HBO’s Westworld typically has had a long waiting period between seasons of the acclaimed sci-fi Western. Pair this with a plot that is best kept a secret, and there is few little information for fans to cling to in the off months. Fortunately, there is casting news to keep us satisfied. Recently, it was announced that Emmy-winner Lena Waithe has been cast in the upcoming Season 3 of Westworld. Here’s what you need to know.
Who is Lena Waithe?
Waithe is an actress, producer, and writer. Early in her career, Waithe wrote for series such as Transparent and Bones. She was a producer on the comedy film Dear White People and guest starred on the spinoff series.
Waithe first gained recognition as a writer and star on the Netflix series Master of None. She won an Emmy for writing the Season 2 episode “Thanksgiving,” becoming the first Black woman to win that particular Emmy.
Since her Emmy win, Waithe’s career has continued to thrive. She had a significant role in the blockbuster film Ready Player One, and she wrote and produced the upcoming film Queen & Slim, starring Daniel Kaluuya. Waithe also created her own Showtime series, The Chi, which is currently airing its second season.
An overview of Westworld Seasons 1 and 2
For Waithe fans considering jumping on the Westworld wagon, be prepared: This is a complex drama with a lot of twists and turns. It’s not nearly as exciting to watch if the major plot points are spoiled, so here’s the gist:
In Season 1, we learn about Westworld, sort of an adult amusement park set in the near future in which wealthy guests can come and act out their fantasies of Wild West living amongst the “hosts” — very human-like androids who are programmed to play specific characters. Of course, where there’s money, power, and technology, a lot can go wrong.
In Season 2, other worlds are shown, including Shogun World and The Raj. The employees are working around the clock to deal with the fallout of a recent disaster, while the hosts find themselves in places they never expected. And it’s become increasingly more difficult to determine who is living in what time.
Here’s what we know about Westworld Season 3
At present, nothing is known about Waithe’s role in the upcoming season, including how many episodes she’ll be in and what kind of character she’ll play. Here’s what little we do know: First, Waithe isn’t the only new Westworld cast member. It was announced in Sept. 2018 that Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul had joined the series. Later reports indicated that shooting for the third season would begin in March 2019.
As for when we can hope to see Westworld Season 3, that’s the bad news. This is a show that takes a long time to shoot, so don’t expect to see any promotion for another couple of months, perhaps in Fall 2019. Many are estimating that the premiere date will be some time in early 2020 if we’re lucky.
