1923′s Julia Schlaepfer Details Alex’s Rough Arrival in America and the ‘Very Risky’ Move That Might’ve Ended Her Trek to Spencer
Warning: This post contains spoilers from Sunday’s 1923. Proceed accordingly.
When a TV show’s publicity team wants to put a reporter in touch with a member of the series’ cast in advance of a specific episode, it often — though not always — is a harbinger of a character’s imminent death. So when 1923 reached out to me this week to talk to Julia Schlaepfer, whose Alexandra was last seen sobbing and clinging to her bunk during a terrifying storm at sea, I feared the worst for Spencer’s plucky wife.
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Can you blame me? Alex already has survived a big game attack and a shipwreck. In Season 2, she’s attempting to make her way to Montana, alone, on a show in which death is so present, it should probably get a credit in the opening titles.
As you know if you watched, Alex does survive this week’s episode, but she’s by no means unscathed. And the final few moments hint at even more danger for the mother-to-be in the weeks ahead. (Read a full recap here.)
Over a Zoom from Paris, where she’s attending Fashion Week with her mom, Lesli, Schlaepfer gave me some behind-the-scenes scoop about shooting Alex’s agonizing arrival in the United States. And don’t worry, we talked future episodes, too — so be on the lookout for more 1923 goodies (emphasis on the good!) in the near future.
TVLINE | I want to get started with that scene in the office, because it is just so good. At what point do you think she’s like, f–k this? She clearly is like, “I may not be getting in, but I’m going to let you know how I feel regardless.”
JULIA SCHLAEPFER | For sure. I think what does it for her is the moment she comes out of that exam, and she sits down with all of those women and sees these women bleeding across from her. And then to talk to the [Irish woman], and she’s turning the two of them against each other. I think it’s this moment in her brain that’s like, “We shouldn’t be pitted against each other. We should all be in this together, this is horrible.” … I think that scene, that middle scene, is the one where she’s like, “All right, f–k this. I’m going in there. No matter what I do, I’m not going to be treated like a human, so let me just let them have it.”
TVLINE | It’s so good. I did worry because I think what most of us love about her is that she speaks her mind. But I also was like, “Maybe not is not the time to do that?”
I know. I know. It’s very risky, for sure very risky for her to let him have it. But she took that chance, and it worked for her.
TVLINE | Tell me about shooting that scene. How long did it take? Did you guys try different things?
It was wild. We shot two scenes that day. The first was the examination scene, which took eight hours to film, and it was a closed set because of the nudity and the violation and it’s a horrible circumstance. We shot that for eight hours, and then we had, like, two hours to get that [office] scene with the monologue, which is not a lot of time for filming a scene with that much dialogue. My director looked at me and he goes, “I think we should just dive in. Let’s shoot your coverage first. How do you feel about that?” And I was like, “Let’s go.”
Luckily, I had spent so many months before we started filming making sure I had everything so memorized in my brain that I could show up, because I knew it was going to be a fast and furious season, and it was going to be emotional and challenging. [Shooting the monologue] was quick, but it was a really good way to end that day after filming for eight hours and having Alex go through this horrible violation and insult.
TVLINE | The part of it that hit me really hard is when she asks to put her clothes on while she’s waiting for the next examination, and they make her stay naked on the table. Such an insult.
I know. It killed me that she said it to the only other woman in the room, her last appeal of, “Can you help me. Can you please help me?” And, oh my God, the actors in that scene were so lovely and sweet and felt so bad. [Laughs] After every reel they’re like, “Are you okay? I’m so sorry. We’re so mean to you.”
TVLINE | And in the characters’ minds, I’m sure, they’re just doing their job.
It’s funny you say that, because that was the one thing that our director, Ben [Richardson], said to all of them that day. He kept saying, “I know you guys want to be these menacing characters, or you want to maybe offer her a helping hand in moments, but you are just doing your job.” And that’s what was so horrifying about it, because that was their job, and it was so normal. They put an unexplainable amount of people through that every single day, going through Ellis Island, just trying to build a better life for their families. And that was just another day for [the staff], another hour for them.
TVLINE | I know you and Brandon Sklenar spent most of kind of this season shooting apart. Was there any scene during the season where you might’ve wished he’d been there to have your back? Or any scene of his that you kinda wished you could’ve been in?
For me, overall this season, there were many moments. Getting into Alex’s headspace again, so much of her headspace is Spencer,” I have to get to Spencer.” And obviously, I relate Spencer to Brandon. We were so close in Season 1 in terms of we were always together, and if scenes were challenging to shoot, we always had each other to rely on. I didn’t have a consistent co-star this season, or at least up until what we’ve seen. So, yeah, there were many moments. My more difficult scenes, where I would be like, “It would be nice to have my partner in crime here.” [Laughs]
…So, I think it was very sentimental for me in that way. Brandon? He sounded great! [Laughs] He got to beat people up. He was honestly, I think, having the time of his life. The poor guy: He ran into me on set one day and was like, [Looks concerned] “Are you okay?” I was like, “Ah, you know, it’s a challenging season, but I’m good, I’m good. How about you?” He was like, [Throws arms up in excitement] “Oh, it’s so fun!” [Laughs] He was like, “I was in a gunfight! We just did this fight sequence!” [Laughs] I was like, “That’s so awesome, Brandon. I have to go shoot this scene where I’m traumatized. So, love you, but I got to go.”
TVLINE | Speaking of trauma: That Episode 2 bit where Alex’s ship is going through a storm — it looked like you were literally hanging on to the frame of your bunk. How much motion was actually happening on set?
That was a huge stunt rig. We were on a sound stage, and they built this set in a box, and it was like a roller coaster. Apparently, it looked way more violent outside the set than how I felt. [Laughs] It was kind of fun on the inside. But I would come out and everyone would be like, “Are you okay?” I was like, “Yeah, I had a great time in there!” And then, the stunt performers were incredible because it was rocking a lot, but then they were launching themselves across the room! There were all these stunt children. It was so impressive. They were having the time of their lives, as well. So, yeah. There was a lot of movement that day, and it took a long time because every time they moved the camera, they had to drill it into the wall.
TVLINE | Oh, that’s awesome. It looked harrowing. I’m glad it was fun. It looked awful.
Actually, there is a photo of me right before they yelled, “Cut!”, where I’m screaming and crying. And then, they cut, and there’s another photo of me where I have a huge smile, having the time of my life. People are like, “You’re insane.”
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