Westworld star Evan Rachel Wood has defended the sci-fi drama’s scenes of violence towards women.

Co-created by Christopher Nolan’s brother Jonathan Nolan, Westworld is one of the most anticipated new TV shows of the US fall season. Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Wood, Thandie Newton and James Marsden lead its impressive ensemble cast. It is a reworking of the 1973 movie of the same name that starred Yul Brynner. In the UK, it will premiere on Sky Atlantic at a date to be confirmed.

JJ Abrams, who is one of the series’ executive producers, has already defended the sexually violent content in his new TV show. Now Wood has also added her views to the debate.

“It’s absolutely very rough. I don’t like gratuitous violence against women at all, but I would wait for the context in which it’s being used,” Wood, who plays the character Dolores, said. “As the show progresses, the way it’s being used is very much a commentary and a look at our humanity and why we find these things entertaining and why this is an epidemic, and flipping it on its head.

READ: 7 Reasons HBO’s ‘Westworld’ Is Going To Be Your New Favourite TV Show

Wood also told The Hollywood Reporter: “The roles for the women on this show are going to be very revolutionary. It’s very gender-neutral. I would ask, as somebody who is an advocate against any kind of abuse or violence and is outspoken about it, to give it a chance and wait to see where it’s going. I think it will surprise people.”

The opening scene of the HBO sci-fi series, which premiered in the US (October 2), has been criticised for showing a lifelike female robot being dragged away by a male character who is about to rape her.