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James & Ruby’s ‘Maxton Hall’ Love Story, Broken Down by Damian Hardung & Harriet Herbig-Matten
[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers from Maxton Hall — The World Between Us Seasons 1 and 2.]
Ruby (Harriet Herbig-Matten) and James’ (Damian Hardung) haven’t been together long — only a school trimester and some change, according to Hardung — but so much has happened to them throughout Maxton Hall‘s first two seasons. The Prime Video series puts scholarship student Ruby on a path with millionaire heir James, exploring whether their romance can last when they come from such different worlds.
“When you’re young, time is different,” the actor told Swooon when he was breaking down James and Ruby’s whirlwind relationship alongside Herbig-Matten. He’s right: In Season 1, the characters go from enemies to lovers in just a few episodes. It follows the first book of author Mona Kasten’s trilogy, Save Me, which brings the couple together and pulls them apart by the end. Season 2 adapts Kasten’s follow-up, Save You, which puts even more obstacles in their path. The most devastating one of all came about in the finale episode.
The final novel, Save Us, will be brought to life in the upcoming third season, and we’ll see if James and Ruby’s love will prevail. While we wait to see how their journey ends, you can brush up on all of the milestones in Ruby and James’ relationship so far, with insights from the show’s stars.
(Swooon)
Maxton Hall, Seasons 1-2, Streaming Now, Prime Video
Maxton Hall, Season 3, TBA, Prime Video
Ruby & James meet (Season 1, Episode 1)
Once Ruby catches James’ sister in a compromising position with a teacher, James immediately goes on the offensive, trying to buy Ruby’s silence during their first meeting. (Of course, Ruby refuses.) James doesn’t believe she’ll keep quiet, so he becomes a thorn in Ruby’s side.
Two seasons in, Herbig-Matten and Hardung miss playing enemies. “Season 2 was so much pain and drama, which is also great to play,” Hardung said.
Herbig-Matten chimed in that playing Ruby next to Season 1’s arrogant version of James was also “really exhausting sometimes.” She added, “We had to go on [to] the end of the room because we couldn’t talk with each other.”
Ruby apologizes to James (Season 1, Episode 2)
James and Ruby lay down their swords in Episode 2, when Ruby seeks out James on the lacrosse field. She apologizes for insulting James in class earlier, and the two become allies in trying to bring their gala vision to life.
Hardung thinks that this is the moment that James starts to fall for Ruby. “He notices that there’s something, and there’s a little spark,” the actor explained. “But I don’t think he cognitively acknowledges it yet. But it’s definitely the spark that ignites the flame afterwards. And then it’s moth to a flame.”
James rescues Ruby (Season 1, Episode 3)
Ruby and James have fun together during Episode 3’s party, but it takes a serious turn when one of their classmates throws Ruby into the pool. It triggers a trauma response, since she nearly drowned in a boating accident as a child. James dives in to save her, comforting her on the way home. “She’s crying and feels safe around him,” Herbig-Matten explained.
Hardung said that James is deeply in love when Ruby opens up about her accident. “He’s just completely confused because I think he is in love. I don’t think he knows it yet because he doesn’t really know the capacity, this concept of love and true love, because he’s always been struggling with that,” the actor added. “So I love the third episode because it’s really a turning point in their relationship.”
Ruby & James first kiss (Season 1, Episode 4)
Thanks to Ruby and James’ teamwork, the gala goes off without a hitch — until the power goes out. Ruby and James head to the basement to find the generator. Once they’re alone, the simmering tension between them turns into a boil, resulting in their passionate first kiss.
Reflecting on shooting that moment, Herbig-Matten said it was exhausting, but when Hardung asked why, she played coy. “I can’t answer that,” she said, making her costar laugh.
Hardung added, “The idea of choreographing it was… I think the picture that we always had, it’s kind of like a volcano erupting. It’s building up, and at a certain point, they can’t hold it anymore. And that’s when these two worlds collide.”
Ruby & James’ Oxford make up (Season 1, Episode 6)
Once James’ dad catches Ruby and James kissing, he warns his son to stay away, threatening Ruby if he doesn’t comply. As a result, James pushes Ruby away, blindsiding her. But they can’t avoid each other anymore during their school trip to Oxford University. Their rooms are right next door to each other.
“I mean, we have the staircase scene, which is really intense and both of them screaming at each other,” Herbig-Matten reflected. “And then it’s a moment where they’re just coming to each other and kissing and feeling free, and I think that was beautiful.”
“I love the staircase scene, especially since it’s really putting words into this whole dynamic of what’s been happening the whole time,” Hardung added. “And it’s the first time James is finding words of, ‘I’m trying, but I can’t, and I want that. I want to be with you there, but it’s this thing that I’m trying to protect you [from].’ So he’s still struggling, but it’s the first time, I think, he may be truly understanding parts of where he’s coming from, and so beginning the journey of then also healing himself from those traumatic experiences and from what he’s been told [since] childhood.”
