Westworld: 4 Emmy-worthy Thandie Newton scenes
Honoring her spellbinding performance as Maeve, Westworld‘s Thandie Newton received an Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Which scenes prove she deserves to win?
Thandie Newton is facing stiff competition like Lena Headey and her portrayal of Cersei Lannister on Game of Thrones, there’s no doubt in the minds of Westworld fans that she deserves to win the Emmy.
There are many fantastic Maeve scenes from season 2. Let’s take a look at the best 4 scenes from season 2 that prove Thandie Newton’s performance as Maeve is Emmy-worthy.
Warning: Spoilers from season 2 of Westworld will follow.
1. “Not real?”
One of Maeve’s best scenes came in the season 2 premiere in the Mesa Hub control room. When Maeve tells Lee Sizemore he’s going to help find her daughter, Lee replies, “She’s just a story. Something we programmed. She’s not real.”
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With an incredulous look on her face, Maeve’s says “Not real?” The way Newton delivers the line along with her facial expression communicates from a host’s perspective the deep injustice of humans believing hosts are nothing more than programmed characters following a script.
Her following lines directed at Lee’s misconception that the hosts are not “real” are conveyed with a brilliant blend of tenderness, longing, and ferocity. Her dialogue, physical movements, and facial expressions all work together to create these raw emotions.
The moment establishes how deeply Maeve cares for her daughter and that nothing will get in the way of reuniting with her in season 2. It also serves as the beginning of Lee reshaping his perspective of the hosts, a development that is crucial to his arc.
2. Maeve’s new voice
About to be executed by the Shogun’s men, Maeve uses the Mesh Network or as she calls it her “new voice” to mentally command the Shogun’s army to annihilate themselves. Newton makes this scene so spectacular because of Maeve’s calm, confident poise.
It helps audiences buy into Maeve’s new, game-changing abilities through the Mesh Network. Her almost peaceful, yet determined aura in this scene is a fascinating contrast to the chaos erupting around her as the Shogun’s army destroy themselves via her commands.
In a season filled with memorable scenes, Newton’s performance manages to make this one of the most epic, iconic scenes in all of Westworld.
3. Reuniting with her daughter
When a character pursues a goal for so long, it can be a challenge to make the completion of the goal seem satisfying. As such, there were high expectations heading into the scene where Maeve finally reunites with her daughter. Newton’s acting ensures that the scene not only lives up to the hype but even ends up being better than expected.
It starts perfectly with the way Maeve approaches her daughter. Her face conveys distinct disbelief and relief. She’s sacrificed and fought so much to see her daughter again, and the sight of her sitting and playing on the porch of the home they once shared is almost too much to comprehend.
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Once Maeve is close, she walks almost tentatively and anxiously towards her, a sharp contrast from Maeve’s generally confident and fierce nature. It’s a beautifully human moment of anxiety rearing its head even when one is about to achieve the very thing they want most, the thing they’ve tirelessly worked towards.
The tenderness, compassion, and dedication that Maeve shares with her daughter make for a heartwarming scene. Newton continues to nail the scene with the way her face slips into utter shock and hurt when she realizes her daughter has been programmed to have a new mother.
Her facial expression is then replaced with terror at the sight of Ghost Nation descending on them, launching her into a protective survival mode as she takes her daughter’s hand and runs.
Maeve’s emotional state changes rapidly in this scene, yet Newton still manages to capture each shift naturally.
4. The ultimate sacrifice
There are many incredible Maeve moments in season 2, but none is as important as when she sacrifices herself so her daughter can escape through the Door into the Valley Beyond, even if that means the new mother and not Maeve will accompany her there.
Newton makes this scene so exceptional because she allows it to feel massive in scope while also feeling more intimate in other moments. Maeve holding back the horde of infected hosts is a huge moment affecting almost all the key characters. It’s a jaw-dropping and visually stunning manifestation of her abilities within the Mesh Network.
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On the other hand, despite the chaos and many important events happening around them, there’s a palpable sense of intimacy between Maeve and her daughter at the moment where she says she’ll keep her safe. This is also the case in the last look they share before the daughter goes through the Door and Maeve whispers, “I love you.”
It’s a rare talent to make a scene feel so epic, yet highly personal. Thandie Newton is that rare talent.
Do you think Thandie Newton will win the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series? Let us know in the comments!