1923’s Julia Schlaepfer Dishes on Chemistry With Brandon Sklenar

Julia Schlaepfer knows the love story she and Brandon Sklenar have brought to life in 1923 is special — and according to her, the connection they share in real life is completely organic.

In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, the actress, 29, revealed she and Sklenar, 34, immediately hit it off when production began on the Yellowstone prequel, in which they star as Alex and Spencer Dutton, respectively. “It’s a testament to Taylor [Sheridan’s] casting and our casting director because we never had a chemistry read,” Schlaepfer shared. “We just immediately connected when we met. There was an instant bond that we had.”

In season 1, sparks flew when Alex and Spencer crossed paths in Africa. Though Alex was engaged to Arthur (Rafe Soule) — a member of the British royal family — at the time, she left him behind to pursue a romance with Spencer.

Schlaepfer credited traveling together for helping the actors foster a strong working relationship. “We only had each other to rely on, and so we got really close really quickly,” she explained. “We’d spend hours, especially season 1, discussing the scenes, the connection, the characters and the nuances of it. It was our favorite thing to talk about.”

“Our natural chemistry is something that you can’t really work on — it just happened,” the Politician alum continued. “We were very, very fortunate in that way, that that’s just how we get along.”

Throughout season 1, Alex and Spencer navigated various roadblocks, including being charged at by wild animals during a hunting trip in Africa and being on a tugboat that capsizes in shark-infested waters. Ultimately, they were separated in the finale when a duel between Spencer and Arthur resulted in Arthur being thrown overboard. In the final moments, Alex vowed to meet Spencer in Bozeman, where they were en route to be with the Dutton family.

Viewers have been anxiously awaiting to see whether Alex and Spencer will reunite in Montana — and Schlaepfer admits that what awaits the characters feels personal. She’s not surprised their “epic, raw and real” love story has resonated with fans during a time when people are distracted by social media and dating apps, either. “It’s really hard in our day and age for people to truly connect,” she told Us. “These are two people who locked eyes for the first time and saw something in one another that they recognized and they didn’t look back.”

“It’s a rare thing to see two people just immediately choose each other, stick by each other, and trust in the love that they feel for one another, even if it doesn’t make sense [and] even if they’re polar opposites,” she said. “That’s the type of love that our world is starving for right now.”

Though she’s staying mum on what’s in store for her character, season 2 “gave me more than I ever could have dreamed of in terms of Alex’s story,” Schlaepfer added. “I feel so grateful to have been able to tell their love story in this way, and to continue on the Dutton legacy with people like Helen [Mirren] and Harrison [Ford]. It’s been an honor.”

Season 2 of 1923 premieres Sunday, February 23 on Paramount+