WHEN EVAN DREW STRENGTH FROM HER CHARACTER

“Playing the character of Dolores Abernathy – a survivor of rape and sexual assault – completely changed my life. She made me ask more questions,” said Evan who drew inspiration from her Westworld character

LONDON: Evan Rachel Wood has said that she drew inspiration from her Westworld character Dolores Abernathy, when she testified in front of the US Congress as a survivor of rape and sexual assault.

In February this year, the 30-year-old actor narrated her story when she appeared before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations to testify in the hope of getting the new Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights Act passed.

Wood believes it was the character, a life-like robot kept for the entertainment of guests (humans) in a theme park but she gradually becomes aware of her surroundings and rebels against those running the park, which helped her find her voice and provided her the courage to testify.

“Playing this role completely changed my life – it transformed me, Wood said in an interview with The Telegraph.

“For me, Westworld is about finding a power that you just didn’t know or believe you had access to, or that you had been programmed to give up. Dolores changed that for me. She made me ask more questions. She made me believe in myself,” she added.

She also revealed that she wore a locket during her testimony that contained a photo of Dolores.

“She has become this kind of beacon for me, of a strength that I didn’t know I had. And sometimes, when I doubt myself, I think: ‘Dude, you’re Dolores. You’re good’. I really hope she does that for other people, too,” Wood said.