‘1883’: Eric Nelsen Says That Ennis Shocker Is an ‘Arc-Changing Moment for Elsa’

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[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for 1883 Episode 5 “The Fangs of Freedom.”]

1883 just delivered a heartbreaking blow to Elsa (Isabel May), one that changes her entire trajectory.

In “The Fangs of Freedom,” Elsa was entertaining a relationship (and marriage) to cowboy Ennis (Eric Nelsen) — who was on board if she’s pregnant after they had sex for the first time and even stood up to her father, James (Tim McGraw), who was none-too-pleased with the turn of events. But when bandits attacked, Ennis was killed. Elsa then killed the man who took Ennis from her.

“I know it’s gonna hurt and it’s been so hard for me to just watch the comments roll in knowing that this week is coming,” Nelsen tells TV Insider. “But if anything, I hope people get moved by it and it does lend itself to a whole new trajectory in the story. There’s some very exciting things coming.”

Nelsen breaks down Ennis’ “sacrifice” and teases if we’ll see him again.

When you signed on, had you known your character would be killed off in Episode 5?

Eric Nelsen: Not at first. It was definitely gut-punching and I didn’t see it coming, which I think is what makes it great TV, and to see the trajectory my death pushes Elsa to become and where she goes, it’s crucial. It really does make sense in the scheme of the story, and it was pivotal for Elsa’s character, so I couldn’t be upset, as much as I was hoping Ennis would see it through. It’s a beautiful death and it’s a beautiful moment, and I’m just happy to have been the one to be able to portray it.

That entire sequence was heartbreaking, from Ennis getting shot to his “I loved her” to James to dying before Elsa got there. What stood out to you?

The power behind the entire thing. The fact that Ennis rides off knowing what’s over that hill. Keeping Elsa there, in a way, he’s basically sacrificing himself for her, so right away, we see really how this man feels about her. Then to have that last moment of his dying breath to her father, barely making out the words “I loved her,” to me, that was the most powerful moment of this whole sequence. What a beautiful turning point for James and Ennis. We really see the emotion between these two, and it’s been a lot of ups and downs for them up until that point.

He was the only one riding toward the bandit from his side, but he did get a shot off.

Proud of him for that, and obviously he’s a very experienced cowboy, so for him to get that and pull that off was great. But he knew the second he left her and went over that hill, it wasn’t gonna end well. But it was a me or her kind of situation, and he made the right choice in his heart. I think if he could go back and do it all over again, he’d do it the exact same way.

Then Elsa kills the man who killed him. How would Ennis feel about that?

That is an extremely emotional and honestly arc-changing moment for Elsa. We see a side of her that Ennis never saw and the audience hasn’t seen yet and I think it’s a look into what’s to come. But he knows how she felt and he never took a second of what they had together for granted. For her to do that for me, speechless, I guess. It speaks volumes and I understand, especially in the world back then, the overall just revenge that she got. It just proves to me how much she really did care and I’d want her not to live her life in regret or in pain because of what happened, and if that’s her way to heal and move on for herself and deal with the circumstances, then I think Ennis would’ve been in support. And honestly, she’s getting back the guy that got me. Back then, that’s how things were handled.

It’s so sad when she lies down with him because that’s the only time we see them like that.

It’s just unfortunate that, of course, we finally see the moment when Ennis is no longer with us. But when we were filming that and the emotions and the tears and the screaming — and I’m lying there, playing dead — it took everything I had in me not to be crying. I was fighting so hard. Just lie there, dead. Don’t fall under the emotion because what she’s going through, it just was heartbreaking for me — as Ennis, but really as Eric, too. So it really did take everything I had not to not to lose it every time she had to film that.

There was something almost too sweet about their relationship, in this world, from his reaction to seeing a girl to his “she was flirting!” in Episode 3, then their first kiss in Episode 4.

Absolutely, and an innocence in a rather un-innocent world that they’re living in. It really goes against the darkness and the grit of the show. I think that’s what people responded to the most, and it was almost uplifting when you got to see them together and for a moment it would bring smiles to people’s faces. I’m really grateful that we had that opportunity to be the softer side of things.

Even his reaction when she brought up a possible pregnancy and they were excited about their future together. Could they have made something last in the long run?

We see them basically say to her father, accept us or we’re gone. And had he not, we would’ve been off. We would’ve lived our own world. I would’ve helped wrangle cattle and sell them and make money and maybe open up a little restaurant or something, and we’d live a happy life together. Absolutely, we could have made this work. There’s such uncertainty on the journey, if we get through it in one piece, then who’s to say? We could have conquered the world together. But it wasn’t in the plans. As to how the world was back then we just see how quickly things can change, and so you can’t take a single second or day for granted, especially on a journey such as this.

