Westworld’s James Marsden on Teddy 3.0 and what he knows

Given that this is a show about immortal, sentient robots, death means relatively little in Westworld. But one character has died more than any other at this point, James Marsden’s Teddy, who has reportedly recorded more than 4,000 deaths, more than any other host during his ill-fated time in Westworld. But the last one seemed to stay at the end of Season 2 as it was gone for the whole of Season 3.

Here, in the unexpectedly awesome fourth season, however, Teddy is back and, for once, seems to know a lot more about what’s going on than Dolores herself does. While fans previously suspected that Dolores rescued Teddy’s pearl from Westworld, we still know little about who this version of Teddy really is, what he knows, and what he plans to do next. So I tried to get James Marsden to tell me. Here’s our conversation:

PAUL: One thing I want to say to start here is that I know this is Westworld, which pretty much has the most mysteries of any TV show, so I know there’s a lot of things you want to know about can’t speak yet but i will do my best here.

JAMES: But you will do your best to test me.

PAUL: Yeahhh, I’m sure you’re used to it by now.

JAMES: I’ve gotten pretty good at knowing what I can and can’t talk about.

PAUL: One thing that interests me is if you knew you were going to return in a future season when you died in season 2, or was it a surprise that you were asked to return for season 4?

JAMES: I can answer that. I sat down with Lisa Joy and Jonah Nolan at the start of Season 2 before we did any film and we not only discussed my arc for Season 2 and the exciting journey that Teddy has ahead of me and myself as an actor do , that’s fun with the big changeover in the middle of the season. And on top of that, they let me know that “we’re going to do something that’s going to be really powerful with the story we’re telling: Let Teddy go away for a while.” To which I went “like, forever?” No, actually they said he’d be back in season 4, but they won’t be in season 3 and we think the show needs to have inserts. The idea of ​​taking away one of the beloved characters is going to piss off audiences, and hopefully if we do our job right when we bring you back in season 4, they’ll get up in their seats and clap. And it’s such a kinky little game that we play with our fans (laughs).

PAUL: So you mapped that out pretty far then?

JAMES: Yes they have. I will say they didn’t go into specifics about what I would do in season 4 or how I would come back. Just that “you’ll be back in season 4”. They are very good at limiting what they themselves can tell the actors.

PAUL: So how different was it going back to the show now that it’s not a Western at all and you’re in this modern city now? How was this transition?

JAMES: I mean it was fun. It’s definitely weird because it’s always the same familiar faces, only without all the dirt and dust and horses. But a welcome one, to be honest. It was fun bringing teddy tones to this season but also speaking in a very contemporary way. The first scene you see us on the date was Lisa Joy: “I want this to feel like a modern conversation. I don’t want any Western affectation in your voice. Just like you are a modern guy. He has the feeling that he could remember things from the past (laughs).

PAUL: That’s actually my next question here. I know you need to… hedge a little. It’s a pretty simple question, but in Westworld it’s pretty complicated. What can Tell us about this version of Teddy? We know he’s a guide for Dolores, but he seems separate from Bernard and Maeve like he’s not part of their plans. Is that an old park teddy bear?

JAMES: Well, I think it’s important that we say that there Has be a certain level of mystery for him, and that has to remain throughout the season. My goal as an actor approaching that was well, how much of Teddy is still there, and I’m not even going to ask who he is, where he’s from, if he’s rebuilt, if he’s a host, a human being , What ever. I won’t even think about that. I read the scripts and here is my goal. My goal is to gently open Christina’s eyes to the world she believes surrounds her and her powers in that world. And do it in a trusting and gentle way that feels like a friend. like an old friend And that’s it. That’s how I’ve approached everything so far. What are we up to, episode six?

PAUL: Yeah, I watched the screener before and thought, “Oh no, he’s not in it!” But I suppose you’ll be in the next one,

JAMES: (laughs) Right. Well I can tease the next few episodes… Episode 4 was such a bombshell on so many different levels and packed with crazy intense action that in 5 and 6 it allowed us to lay further groundwork for what is to come. 5 and 6 are a bit of the calm before the storm. So there’s a little teasing. I think… right now he’s a comforting, supportive presence that Christina trusts and somehow connects with on a deep level that she definitely doesn’t understand yet. Whether he knows everything or just… some things, there’s a mysterious basket some things must fall into.

PAUL: Plenty of them in Westworld, I’ve found.

JAMES: Yes, in episode 5 she can say who did this to me, who built this? And his answer is you did it. Teddy can say that, but he won’t explain it. Because that’s what Westworld is, it’s a puzzle box. It’s slowly burning and I think we’re on a really good path this year to do something really cool and powerful and really excite the fans and make them very happy.

I often worry, am I not specific enough, am I too convoluted? Everyone enjoys a jigsaw puzzle, but they must also be content to figure it out, or at least let it come to you. So I think we’re on the right track to making fans really happy with the direction we’re going, and yes, a lot of that has yet to stay in that mystery box. But what I want from the fans so far this season is that they enjoy seeing them back on screen together, at least for the first few episodes, there’s an ease for them, they’re having such hell in season 2 been through, and it’s nice to see these iconic Westworld characters return on screen together, although now they’re wearing leather jackets and have red hair and modern clothes. So yes, his goal is to guide her into that existential awakening.

PAUL: So this is a pretty old question and I don’t know if you can answer it yet, but I remember you talking about your exit from season 2 and being asked if Teddy was one of the beads smuggled out of the park by dolores And now that you’re back in the flesh, can you answer that, or is that still supposed to be a mystery?

JAMES: Oh god, yes, a mystery (laughs). That would be a big mess from me.

PAUL: Okay, this will probably show up at some point.

JAMES: Yes, I mean, we want these theories, we want these questions to be asked. It’s frustrating because it hasn’t been answered that way yet, but it will be. At least that’s how we feel it should be, and I believe it will be. And I say believe because it is not a fact that it will be so. I get fooled even on this show.

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Thanks to James Marsden for the interview. My final theory? (That no, Marsden didn’t reveal). Teddy was built and written by Dolores/Christina as a failsafe, using his old bead and memories to inform her of what was really going on, as he appears unaffiliated with either the old host brigade, the human resistance, or Hale seems to be . But we will see!

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