5 reasons Peter Mullan should have received an Emmy nomination

Westworld received a stunning 21 nominations for the 2018 Emmy Awards. Not all the incredible talent was recognized–including Peter Mullan.

One of the biggest snubs was Peter Mullan, the actor behind the despicable James Delos. This essential character was heavily teased in season 1. Mullan’s portrayal of James Delos not only met expectations, but surpassed them as he made a huge splash in season 2.

Let’s take a look at what made Mullan’s performance so special and the 5 reasons why he should’ve received an Emmy nomination.

Warning: Major spoilers for season 2 of Westworld will follow.

Photo Credit: Westworld/HBO Image Acquired from HBO Media Relations /

1. A character fans love to hate

There’s nothing better than a character fans love to hate. It’s downright fun to hate on a character because they’re such a terrible person, almost admirable in how seamlessly their negative qualities are portrayed.

Mullan captured that exact essence as James Delos. Contempt and disappointment for his son and fan-favorite Logan–articulated to Logan’s face and in conversation with William–made Delos easy to despise. It also added more depth to Logan, making him one of the most improved characters of season 2.

The overall callous attitude of Delos and his immoral business ventures made him an unlikable figure, but Mullan evoked it in such a fiery way that made his performance captivating.

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2. Playing a human and host

The narrative of season 2 relied heavily on the idea that the Delos company was trying to immortalize humans as hosts. This plot could’ve been a bust if not handled properly, but Mullan’s acting ensured that audiences could buy into it.

First, he gave a sensational performance as a human in his debut episode. When his character next appeared, the reveal that what fans were now seeing were host versions of him was all the more fascinating. He initially seemed to exude all the character’s established traits and nuances.

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This was a terrific way of showing how advanced the immortality project was as the host version of James Delos seemed no different than the human character fans first met. It proved how what was once a dream of James Delos and William was nearly a reality.

Mullan also perfectly delivered on the obstacle that the project couldn’t overcome. The way he presented the host versions of James Delos glitching and breaking down each time they learned they were hosts came off as believable. That seemingly flawless recreation of the human James Delos slipped away, replaced by the perfect representation of a mechanical breakdown.

No matter how far the project had come, this demonstrated how far it still was from being anything like the hosts created by Ford. This was accentuated by the pitiful way he would so quickly deteriorate in his functioning and devolve into an incoherent and useless creature, a stark contrast to his confident and arrogant nature.

3. Still vulnerable and humane

James Delos was undoubtedly a terrible person, but Mullan still managed to show a certain vulnerability and humanity to him. At his retirement party–or as he sees it a coronation for William taking over the company–Delos danced with his little granddaughter Emily in a sweet way. He was a horrendous father to Logan, but this hints he at least might have been a good grandfather to Emily.

The deterioration of each host version of James Delos also expressed vulnerability, something often lacking from despicable characters. When faced with the harsh realities of what had happened to his family, in desperation he called out for Logan, before learning that Logan had also perished.

Delos spent so much of his life telling Logan, William, and anyone who’d listen that Logan was a failure and a disappointment. In a moment where he was devastated, terrified and confused all at once, his desperate shout for Logan is poignant while also showing a rare kind of vulnerability. The overall pitiful nature of each host version’s deterioration added to that sense of vulnerability as well.

Photo Credit: Westworld/HBO Image Acquired from HBO Media Relations /

4. Madness

As if Peter Mullan hadn’t already achieved enough in his performance, he made it even better with his portrayal of madness. The insane 149th host version of James Delos that Bernard and Elsie encountered was truly frightening to behold. The grotesque and horrifying transformation sure wasn’t subtle, but it was a great way to show rather than tell everything that was wrong with the project to immortalize hosts as humans.

This also holds true later on when Dolores and Bernard are in the Forge. The unchecked, ruthless, and crazed version of James Delos they see in there also does a better job showing rather than telling audiences everything wrong with the Forge.

The last words of the 149th host version of James Delos before Bernard and Elsie put him out of his misery felt haunting the first time, and they only become more so with the revelation that they are the same words Logan said in his final conversation with his father: “I’m all the way down now, I can see the bottom.”

Credit: HBO /

5. He elevated Jimmi Simpson’s season 2 scenes

Among the many nominations, Westworld did receive for the 2018 Emmy Awards was Jimmi Simpson for Outstanding Guest Star in a Drama Series. Simpson did a brilliant job playing young William in both season 1 and season 2.

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Most of Simpson’s scenes in season 2 are shared with Peter Mullan, though. Their scenes are some of the best in season 2 because of what both Simpson and Mullan bring to them. One does not outshine the other. Their shared chemistry is what makes those scenes work.

As such, if Simpson was worthy of a nomination, Mullan should’ve been nominated as well. It is a snub to recognize one without the other.

Do you think Peter Mullan should’ve been nominated for an Emmy? Let us know in the comments!

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