James made good on his word about Ennis getting handsy versus courting. So what made Ennis stand up to James? Where did that confidence come from? Love?

Yeah. Throughout the episodes though, it seems to happen quickly. Ennis has a big shift in himself. He’s kind of more innocent, sweet, try to see where this is all gonna land. And then by the time Episode 5 comes, he’s able to stand up for himself and face the music and look James in the eyes and tell him how he feels and that he doesn’t care what James thinks. Whereas in the episodes leading up, he cares so much about what he thinks. That was a turning point for Ennis’ character and the arc of him in the season. To see Ennis have that powerful moment and strength, I think, was a wonderful way to show the shift that’s happened and love can do that to somebody. When you’re really passionate and fully in love with somebody, it makes you grow up. It makes you feel things you haven’t before. Standing up to James was just a moment to prove that. … It was crucial for Ennis and it really paid off and I do think James’ respect for Ennis completely shifts in that moment.

It seemed like Ennis had some idea of what he was getting into going on this trip, but did he have any idea, really, when it came to Elsa? Meeting her was such a shock for him.

Elsa was completely unexpected. I’m out here, I’m a cowboy, I’m hanging out with cows most of my entire life. And then this drop-dead, beautiful girl comes trotting in and wants to help us on the journey, is not afraid to get her hands dirty and she’s smart and she throws me off my guard all the time and I don’t even know how to respond to her and that was unexpected. Elsa [was] the best surprise of his life.

How do you think Ennis would want to be remembered?

Loyal, honest, and big-hearted.

Is this the last that we’ll see of you? Because there are always flashbacks, dream sequences, things like that.

Ennis’ physical journey is over. I will say the memory of Ennis doesn’t disappear. We don’t just completely keep moving forward. Elsa has a moment of remembrance, and there is a bit of an alluded flashback. I’m not sure how that’s gonna cut together or how it’s gonna be seen onscreen yet ’cause I haven’t seen anything past 5. So I’ll be watching just like you in hopes, maybe they’ll throw him in there, maybe they won’t. But we’ll see. As far as I know, no, but it could happen because Elsa does have a moment.

1883, Sundays, Paramount+

‘1883’ Star Breaks Down Brutal Death: ‘It Changes Things Completely’ (Exclusive)

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‘1883’ Star Breaks Down Brutal Death: ‘It Changes Things Completely’ (Exclusive)

Spoiler alert! Do not proceed if you have not watched the latest episode of 1883.

Say goodbye to the cowboy.

On the latest episode of Paramount+’s Yellowstone prequel, 1883, which dropped Sunday, it was a dramatic farewell for Ennis (played by Eric Nelsen), who agreed to help the Duttons and their herd find a new homestead. During that time, Ennis took an immediate liking to the Duttons’ eldest daughter, Elsa (Isabel May), and soon thereafter, the two fell in love. Unfortunately for the young couple, their honeymoon ended abruptly when Ennis, in an effort to protect Elsa and the others, from a dangerous group of bandits, was killed by gunshot in the final minutes of the latest installment.

The timing couldn’t have been worse. Just the day before his tragic death, Ennis and Elsa took their union to the next level, consummating their whirlwind romance, and even making plans to raise a family together. And Ennis’ often tense relationship with Elsa’s father, James (Tim McGraw), reached a moment of understanding when Ennis declared to the Dutton patriarch that he accept them as a couple or lose his daughter as a result.

The immediate after of Ennis’ death, however, will change Elsa forever, and viewers caught a glimpse of that dramatic shift when she marched over the hill and fired shots in point-blank range at the bandit responsible for killing her love. “She is completely stripped of innocence from that moment and she goes from a girl to a woman right then and there, and that’s evident,” Nelsen told ET. “You’re not going to see Elsa like you saw her before going forward.

Nelsen breaks down Ennis’ death, his character’s brief but pivotal journey on the show and if there’s a chance he’ll be back in some way, shape or form.

ET: When you signed on to 1883, were you aware of your character’s fate?

Eric Nelsen: Not at first. I did not know what was happening at first – before I signed on – I just knew it was an epic story by Taylor Sheridan, the prequel to 1883 and I think I only read the first episode. Then I got cast and we went through the process and then I found out. Taylor sent me the scripts and I read what happens at the end of [episode] five and I was heartbroken. I mean, it was just as gut-punching as it’s going to be for the viewers who get to watch, but it’s all so beautiful. And the way it’s told, it’s so emotional and it’s such a pivotal moment in the series so I was grateful to be able to be the one to portray that. Where the story goes from here, you’ll see how impactful this moment is and it really shifts things completely. It was hard to read and watch, but a beautiful piece of art to be a part of and I’m so grateful for the opportunity.

