Out of every show on television, the cast of Westworld is undoubtedly one of the strongest, boasting such heavy-hitters as Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, James Marsden, Jeffrey Wright, and more. And if you thought the cast was already huge and sprawling enough, it just keeps getting bigger! This week's episode, "The Adversary," saw the addition of Tessa Thompson, playing a enigmatic character named Charlotte Hale. But who is Charlotte on Westworld , and what is she doing in the park?
True to the show's secretive nature, very little was known about Thompson's character before her introduction in Episode 6. Deadline, who broke the news of her casting, simply described Charlotte as "a mysterious and savvy provocateur with a unique perspective on Westworld." Not very elucidating. The report also revealed that Thompson had been added to the cast as a full-fledged series regular — so when fully half of the 10-episode season had gone by without an appearance by the Dear White People and Creed actress, fans may have been wondering what was going on.
Well, wonder no longer. Not only has Thompson finally arrived on Westworld, but we also know exactly who Charlotte is… and the revelation like came as a surprise to the audience and the characters alike.
We first met Charlotte about halfway through the episode, at the Delos resort on the fringes of the park, where guests decompress before reentering the real world. A drunken Lee Sizemore chatted her up at the poolside bar, but was called back into work by Theresa before he could make any real progress — or even get her name. Fortunately, he (and we) didn't have to wait too long to find out.
A couple of episodes ago, Dr. Ford informed Theresa Cullen that the board had, unbeknownst to her, already sent a representative to Westworld to examine the new narrative he had planned and investigate the inner workings of the park. Guess who that turned out to be: that's right, Charlotte Hale. And she's not just a lowly representative of the board; she's the executive director of the board — who just happened to walk into the control room as Lee was throwing a tantrum by literally taking a piss on the giant map of Westworld. (Not a very good first impression.)
Needless to say, Charlotte's sudden appearance in the park is certain to spell trouble for a number of our characters: Theresa, whom she circumvented by arriving without her knowledge; Ford, whose plan will likely be subjected to rigorous scrutiny; and of course Lee, who very much got off on the wrong foot with such an important figure. Will she shut down the park when she finds out what's going on with the glitching hosts? (Would you blame her if she did?) Will she put herself in danger by matching wits with Ford?
With only four episodes left in Westworld's inaugural season, events will very quickly start approaching their endgame — and it's clear that Charlotte will be a large part of that action.
