Ed Harris did not enjoy filming Westworld season 3: "I didn’t sign on to play the Man in White"

News
By published

The Man in Black has an interesting take on Westworld season 3

(Image credit: HBO)

Westworld season 3 has not only divided fans of the science-fiction show – but also the actors who appear in the HBO series. Ed Harris, who plays William/The Man in Black, has been particularly critical of the new season.

Speaking to Vulture, Harris revealed that filming the latest episode, “Decoherence,” in which William hallucinates in a futuristic mental institution, was a particularly trying experience. "I’m just playing a character. I’m just doing what the script tells me to do at the best of my ability," he said when asked about the scenes in which his older William beats up Jimmi Simpson's younger William. 

"It is kinda fun beating up on him, and Jimmi’s a cool guy. It was fun to actually get a chance to work with him a little bit, even if it was a little bizarre."

Harris's most damning comments come later in the interview. Asked what it was like filming the Clockwork Orange-esque scenes, he replied: "You do what you gotta do. I mean, I signed on to play the Man in Black. I didn’t sign on to play the Man in White. So, it wasn’t the most joyous season for me, I gotta say." 

The actor then discussed whether that was because of the "dark" places William has to go, to which Harris said: "It’s not so hard to embody, but it’s hard to feel like something I’m really enjoying doing."

It's an odd admission for an actor to make – that they are not enjoying the show they are a primary part of – yet the candid comments are an interesting take on William's storyline. The bad-ass, robot hunting Man in Black, now a subdued mad-man who has been trapped by Dolores. The big question, though, concerns whether he has free will, to which Harris does not know the answer. 

"[The showrunners] pretty much leave it up in the air," he said. "Being a person who enjoys doing theater and making it new and fresh every night, I’d just as soon know the full arc of my character. But, unfortunately, I do not."

Jack Shepherd
Jack Shepherd
Freelance Journalist

Jack Shepherd is the former Senior Entertainment Editor of GamesRadar. Jack used to work at The Independent as a general culture writer before specializing in TV and film for the likes of GR+, Total Film, SFX, and others. You can now find Jack working as a freelance journalist and editor.