Even over a very brief period of time, there’s been a lot of growth for Ennis. What are your thoughts on his journey in these five episodes?

Yeah. I feel like it’s pretty quick because we see it all happen within these five [episodes], but you’re absolutely right. Ennis has a great arc that I wanted to make sure showed. In the beginning, we see that he’s this cowboy who has got some innocence and purity to him in a way and he really just wants acceptance from James Dutton. I want him to like me and to give me approval to like his daughter and I feel like I’m stuck in between two places at times. But of course, Ennis uses his humor and his lightness to get through situations and then we start to see Ennis fall head over heels in love with Elsa and then ultimately his whole body. His whole being is in love with this girl and at that point, he really doesn’t care what other people think and he no longer is submissive to James. He stands up to him and he gives him the ultimatum of “[Accept] us or you don’t have either of us. I’m going to take your daughter because we’re in love. She loves me, she trusts me. I trust her and if you’re not supportive, we’re going to go do our own thing.” That’s a huge turning point for Ennis’ strength and relationship on the show to not only James but to himself. We see that power and he stands his ground for the first time. Of course, at the end, his dying words are to James, which I think is a pretty powerful moment within itself. If there’s anything James Dutton saw from Ennis, it’s his true heart and his true soul more than ever, especially at the end there so I hope he has love and appreciation for Ennis by the end of this.

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

You touched on the fraught relationship that he has with Elsa’s dad. But at end of it they reach an understanding. Had Ennis not died, what were you curious about exploring?

Elsa just flat out asks Ennis if he’d be man enough to have her child. And he says yes, if he’s even lucky enough for that to happen. It would’ve been nice to explore a family dynamic together and see where that went. At that point, Elsa could have asked Ennis to do anything and he would say yes for her. We see that too, but just the fact that Ennis chooses to have her stay as he rides up over the hill towards those bandits, he knows what’s coming and he knows that in order to save her, he needs to go first. Ultimately, he gives his own life for her. I don’t think there’s anything Ennis wouldn’t have wanted to explore with Elsa going forward, but specifically that family dynamic and children with the girl he’s head over heels in love with would’ve been really special.

In the immediate aftermath of his death, there’s like a switch that’s turned off – or on, depending how you see it – when it comes to Elsa. How do you think this is going to impact her?

I know what happens so I can’t really put it in [words]. However, I can say we see almost instantly a major shift in Elsa. When she walks over to that bandit and shoots and kills him, that’s just a glimpse into Elsa’s journey from here on out. She is completely stripped of innocence from that moment and she goes from a girl to a woman right then and there, and that’s evident. You’re not going to see Elsa like you saw her before going forward. That’s about all I can tease, but it was a crucial moment for her character arc and the show as a whole. For her to go through this tragedy with Ennis and it gives her the strength and power that she otherwise maybe wouldn’t have had.

There was a lot of talk of babies and family between Ennis and Elsa. Is that something that will come back around? Will we find out that she is expecting his baby?

It leaves everyone wondering and questioning. I can’t divulge that information because those are big questions in the storyline, but I will say, regardless of what happens, it’s obviously a tragic event in her life and she’s going to be approaching anything that happens to her from here with that weight on her shoulders. We’re going to see her walk through the rest of this journey with a much heavier foot than she did before.

Any chance of you coming back in some shape or form, like flashbacks? Are you still in the world?

Ennis is not forgotten, but again, I can’t explain what’s going to happen for Ennis but Elsa definitely carries his memory on and we see that throughout.

What’s next for you?

Definitely putting my foot to the pedal and moving on and using this show as leverage for the next [thing]. As of right now, still technically working with Paramount. Actually, they’re still filming. I think their last day of the shoot is [Saturday] and so we’re about to close that door and open another one. Definitely have some stuff in the works. Nothing I can put out there as of yet, but again, so grateful for my time on the show and hope that with every ounce of my being can remain in the shared universe.

What do you want to say to viewers who might be a little distraught after watching this latest episode?

I’m with you guys. I was [distraught] too and filming it was difficult, especially because I was supposed to be laying there dead and the emotion that’s happening around me, it was hard for me not to cry in the moment. But I thank everyone for their support and encouragement, and trust that this is a crucial moment and turning point for the series and it was a very impactful and crucial moment for Elsa’s development and where her character goes from here. But I’m in your boat. I’m sad. I wish it didn’t have to happen, but that’s storytelling at its finest and it’s going to have everybody talking. At the end of the day, it’s entertainment and we hope we evoked emotion because that’s what we’re trying to achieve here.

New episodes of 1883 drop Sundays at 12:01 a.m. PT/3:01 a.m. ET on Paramount+. For more, watch below.

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1883 Season 1 Episode 5

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Elsa can’t believe they need to hide the cattle from bandits. She thinks Ennis is kidding when he says not to go anywhere alone, but he’s dead serious.

Shea is looking back at the river in tears. A food wagon sunk, and they’ve got no food. It’s time to resupply. They need to travel a whole week before they can do it.

Thomas offers some solutions, but Shea doesn’t want to risk the dangers of going in a different direction.

He’s crying for the people for whom he feels responsibility.

John is getting dressed, reminding James that he doesn’t have much practice doing it himself, so he’s a little slow.

The Duttons are having breakfast. Margaret worries that Elsa has been with the herd most of the week. James says it’s making a good cowboy out of her, but Margaret didn’t know that was the goal.

Margaret gets snarky with James.

Josef is upset about how things are going, but Thomas points out that they fight amongst themselves, steal from each other, don’t do what they say, but do what they say not to do. Josef is silent.

Shea says that river was the easiest crossing they’ll have, and if they say not to stop in the middle, they mean it.

Josef counters that the travelers are just that. They are not friends or family. They put the food together to protect it. They want to know who is stealing. Josef is reluctant to show them.

Shea, Thomas, and Josef ask James to join them. James tells John to get in the wagon and not to leave until he tells him to.

The thief thinks that nobody will stand up to him, but he’s wrong. Josef needs to stand up to the guy, but he’s not a match for him. Things get ugly before James gets involved. He pistol whips both the man and the woman who are fighting and takes the food from the wagon.

Shea gives the guy a refund on his passage. He needs to find his own way to Oregon, and the same goes for the other guy.

Margaret tells Elsa she smells like a goat, but Elsa shares what Ennis said about going anywhere alone. Margaret says Ennis might be hintin’ at a bath with her, and when Elsa says no, Margaret says that if he’s gotten this close to her, he sure would. Then Elsa tells her about the kiss.

Elsa wonders what’s beyond kissin’. She’s seen how farm animals are made, but she hasn’t figured how it translates to people.

Margaret realizes they have to have the conversation, so they set off to kill two birds with one stone.

They’re bathing and talking about freedom when Ennis visits rides up, and he’s a little disconcerted.

As they watch him ride away, Margaret laughs. She envies Elsa, she really does.

Wade asks Margaret to send Thomas and James his way when he sees them.

They’re going to keep the cattle close to the wagons.

The large thief screams at the wagon train as it leaves. Where is this freedom? Where is this justice? He says they’re all sheep with no shepherd and are following the wolves.

Shea takes the opportunity to remind the man that he’s a man of his word.

The wagon train has shrunk by half since it started with deaths and desertion.

There is strength in numbers, and they’re growing weaker when they need strength the most.

A group is following them, and Thomas wants them to keep things close.

Shea threatens James to share their rations or else. James reminds them again that they need a cook and a wagon for him to stay on board, and Shea promises to hire the first when they get to town.

James tells Elsa she needs to sleep with the wagons tonight because horses and cattle aren’t the only thing bandits steal out here.

Elsa wakes in the night and emerges from the tent. She’s consumed with attraction for Ennis and reveals herself to him.

She wonders if Ennis has done this before. Sort of, he says. He paid a woman to show home once, but he didn’t like her, so his body wouldn’t work. But he knows what to do if she wants him to do it. She does.

Margaret wakes to find Elsa gone and finds her in the throes of passion.

The large man left behind is watching camp when he hears a sound. His throat is slit, and the bandits kill everyone.

Margaret gives Elsa the rest of the talk about what decisions she’s making now. Every choice has fangs. Margaret says that if Elsa has a child, Elsa will raise it. Elsa goes from being on the moon to facing the realities of her actions, but she doesn’t regret it. It’s beautiful, and she doesn’t regret it.

Elsa asks Ennis if he’ll raise their baby if she has one, and she decides they’ll be married.

The group sees the previous camp on fire. Ennis hasn’t ever killed anyone, but by god, he knows how. They’re going to need to be on their toes.

James hold Ennis back and smacks the shit of him off of his horse. Elsa assures James that she knows what loves means, that she chose it, and she loves Ennis.

