Image via HBO
Spoilers for Westworld Season 4 below.
Jeffrey Wright, in many ways, is the beating heart of Westworld. Throughout the HBO series, Wright’s Bernard Lowe serves as an empathic go-between in the worlds of both humans and robots, able to understand the wants of both. As the series expanded its worldview, Bernard turned into a reluctant hero, having power thrust upon him and deciding to be the best man he could be accordingly. Yet the show’s fourth season gave Bernard his biggest task yet: after spending what appeared to be decades inside the robot afterlife known as “The Sublime,” Bernard emerged as a messianic figure, tasked with ensuring the world could survive Charlotte Hale’s (Tessa Thompson) nefarious scheme.
Based on the series’ seventh and most recent episode, it certainly appears as if Bernard’s quest is over, having been killed at the hands of the villainous Man in Black (Ed Harris). While no one is ever truly gone on Westworld (just look at James Marsden), it seems like this particular version of Bernard might be done. But even if Bernard’s story is done, the experience will stick with Wright. “I thought, prior to working on a series like this, that it might be uninteresting after a while to return to the same character continually, year after year, but what I’ve found with our show is the opposite,” Wright tells Complex.
Now, in the wake of Episode 7’s shocking ending and ahead of the Season 4 finale, Wright spoke with Complex about how much the creators of Westworld tell him ahead of the season, his relationship with Luke Hemsworth, his experience on the show, and much more.
How much do [Westworld creators] Lisa [Joy] and Jonah [Nolan] tell, or not tell you, at the beginning of a season?
I’m told as much as I need to know. I think at the beginning, in this season, that was: Bernard was on this mission to try to rescue things, and that he had gained these abilities or insight, while in the sublime during the time between seasons. So I knew that, and I also knew what, you know, his trajectory would be over the course of the season. I knew enough, but not everything until I read the scripts. Even then, in some ways, we don’t know everything Jonah and Lisa always have; they’ve always got something up their massive, bulky, stuff-up sleeves [laughs].
So when you got the script for Episode 7, I assume this is how you found out that at least this phase of Bernard’s story would end?
Yes.
What was your reaction to reading that on the page?
That [was] a tricky one to read. It’s a tricky one to process, but it is, in some ways, a tricky and mysterious show in which multiple things are possible at any individual at any given time. So, I always have to keep that in the back of my head, too. And I think audiences have learned that as well.
Did you have any conversations with Jonah and Lisa around your emotional arc in this episode? Or did you get the script and hit the ground running?
I’ve come to understand Bernard’s emotional core over time. That’s been wonderful, actually, to have worked on a show for as long as we’ve worked on this, to kind of really sink down into the skin of the character in a way that’s very familiar—that comes with time. It was something that was a bit unexpected for me, but looking back, in hindsight, makes sense. I thought, prior to working on a series like this, that it might be uninteresting after a while to return to the same character continually, year after year, but what I’ve found with our show is the opposite.
It has to do with the quality of our writing and our writers, but also with this opportunity to know the emotional and intellectual life of a character in a way that only comes from spending so many days with it. It’s pretty gratifying. I’ve got, by now, a pretty strong understanding of how Bernard would handle his emotional life or how he responds emotionally [or] internally to any given circumstance; it’s come with the territory.
Bernard has seemingly known his fate for a while now. What’s your process as an actor to something like that?
There’s a lot, but you are able to rely on all of the experiences that the characters had and that you, as an actor, have had with the character, and also all of the experiences that the audience has had with the character to kind of fill in the life of a moment like that. That comes with time. Still, it’s tricky, but I’ve been here before, too. [Laughs.]
The relationship you’ve built with Luke Hemsworth is really special and a highlight of the show. What was it like for you two to put a grace note on that?
I love working with Luke; I just love the guy generally. We bring a lot from off-camera, on camera, and it’s good fun to be around him anytime. What’s also gratifying about working on a show like this with writers like Jonah and Lisa is that they’re able to shape things relative to what we do and who we are, which keeps it really kind of organic. I think they’ve built something for Luke and I in a way that reflected what they saw in us. But that moment was a hard one. There was a lot of stuff in there. [Laughs.] It was tough.
I don’t know if you can answer this, but I’m professionally obligated to ask: Is this the last time we’ll see you on the show?
We’ll see!
I figured that might be the answer, but I had to try. If this is the last time we see you, how do you view your Westworld experience in its totality?
It’s been a gift. This show and these past few years it’s been like nothing else that I’ve ever I’ve done in my career. I haven’t spent this amount of time with [a project] as consistent as our show is in its production schedule. It’s been wonderful. It’s been an incredible gathering of talented, special people and artists. We’ve been telling stories that, yes, are cryptic but are also explicit in their examination of things immediately relevant in our lives right now, regarding the technology that we are all increasingly merged with every day.
Then beyond that, kind of questions about consciousness and existence, and wonderfully explorational stuff. I’ve loved every minute of my time with our show and with this character, these characters and with my colleagues. It’s a rare one.
The Westworld Season 4 finale airs on Sunday, Aug. 14.