Westworld: How Jimmi Simpson bridged William and the MIB

Westworld is overflowing with Emmy nominations, and Jimmi Simpson is one of the talented nominees for best guest performance in a drama for his portrayal of young William. His work in the second episode of the second season, titled “The reunion,” has granted him the prestigious recognition for the award.

As part of TV Guide’s best performances video series, a set of interviews with actors on the secrets behind the scenes of their Emmy nominated performances, Jimmi Simpson explains how he connected William to the Man in Black, and the difficulties he met with the complex nature of William’s transformation.

By the end of the first season, one thing was clear about William, that this once humble and benevolent man had transformed into the hardened Man in Black. While looking for Dolores who had been captured, William went on a killing rampage for his beloved host and discovered that he enjoyed the freedom of killing with no consequences.

We receive closure when William returns to Sweetwater to witness Dolores safe and back in her old routine with a wiped memory and the faintest idea as to William’s existence.

Simpson, however, had to show how William continued his giant strides towards being the Man in Black even after the many times he was in Dolores’ presence following that moment in Sweetwater.

And it makes sense that Westworld would clarify the progression because at any given point William could have discarded his wife and life on the mainland, and shacked up with Dolores in a ranch house. Afterall, the Man in Black is the technical owner of Westworld.

Simpson had to go to showrunner Lisa Joy for help in understanding his character’s motivation and says of their conversation:

"“I actually asked Lisa to meet me and explain the physics of this change, both narratively for them and character wise to me. They explained to me, ‘No, this is just a dude with a broken heart.”"

When Dolores and William are alone in “The Reunion” episode, William is speaking at Dolores who is either in analysis mode or is too overwhelmed by what she doesn’t understand to respond. Evan Rachel Wood did little more than stare in those scenes.

So, Simpson couldn’t take the knowledge of his character’s broken heart to play off of Wood’s character’s reactions. But the realization that William’s entire metamorphosis is based on a universal life problem that everyone encounters provided Simpson with more than enough material to guide his performance.

For most of William’s encounters with Dolores, he degrades her. He calls her a thing and says he can’t believe he had fallen in love with her. William lashes out at her in those isolated scenes, and there is great satisfaction in that she can’t retaliate.

"“It was wielding power with no reaction. It almost seemed like her inability to respond while we were filming it would cause him to feel the need to say even more.”"

As for William’s continued inclination to hurt Dolores for more than thirty years, Simpson finds that it all makes sense. While most people move on from heartache, there are the few out there who become irreconcilable.

"“I know so many men who, when they got their heart broken, just instantly become an asshole to the person who broke their heart. It was just a sad and blisteringly truthful portrait of a man who hasn’t gotten what he wanted.”"

If you’re interested in seeing if Simpson wins the Emmy award for his performance in “The Reunion”, you can tune in on September 8th and 9th during the Creative Arts Emmys. All other nominations will air during the official Emmys on September 17th on NBC.