Ennis says he ain’t askin’ for Elsa. If she loves him, he’s takin’ her. If James won’t give her to him, he’ll goddamn steal her.

James says Ennis says he loves her, but he’ll never love her like he does. It’s his heart he’s runnin’ off with, and he better cradle it like an egg. James says that girl is going to run Ennis ragged, and Ennis agrees.

The bandits have the wagon train in their sights, Josef’s wife, in particular. They’re staying behind for some reason, and it’s about to get ugly. But I think they guys are in the back of the wagon, hoping to ambush the bandits and get rid of them before they can do damage. No, they’re riding. But Josef has his rifle armed and ready.

The bandit leader sashays up to Josef’s wife. She lies that he went to get water. They blow him away but waste more ammunition than necessary, and then the rest of the gang is upon them, and they’re running. Our guys come from the other direction, and I have to wonder why bullseye James wasn’t hiding in wait to pick ’em off one by one.

The bandits are at the wagon train now, and Margaret is calling the shots.

Elsa is with the cattle and Ennis says to get out her pistol now. Lots of shooting but too many still upright.

Ennis is killed. OMG. Shot right through the heart. His last words to John were I loved her. When Elsa gets there, she’s in shock for a second before it hits her. She wails her heartbreak all over the place.

I hope they let Elsa kill the guy.

She didn’t wait for permission. She killed him and shot him extra for good measure. But she’s going to have a hard time saying goodbye to her first love.

“Nobody is safe”: ‘1883’ star Eric Nelsen talks THAT episode

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“Nobody is safe”: ‘1883’ star Eric Nelsen talks THAT episode

(SPOILERS AHEAD) 1883 viewers didn’t see this one coming, as the road west came to an end for a fan-favorite on the latest episode of the popular Yellowstone prequel on Paramount+.

Cowboy-for-hire Ennis, played by Eric Nelsen, met an untimely death while protecting Isabel May’s Elsa Dutton and their band of pioneers from a gang of marauding prairie bandits. Oh, and the couple had just gotten engaged too.

“It still hurts for me to even think about it,” Nelsen tells ABC Audio. “I remember reading the script for the first time and just crying…I had no idea it was coming.”

The Ennis/Elsa coupling had become a lighter spot in a story set against the backdrop of the dangers of westward migration across the American Frontier. In a lot ways, Nelsen said something like that had to happen.

“It’s safe to say, nobody is safe,” he says. “Tragedy is throughout this entire series…these people went through this, and it gives you so much more respect and appreciation for what we have, from what these early settlers went through.”

And even though it looks like his time on 1883 has wrapped up, he called it “life changing” being able to work with show creator Taylor Sheridan and co-stars like Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Hollywood heavyweight Sam Elliott.

“The main thing I learned from Sam was overall kindness,” Nelsen says. “He’s got such a way with people. He’d be filming all day long and he’d finish his scenes, and there would be two more and after his. He’d sit and watch and support everybody else who was filming that day.”

New episodes of 1883 are available Sundays on Paramount+.

1883’s Eric Nelsen Confirms What We Suspected About Tim McGraw’s On-Set Behavior

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In a recent interview with Wide Open Country, Eric Nelsen discussed everything from how “Yellowstone” was his “pandemic binge show” to how it’s a “blessing” as well as a “responsibility” to be a part of a series like “1883,” which already has a major fan base. Additionally, after pointing out that Nelsen’s Ennis has “a great dynamic” with Tim McGraw’s James, Wide Open Country writer Bobbie Jean Sawyer asked Nelsen what it’s like to work with McGraw on the “1883” set. Nelsen responded by saying, “Tim is an awesome guy. He’s the big brother on set, you know, always messing around … He’s just a really, really fun guy to be around. He’s always making people laugh and smile.”

Nelsen also revealed that McGraw often references their characters’ relationship even when no scenes are being filmed. “He likes to riff even when the cameras aren’t rolling, which is kind of funny. He’s a lot more method than I was expecting him to be on certain days, which all lends itself to helping me stay in character,” Nelsen said.

The actor went on to admit that McGraw usually achieved exactly the result that he intended to on the “1883” set, saying, “There would be times where I would just catch him just staring at me when we weren’t even filming. He would just be on the other side of the room, just like really giving me a glare, trying to intimidate me. Of course, it worked every single time.” Thankfully, Nelsen also revealed that McGraw would “drop the act” at the end of each shooting day, which, hopefully, made the filming experience a bit more lighthearted for the “1883” star.

Of course, we can’t wait to see how Nelsen and McGraw’s on-screen relationship continues to evolve as more episodes of “1883” are released.