‘1923’s Julia Schlaepfer on Alex’s Harrowing Introduction to America & Taking the Dutton Name

[Warning: The following post contains MAJOR spoilers about 1923 Season 2 Episode 3, “Wrap Thee in Terror.”]

Alex (Julia Schlaepfer) is the poster woman for someone who will “move mountains” to be with the man she loves. She leaves her life of privilege and excess to reunite with Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) in Montana. In the March 9 episode of 1923, Alex boards a ship and crosses the Atlantic Ocean to America. When she arrives, the America she meets is a far cry from what she’d heard about.

She is taken to Ellis Island for the immigration process and finds herself in the middle of a nightmare. During the medical examinations, Alex is forced to strip naked in front of the doctors, and one sexually assaults her. Despite her horrifying circumstances, Alex’s strength never wavers. She’ll do whatever it takes to reach Montana. However, danger is lurking in the shadows, as we see in the final moments of the episode.

Schlaepfer spoke with TV Insider about Alex’s painful experience, how it changes Alex’s view of the world, what’s next after that cliffhanger ending, and the impact of Alex claiming the Dutton name.

What do you think Alex first envisioned when she thought about what it would be like to come to America?

Julia Schlaepfer: I think she probably honestly didn’t think too much about it because she’s never had to plan or think ahead to these things. And then, it’s like she says in her monologue to that immigration officer, all I see are posters and images of how beautiful and welcoming and free America is, and you’re treating us like animals. I think she came in thinking it would probably be fairly easy, when she looks over the edge of that boat and sees everyone getting into their cars, who are dressed all fancy. That’s the life that she came from, and she’s really hit hard with a very big reality in this episode.

Lauren Smith / Paramount+

When she gets to immigration, she takes the Dutton name for the first time. How did it feel to have Alex claim that last name?  

I get chills thinking about it. That was really fun to shoot that day. I think it’s such a clear example of Alex has made her choice. This is her family now. She’s left this privileged, very caged upbringing where her family locked her in her room and wouldn’t let her experience real love and all of these life worldly experiences she wanted to have. She’s left that behind. She said goodbye to it, and now with the family she’s creating, she’s committed to the Dutton family. Being a part of the Yellowstone universe, that’s such an awesome moment as an actor to get to say that. For the character, I think it’s a reminder in that moment of like, this is why I’m doing this. No matter how hard it gets, I’m doing it for my family. And my family is the Dutton family.

To get through immigration, Alex has to endure being violated and assaulted during the examinations. What was it like for you to step into your character’s harrowing experience? 

That scene took us about eight hours. It was a long, very long day. I had a great intimacy coordinator, Sarah Scott, who was so supportive of me that day. Many of the crew members, especially the female crew members on that day, were very there for me. They’re like family to me. Even though it’s the ’20s, and it’s a very horrifying experience, and it was heightened during that time, I think as women, so many of us can relate to the fear of violation or the fear of attack or assault. I think just tapping into what that has felt like in my body as a woman traveling in the world alone, even in 2025, it’s so visceral. That was a hard thing to cling on to all day. And then I found myself also going back through my playlist that I would listen to when Alex and Spencer were in the throes of their love story. That was part of my day and my prep that helped me move forward and be like, she’s doing this for him. She’s doing this for them to be reunited and how beautiful that is. It was a long day of navigating just how I was feeling and making sure that I took care of myself throughout that process.

Do you think that experience changed how she views the world and how the world treats women?

One thousand percent. I think it’s such a wake-up call for her in the worst way. I think that it’s this entire season, really. She has to find a deeper level of strength and resolve to keep going. I think it’s so horrifying to her. When she sits back down after the examination and sees all these women who are bleeding, and then to meet a woman who is planning to go in there and sleep her way into America because that’s how she can get into America. I think it’s all just like, who is allowing this? Why is this our world? She continues to learn how scary it is to be a woman alone and continues to get stronger. Unfortunately, she shouldn’t have to experience all these things, but I think every experience she has this season makes her that much stronger.

The episode ends on a cliffhanger, with a man following Alex into the bathroom. What can you tease about Alex’s next battle with danger?

Alex was violated and assaulted in that examination. She wasn’t able to fight back in any way that she probably would have wanted to because she had to get through immigration, and she had to be smart about it. She’s alone and not in a position of power. I think with this next man we see follow her into the bathroom, she gets to fight back in a different way, and I think unleash some of the anger that she’s been feeling about what she’s already been put through because it’s just blow after blow. I think she kind of thinks she’s on the other side of it, and every time she fights for herself this season, it’s in a new way. As an actor, it’s really exciting because you get to uncover all these layers. She continues to find different ways to fight back.

Is the worst behind her, or is the worst actually behind her? Danger seems to follow Alex everywhere. 

It really does, especially this season. I think she’ll have moments of little wins. I don’t think she would be able to get to where she’s going without some wins here and there, like with the newspaper man helping her get to Grand Central and things like that. She’ll find her wins. At the end of Episode 3, she’s still only in New York, so she’s got to go across the country now. She takes on different types of battles throughout the season.

We see Elizabeth at the Dutton ranch really struggling with the lifestyle and the constant sense of danger. She even says that she wants to move back to Boston. Is Alex built for the Dutton life?

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I think she’s proving that she is. I think she’s proving that not only can she handle it, she wants to. She wants to make it to the ranch and work alongside her husband, as she says to the immigration officer. She wants to raise her child with Spencer and his family after reading all these letters about their lifestyle. She’s always had an adventurous spirit. She’s always been untameable. I think she is really built for it. I think it’s okay that Liz isn’t. I think all the time about that quote from Little Women where Meg says, “Just because my dreams are different than yours doesn’t mean they’re unimportant.” And I think that’s so applicable here. I think we’re seeing two different very valid reactions to a very difficult world.

We now know Alex is about four months along in her pregnancy. What does Alex’s pregnancy journey look like moving forward?

She’s in survival mode. Throughout her pregnancy journey, you will see her do anything to make sure that the baby is okay and that they both arrive intact. She has to make some tough choices, and she has to put herself through things that maybe she normally wouldn’t in order to make sure that she doesn’t starve to death and the baby is alive and well. It’s a mother’s love and a mother’s instinct. But you watch her literally put herself and do anything for this baby, and it doesn’t matter what, as long as the pregnancy is okay, and she makes some difficult decisions in regards to that.

If you’re a Yellowstone mega-fan, make sure to check out TV Guide Magazine’s Beth Forever special issue.

1923, Season 2, Sundays, Paramount+