James Marsden is opening up about his series Westworld getting shut down before receiving a proper sendoff.
The actor, who played Teddy on the sci-fi series, told Rolling Stone in an interview published Tuesday that he remains disappointed by HBO’s announcement in November that it had canceled the series after four seasons. Marsden debuted his character in the Westworld pilot that debuted in October 2016 and starred in the first two seasons before returning this year in the fourth.
“I’d be lying to you if I told you that the way we ended Westworld wasn’t a disappointment,” Marsden said. “I’m never going to speak without gratitude about any of my experiences, but it would have been nice to be able to complete the story we wanted to finish. I love this Westworld family. It was one of those unique opportunities to be part of something where I also would be sitting at home ravenously waiting for the next episode as a fan.”
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The star explained that he knows such decisions often come down to money: “I totally understand it’s an expensive show, and big shows have to have big audiences to merit the expense. I just wish it was about more than financial success. But who knows — maybe there’s some world where it can get completed somehow. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking because I know we had plans to finish it the way we wanted to.”
HBO’s decision to end the pricey Emmy-winning series from co-creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy followed a notable decline in linear ratings for the third season; that trend continued for season four, which signed off with its August finale. In a statement about the cancellation, HBO said it was “tremendously grateful” to Nolan and Joy, along with the “immensely talented cast, producers and crew.”
Marsden’s Westworld co-star Luke Hemsworth shared a similar sentiment during a November interview, saying he wished the show could “go forever” and that the cancellation was “disappointing.”
The series’ cast also included Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Tessa Thompson, Ed Harris and Jeffrey Wright.
