‘Westworld’ Season 4: Who is James Marsden’s Teddy Flood? Actor to return in HBO series

Marsden, who starred in the first season of HBO’s dystopian science fiction and recurred in its second season, is returning for its fourth season
James Marsden in 'Westworld' (HBO)
James Marsden in 'Westworld' (HBO)

After more than two years’ absence, 'Westworld' will return for its long-awaited fourth season on Sunday, June 26. James Marsden, who starred in the first season of HBO’s dystopian science fiction and recurred in its second season, is returning for its fourth installment. HBO announced the news at Austin’s ATX Television Festival, where Marsden made a surprise appearance on June 3 to promote the series’ upcoming season. On 'Westworld', Marsden originally played Teddy Flood, “the new marksman in town.” As per the usual 'Westworld' tradition, the showrunner Lisa Joy and the producers did not reveal many details about Marsden’s return and how will it impact the show, and Marsden didn’t give any clues either.

Season 4, which returns Sunday, June 26, is described as a “dark odyssey about the fate of sentient life on earth.” Marsden’s character, the android Teddy Flood, was a central figure in the show’s first season and a recurring character in its second season but was left out of the main plot in its third installment. In the fourth season, Marsden is to be introduced with a new love interest. The character's previous love interest, Dolores Abernathy, was played by Evan Rachel Wood, who also would be playing a new character named Christina who is a writer.

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Who is Teddy Flood ?

Theodore "Teddy" Flood is a host in the role of a gunslinger in Westworld and arrives on the train to Sweetwater in the first episode of the first season. Teddy is a host in one of the Sweetwater narratives, who returns via train on his continuing loop. He was a major character in Season 1 and Season 2 who was a love interest for Wood’s Dolores Abernathy. Teddy was not given a detailed back story until Dr. Robert Ford decided that he should have one to cover his previously nebulous guilt over his past and that this backstory should involve a character named Wyatt.  His narrative loop means that he stays close to Dolores during the uprising, but does not achieve the same level of sentience that she does. He becomes aware that he is a host when Dolores reprograms him against his will, allowing him to attack guests. This causes Teddy to feel betrayed and he angrily rejects her.

Although he loves Dolores, he can't live with what she's made him do, and what she's going to make him do. He makes the choice to shoot himself in the head. Teddy has died 5747 times, more than any other host in the park. Teddy met his demise in season 2's violent penultimate episode, turning a gun on himself after Dolores changed his programming and turned him into a "monster." Dolores later uploads him to the Sublime, believing he deserves a better place.

A still from 'Westworld' (HBO)

James Marsden is back

Born in Stillwater, Oklahoma, James Marsden began his acting career guest starring in several television shows such as 'Saved by the Bell: The New Class' (1993), 'Touched by an Angel' (1995), 'Party of Five' (1995), and the miniseries 'Bella Mafia' (1997). He gained fame in the early 2000s with his portrayal of Scott Summers / Cyclops in the 'X-Men' film series (2000–2014) and starred in 'Superman Returns' (2006). He also appeared in 'The Notebook' (2004), '10th & Wolf' (2006), 'The Alibi' (2006), 'The Best of Me' (2014), 'The Female Brain' (2017), and 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' (2019).



 

Season 4 of 'Westworld' also stars Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Ed Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Luke Hemsworth, Aaron Paul, Angela Sarafyan, and Marsden. Additional cast includes Ariana DeBose, Aurora Perrineau and Daniel Wu.

'Westworld' executive producers include Jonathan Nolan & Lisa Joy, as well as Alison Schapker, Denise Thé, J J Abrams, Athena Wickham, Richard J Lewis and Ben Stephenson. The show comes from Kilter Films and Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television; it’s based on the film written by Michael Crichton.

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