Westworld’s Evan Rachel Wood Doesn’t Know the Series Ending

HBO’s Westworld star Evan Rachel Wood, who portrayed the character Dolores, recently shared her insights into the series’ unexpected conclusion, or rather, the lack thereof.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Wood expressed her dismay over the unresolved ending. For almost ten years, the series’ creators, Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, kept Wood and her co-stars in suspense about the show’s final destination, using this tactic to preserve its enigmatic nature. Wood recounted how the cast was assured of a well-thought-out conclusion from the beginning, a promise that remained unfulfilled. Wood revealed:

“It was devastating in a lot of ways because, first of all, they don’t tell us where the show is going. We were just always told, ‘We know how the show ends,’ when we started. They weren’t writing it as we went along. They had an idea, and we were all just on a bed of nails waiting to see and hear what the conclusion of this was. What it all meant. We didn’t get to have that and so after building an arc and a character for almost 10 years and not getting the payoff at the end to see where it was all going — I think for us and the audience, it was awful in a lot of ways.”

“I asked the creators after we got cancelled, ‘Can you please just tell me how you’re going to end?’ And they wouldn’t tell me. I think because, I don’t know, maybe somehow, someway, in some iteration we’ll get to finish it, but I still don’t know. It does still keep me up at night.”

During its broadcast, Westworld attracted viewers with its thought-provoking storyline and philosophical depth, elements inspired by Michael Crichton’s 1973 movie of the same name, during its broadcast. The initial seasons drew viewers into a meticulously crafted theme park, where human guests interacted with lifelike androids, exploring moral and ethical boundaries. This premise set the stage for a richly woven story that was as much about human nature as it was about its AI protagonists.

Westworld Ends Without Resolution, Leaving Fans and Cast in Limbo

As the series progressed, its narrative trajectory shifted. The show ventured into futuristic landscapes, demanding an escalation in production value and special effects, a move that significantly increased the costs. Despite boasting a stellar cast and a premise that promised depth and excitement, Westworld struggled to maintain its initial viewer engagement. The waning interest, coupled with the soaring expenses, ultimately led HBO to pull the plug on the show after its fourth season, leaving its narrative arc incomplete.

The abrupt cancellation left both the actors and the audience without closure. Wood’s pursuit of answers from Nolan and Joy proved futile, as they withheld the intended ending, perhaps holding out hope for a future revival in some form. This secrecy, while initially a driving force of the show’s intrigue, has now become a source of frustration and speculation.

Westworld, despite its untimely end, was a flagship series for HBO. Its removal from streaming platforms only adds to the enigmatic legacy it leaves behind. The show’s journey, marked by high expectations and ambitious storytelling, serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of television series. While Wood and fans may never learn the fate of Dolores, the discussions and theories the show has sparked ensure that Westworld will continue to be a topic of conversation, demonstrating the enduring impact of narrative television.

Westworld

Release Date

October 2, 2016

Seasons

3