‘Westworld’ Stars Skipping Emmys for Triathlon

Emmy Sunday will be especially grueling for James Marsden and Luke Hemsworth of the multiple-nominated series Westworld. On Sept. 17, they’ll hit the Nautica Malibu Triathlon presented by Equinox — a half-mile ocean swim, 17-mile bike ride and 4-mile run — with proceeds going to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Marsden admits he wasn’t aware the triathlon was scheduled on the same day as TV’s biggest night when he signed up. “I try to do it every year,” says the actor of the bike race (this time, he’ll do the run portion of the relay as part of what he dubbed a mini-“Team Westworld”). Marsden, who adds that he will skip the awards show but attend the HBO party, says the series provides training incentive because of the required nude scenes.

“It forces you to stay in shape because you never know when you’re going to be asked to get naked,” he explains. “What scares me is not knowing when that scene is going to be shot. Sometimes they’ll say, ‘Oh, you have to be naked in three days.’ Because we’re all so naked we all sort of hold each other’s hands and jump off the cliff together. They are very respectful and I’m never fully, fully, fully nude.”

He won’t be fully naked at the triathlon either, when he’ll be testing his athletic abilities alongside other celebrity participants like Jon Cryer, Jeremy Piven, Jack Falahee, Karla Souza, Luke Hemsworth, Tony Revolori, Josh Hopkins, Colin Egglesfield, Beverley Mitchell and Paul Lieberstein.

Despite his experience, Marsden knows a very long day is looming. “I don’t know that I’ll be standing by the end of it,” he laughs.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter