‘1923’: James Badge Dale Never Filmed a Scene With His on-Screen Brother
James Badge Dale joined the cast of 1923 as John Dutton Sr., the grown-up version of the little boy fans came to know in 1883. Unfortunately, Dale’s time on the show was short-lived. His character met a tragic end in episode 3, during a conflict with a group of the Dutton’s enemies. In the wake of his death, Cara Dutton writes and begs John’s brother Spencer to come home. Interestingly, Dale never got to act alongside his on-screen brother, but the actors did have a connection on set.
[Warning: 1923 Episode 3 spoilers ahead.]
John Sr.’s death is the catalyst for Spencer Dutton to come home
In 1923 Episode 3, Banner Creighton and a group of his men attacked the Dutton family on their way home from town. His men surprised and outnumbered the Duttons. John was killed in the attack, and Jacob was seriously wounded. After the dust settled, Jacob told Cara that Spencer must come home to protect the ranch.
“Taylor only gave me the first three scripts,” John Sr. actor James Badge Dale revealed in an interview with Deadline. “I don’t know where this goes. My job was very specific, and the way I saw it is once John Dutton Sr. dies, the younger brother has to come home. It’s a very epic romantic notion, how they need to get Spencer back here.”
James Badge Dale never filmed a ‘1923’ scene with his on-screen brother Brandon Sklenar
Although James Badge Dale and Brandon Sklenar are on-screen brothers in 1923, the pair never shot a scene together. For the first three episodes of 1923, Sklenar’s character Spencer has been living in Africa, working as a hunter for hire.
Still, Dale and Sklenar had time to bond on the set of 1923. “Brendan and I would spend some time together. We would forego talking about what our characters have experienced, and we would talk about what we have experienced, and we would share those stories, and we would connect on that level, which I believe, as an actor, is a very deep, deep connection,” he told Entertainment Tonight.
“And so even though you don’t ever see us on camera together, I feel like we feel deeply for each other. We’re at very different points of our lives, and I love him to death, and I’m just excited for his future.”
Dale assures fans that ‘1923’ is ‘in good hands’
As far as James Badge Dale knows, he’s done with 1923 for good. The gut-wrenching end to episode 3 made it quite clear that there’s no way John survived the attack. However, Dale has assured fans that the show has no shortage of talented actors.
“I’ll say this. I think the show is in excellent hands with excellent actors. I mean, obviously, I love Helen, Harrison, but my brother Spencer, [played by] Brendan Sklenar, he’s an incredible young man and a beautiful actor, and I couldn’t be more proud of him,” Dale told ET. “Darren Mann, who plays my son, he’s incredible. He’s an artist, he’s a warrior. [The] show’s in good hands.”
New episodes of 1923 air Sundays on Paramount+.
