Actress Elizabeth Olsen faced a difficult situation while filming the limited series "Love & Death," where she portrays Candy Montgomery, a Texas housewife accused of murdering her friend Betty Gore in 1980. During a pivotal scene where Olsen's character wields an ax, her co-star Lily Rabe, who was portraying the victim, was six months pregnant.
Olsen revealed that she struggled with the intensity of the scene, as Rabe's pregnancy made the situation emotionally charged. Rabe's commitment to the role impressed Olsen, but the physical demands of the scene made Olsen uneasy. Despite choreography and a rubber ax, Olsen felt apprehensive about performing the actions required for the scene.
"Lily is a really physically strong human being, and so it was like real tension, physically," Olsen explained. She described moments where Rabe requested contact with the rubber ax, but Olsen felt uncomfortable and opted to let her stunt double handle those parts.
Olsen acknowledged the significant difference between her usual fight sequences in the Marvel universe, where she uses her character Wanda Maximoff's powers, and the raw physicality of the scene in "Love & Death." Despite the challenges, Rabe's dedication and Olsen's cautious approach resulted in a powerful and emotionally charged performance.
The limited series "Love & Death," also starring Jesse Plemons, Patrick Fugit, and Krysten Ritter, explores a gripping true crime story and airs weekly on HBO Max.
