Playing a cowboy while working with Anthony Hopkins on ‘Westworld’? Yes, please, says Louis Herthum

Louis Herthum has had his share of close encounters with prominent British actors. He starred as Deputy Andy Bloom opposite Angela Lansbury on “Murder, She Wrote” for a good seven years. (“She’s exactly like you think she is, the sweetest, most approachable...”) He occasionally still catches an episode of the old murder-mystery program and finds it has a nostalgic charm. “It’s so much fun to watch that style of TV,” the actor says. “Everything is shot so differently now.”

Flash forward a good 20 years and Herthum finds himself working opposite the likes of Anthony Hopkins — a presence powerful enough to intimidate any number of actors. But Herthum had to do it without clothes.

For HBO’s “Westworld,” Herthum plays a mechanical being named Peter Abernathy, designed and created by Hopkins’ Dr. Robert Ford. As such, Abernathy is often stripped to the skin while being reprogrammed.

So, how awkward was that? Herthum noted the level of professionalism exhibited by the entire “Westworld” production when he stopped by The Times’ video studio for an Emmy Contenders chat with television editor Sarah Rodman recently. And Hopkins in particular, he said, was “an amazing presence — the focus, the generosity of spirit.” Hopkins, he noted, is an accomplished composer, so the two ended up chatting about music quite a bit. Yes, even while he was naked.

Herthum also talked about Season 2 and told us everything he knows about it — which is nothing at all (the showrunners are secretive; but hey, we tried). The series could literally take any turn, Herthum said.

Watch his entire conversation here:

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Louis Herthum describes working with Anthony Hopkins in ‘Westworld,’ dealing with naked scenes and more.

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