Exclusive Interview
Inside ‘Maxton Hall’s Most Devastating Scene Yet With Harriet Herbig-Matten
What To Know
- The Maxton Hall Season 2 premiere includes an emotionally intense scene with James and Ruby.
- Harriet Herbig-Matten, who plays Ruby, recalled filming the difficult moment with her costar, Damian Hardung, in an interview with Swooon.
- Herbig-Matten admitted that she and Hardung were “supporting each other and trusting each other” through the tough moments for their characters.
[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers from Maxton Hall — The World Between Us Season 2 Episode 1.]
Maxton Hall Season 2 has only dropped three episodes, but it’s already put Ruby Bell (Harriet Herbig-Matten) and James Beaufort (Damian Hardung) through the wringer. Episode 1 features one of their most devastating scenes yet, and Herbig-Matten told Swooon that it was just as intense to film as it was to watch.
The season kicks off with a grief-stricken James drunkenly cheating on Ruby — who has no idea about his mother’s death — right in front of her. When she finds out about James’ situation, Ruby doesn’t hesitate to go to the Beaufort mansion and support James. She finds him in his bedroom, pills and bottles scattered everywhere. Shocked to see her, James falls into Ruby’s arms, sobbing as she comforts him. He opens up to Ruby about how numb he feels and how much he regrets being mean to his mom the last time he saw her.
“We shot this scene for a whole day, and it was…” Herbig-Matten trailed off with a laugh. “I remember, I stayed in character for the whole day and in the emotion, and that was really tough. I think what I’ve learned, it’s really better for me to go out of the character after a take, and that’s what I didn’t do.”
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The scene didn’t stop with James crying into Ruby’s arms. Ruby is jerked back into reality when a text from Elaine (Eli Riccardi), the girl James kissed, pops up on his phone. Ruby removes herself from James’ embrace, noticing the state of his bedroom for the first time. James tries to stop her, pleading that he needs her, but Ruby says he needs help instead. “Then get lost,” James screams, dejected.
“I think it was really hard for [Hardung] and for me,” the actress said about filming the scene. “But we were really separate during this day. I think during the breaks, he was always outside, and I was in a different room, so we just… It was so much tension between us. So, it was really tough.”
Despite Season 2 upping the intensity, Herbig-Matten said that she felt more comfortable and confident playing Ruby and handling the emotional scenes with Hardung this time around. “I think I just grew up, and I felt more confident,” the actress, who was 18 years old while shooting Season 1 and 21 years old during Season 2, explained.
She continued, “I think that was really helpful for the connection and relationship between us because I think I could separate [Ruby’s] emotions to mine really good. As in Season 1, we had really hard and and difficult scenes to play, but we are supporting each other and trusting each other, and I think that’s helpful.”
What do you think about Herbig-Matten and Hardung’s performances so far in Season 2? Tell us in the comments below!
Maxton Hall – The World Between Us, Season 2, Episodes 1-3, Streaming Now, Prime Video
Maxton Hall – The World Between Us, Season 2, Episode 4, November 14, Prime Video
Maxton Hall – The World Between Us, Season 2, Episode 5, November 21, Prime Video
Maxton Hall – The World Between Us, Season 2, Episode 6, November 28, Prime Video
