be hinting at the rift that drove him and Juliet apart, leaving him to pursue a life in the park and her to kill herself.

Westworld - The Man in Black (Ed Harris)

The last time viewers saw Juliet was in episode 2, "Reunion", at James Delos' (Peter Mullan) retirement party. There she was played by Claire Unabia to Jimmi Simpson's young William. So far, much about her character is unknown, other than her mistrust of Westworld and her suicide, which Emily blames her father for. It will be interesting to see Ward give this character some depth. Her introduction could explain what drives the Man in Black, while also fleshing out his relationship with his daughter.

Ward is a Golden Globe winning actress who has appeared in both film and television. If nothing else, it will be a treat to see her go up against Harris. Westworld is at its best when it allows its strongest actors - like Harris and Anthony Hopkins - to share the screen together. The news of Ward's casting this late in the season should also make fans wonder what other tricks the show has up its sleeve, leading into the season 2 finale.