Read this if you’ve watched the episode.
If you haven’t yet, come back later!
Thandie Newton’sWestworldcharacter Maeve Millay was put through the existential wringer in the second episode of the acclaimed sci-fi drama.
Credit: John P. Johnson
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: First, what drew you to this project?
Maybe that sounds uncool, and it certainly it’s not to diminish the fun elements ofWestworld.
It’s getting all that junk out of your head because it’s just stimulus from around us.
It’s not who we really are, and I’m fascinated by that.
So who’s to say that’s any different from being “programmed”?
Once you’re been programmed, you’re free to go to therapy and get unprogrammed.
You’re changing your state.
So by playing a robot I got into that.
People who have reached that enlightened place are pretty badass and that’s what these robots are.
They’re very clear.
There’s no junk.
They’re utterly focused and motivated and get the sh done.
I think that’s a comment on us, too.
What was it like filming that?
That was like one of my first scenes to film.
That was originally in the pilot.
So they moved it to the end of episode 2.
One of the biggest questions they had was whether I would comfortable being naked completely and utterly naked.
I wanted to know more about that, obviously.
They explained the context.
Like I’ve said before, I was a campaigner of violence against women.
And I have argued with producers about nudity in the past.
There was one scene [on another show where] I wasn’t comfortable taking my top off.
It just seemed completely gratuitous.
The producer literally said to me, “Thandie Newton.
What show was that?
I’d rather know what was on the fing table.
Anyway, that is the culture that we’re in.
So for me to agree to be totally naked is a big deal.
But that is the level to which I trust these people.
I don’t want to be naked everyday on set.
I don’t want my kids to have other people tease them, because they will.
But it is worth it because of the value of what that nudity is going to impress upon people.
What you’re seeing shouldn’t be happening.
I hadn’t thought of how it might impact the brothel nudity, but that’s an interesting point.
You will feel that when you see those girls as prostitutes naked because you’ve seen that vulnerability.
You would assume that being dressed is a relief.
My boobs were up tohere, by the way.
And every day that I had to wear that costume I would be feeling so physically disempowered.
When I was naked, I was completely comfortable because I was not objectified as an actual object.
Isn’t that fascinating?
I felt more empowered when naked and people treated me with more respect.
They couldn’t help it!
Man or woman, they couldn’t not look.
Easier question: If you had a synthetic humanoid robot, what would you have it do for you?
It’s just stamina and being 43 stops me.
More Westworld coverage to come!