James cheats on Ruby (Season 2, Episode 1)
In Season 2, it all comes crashing down when James finds out that his mom died while he was away. James keeps her death a secret from Ruby, and he copes by getting wasted at a party. When Ruby finds him there, he kisses Elaine right in front of her, ruining all the progress they made in Oxford.
How did it feel playing James at rock bottom? “Well, there’s two sides,” Hardung began. “I think there’s a question because on the one hand, as an actor… It’s such an honor to play a deeply flawed and three-dimensional character. On the other hand, personally, it was just horrible to sit in that space for that amount of time.”
He continued, “And it really also hurt to portray him like that because after playing him for such a long time, you do develop a certain type of connection to your character inherently and then knowingly destroying him to such a point where people are going to hate him for what he’s doing, that’s hurtful because you’re always trying to protect your character, right?”
The actor admitted that, in a weird way, James did what he did for Ruby. “I know this sounds horrible, and I’m not trying to justify it, but this is a really dangerous space to be in,” he explained. “In a way, he’s trying to save her at least because he knows everything within his own life is going to draw her down. It’s going to pull her down into that space where he’s grown up.”
James tries to win Ruby back (Season 2, Episode 2)
After his mother’s funeral, James crashes his car, which gives him a reality check. At the hospital, a nurse recommends a therapist to him. He doesn’t go immediately, instead deciding to plead for Ruby’s forgiveness in Episode 2. She turns him down, explaining that she’s not responsible for his happiness. It’s the kick James needs to start working on himself, which begins in Episode 3’s therapy scene.
“I fought for an even longer version,” Hardung said. “I think I fought for every line in that script of that therapy scene. I think there’s an uncut, even longer version, which is not out, because it’s such a turning point for both of them to allow their relationship to actually grow… I think it’s so important also to show to younger people out there that it’s not your responsibility, like Ruby’s responsibility, to fix him, and that love doesn’t have to be at the expense or hurt your own boundaries. And that it’s really the task of the person themselves, and loving yourself first. I think it’s just a really important message to get out there, especially in the YA genre.”
Ruby forgives James (Season 2, Episode 3)
Ruby lets James back in at the end Episode 3. “I struggled with that a bit,” Herbig-Matten said. “Because it was really important that action shows more than words, and the scene in Episode 3 and at the gala with his speech and she knows that he’s risking everything and that coming out and talking about his feelings in front of the people — in front of his dad — that it’s really him taking a risk.”
The actress explained, “And I think it’s not wrong to give someone a second chance, but it’s important that he goes to therapy and is working on himself and that she can’t help him and she can’t fix him and she’s not responsible for that.”
Ruby & James go public (Season 2, Episode 4)
After they talk it out in Episode 4 and James meets Ruby’s family, the two go to Elaine’s white picnic together. At that point, they aren’t planning on telling anyone that they’ve rekindled their romance, but when James is asked about it point-blank, they decide not to lie anyone. Now, all of their classmates know they’re together.
Ruby is the one to give James the go-ahead, which was something the actors suggested be added in. “I think it was important that it’s coming from her,” Herbig-Matten said.
Hardung explained, “Originally, it was just him saying that, and then we were like, well, it feels wrong. It’s problematic that he breaks the promise that they just gave each other.”
“And she wanted and she needed to trust [James],” his costar added.
James & Ruby’s first date (Season 2, Episode 4)
Finally, Ruby and James get to be happy and in love. They go on their first-ever date later on in Episode 4, with James renting out an entire restaurant for the two of them. “It’s really easy to play [the lighter moments],” Hardung said. “But it was good doing that after such an extended time of grief and play lightheartedly, like eating small burgers. Small burgers and [Ruby’s] finger.”
“We watched the episode together with the whole cast, and everyone was screaming when the finger came,” Herbig-Matten laughed.
Ruby and James have a steamy makeout session before it comes to an abrupt end, courtesy of their waiter. “Why is he interrupting?” Hardung joked. “I’m like buying the whole freaking restaurant, like give us some space. I don’t get it. He had one job.”
James’ dad ruins Ruby’s life (Season 2, Episodes 5 & 6)
After their date, James introduces Ruby to his dad officially, revealing that he went against Mortimer’s wishes. Mortimer then proceeds to ruin Ruby’s life in an attempt to drive a wedge between them. Not only does Mortimer take away Ruby’s university scholarship and get her mom fired from her job in Episode 5, but in Episode 6, he frames Ruby for having the affair with their teacher. She’s suspended from Maxton Hall as a result, putting her future at Oxford in jeopardy.
Hardung explained that James never expected his father to retaliate like that, especially after Mortimer openly grieved his late wife in front of his kids. “I think, especially after Episode 5, with his father breaking down, he thought maybe there’s some human aspect to it, so I don’t think [James] expected any of it at all,” Hardung said. “And now with [Ruby’s] whole dream being burned down by his dad, it’s a good setup for another season, I’d say.”
