Spoilers Ahead For The Devastating Season 2 Finale Of 1923 And Earlier Episodes
1923 actress Julia Schlaepfer is remembering how her co-star Harrison Ford served as a comforting presence during one of her most emotional days on set.
1923 is a Yellowstone prequel series that follows the Duttons’ ancestors as they fight to survive and keep their ranch. The show’s second season focused on Spencer and Alexandra Dutton’s separate quests to make it to Montana…and back into each other’s arms.
Alex faced a harrowing journey as she traveled overseas, went through Ellis Island, was robbed, and was later taken in by a compassionate British couple she met on a train. Not to mention, she was pregnant with her and Spencer’s child.
Tragedy struck when Alex and the British couple attempted to travel to Montana in a car. They ran out of gas, and the British couple froze to death.
Alex finally reunites with Spencer in the Season 2 finale when his train happens to pass by her stranded car. He jumps off to save her and brings her to safety.
Does Alex Die In The Season 2 Finale Of 1923?
However, the Dutton couple’s happiness is short-lived. Alex suffered severe frostbite, and doctors tell her she needs to amputate a hand and both legs to save her life.
Alex also gives birth to her and Spencer’s son, who they name John. Remarkably, John survives, despite being several months premature.
However, Alex is not so fortunate. She declines the surgery, unable to picture herself caring for her son with no legs and just one hand. She dies with Spencer by her side, leaving him to raise their son alone.
In a voiceover from 1883‘s Elsa Dutton (Spencer’s sister who died before he was born), we learn that Spencer never remarried. Although he was involved with a yet-unnamed widow and had another son by her. It’s possible we may meet this widow and Spencer’s other son in the next Yellowstone prequel, rumored to be titled 1944.
How Harrison Ford Helped Support Julia Schlaepfer On A Difficult Day
Following the Season 2 finale, Julia Schlaepfer, who played Alex, shared her thoughts about her character’s tragic fate.
“I was just sobbing for a very long time after reading it,” she told Variety. “The whole entire script, you are just crying the whole time. It’s wild because it is so devastating because we have been with these characters for three years, so really when Alex dies, a chunk of me dies with her. But it was the greatest honor of all time to get to bring that character to life, and I love her so much. It’s just really heartbreaking.”
Neither Schlaepfer nor her co-star Brandon Sklenar (who played Spencer), shared any scenes with the leads of 1923, Harrison Ford (Jacob Dutton) and Helen Mirren (Cara Dutton), until they filmed scenes for the Season 2 finale.
Schlaepfer said the first day she worked with Ford “was probably [her] favorite day on set” this season. They were filming the birth scene, so it was a difficult day for her.
Schlaepfer said that, toward the “back half” of filming, Ford checked in on her and knew exactly how to comfort her in that moment. She said:
“…I was exhausted and super emotional and just kind of worn out, and [Ford] came in. I remember just thinking that I wanted to see how Harrison works, and give him the respect of being the leader here. But he just gave me the floor. He took such good care of me that day. He was a fatherly presence for me in that moment like Jacob is for Alex, and I didn’t realize I needed it. I didn’t realize I just needed a hug! He was just asking if I was OK, and he knew when to crack a joke when things got too heavy. We did our scene together and then just stared at each other and cried for a while.”
Thankfully, Julia Schlaepfer had Harrison Ford to help her through filming what ended up being a heartbreaking scene.
After everything Spencer and Alex went through, it saddens us that she didn’t survive to see their son grow up on the Yellowstone ranch. Revisit some of their best moments as a couple in the video below.
