‘Maxton Hall’ Star Damian Hardung Reflects on James’ Journey to Redemption After Hitting “Rock Bottom” and Show’s Global Success

[This story contains spoilers for season two of Prime Video’s Maxton Hall.]

When Damian Hardung got the script for season two of Prime Video’s Maxton Hall, he immediately thought, “This is going to be a horrible summer.” And it’s not surprising to have that thought when learning what was in store for Hardung’s character, James Beaufort, this season and the rollercoaster of emotions both the character and Hardung had to experience when portraying it all.

After learning his mother died during the season one finale, season two kicks off with Hardung’s James hitting complete rock bottom with alcohol, drugs, partying and ignoring his friends, sister and, most notably, Ruby Bell (Harriet Herbig-Matten). 

Season one followed star student Bell and wealthy heir Beaufort falling for each other despite their differences. At the end of the season, the two finally act on their feelings and decide to be together. But their cloud nine moment vanishes after Ruby sees James kissing fellow wealthy student Elaine and unaware of what was truly going on. James then spends the rest of the season trying to find himself and face his demons while also determined to win Ruby back.

Whether his rock-bottom acts are forgivable and redeemable is a “very divisive question” among fans, says Hardung.

“First and foremost, it is definitely cheating. No question about that. But then stepping forward, as an actor portraying James, I will have to justify it,” Hardung tells The Hollywood Reporter. “We don’t go through life doing stuff that we know are wrong. We’re going to justify it in some way. I think he numbed down to such an extent. There’s this beautiful quote in Call Me By Your Name, where it’s like ‘But to feel nothing so as not to feel anything — what a waste.’ That’s the road that he went down. He chose to feel nothing so not to feel anything.”

Hardung says at the start of the season, James is going through a “numbing process” and dealing with the realization that his final encounter with his mother was “unloving.” After Ruby refuses to forgive James (“Good for her,” Hardung says), James eventually goes to therapy for the first time. He later makes an emotional speech at a gala where he opens up about his conflicted feelings and is publicly honest about the person he has always tried to hide amid the Beaufort facade. The moment marks a turning point for James as a man but also allows Ruby to see him truly try to change things for the better.

“It’s so important to destruct this narrative of women having to fix men, because that’s not how it should be. Like men need to also deliver their own emotional intelligence [and] bring that to the relationship,” Hardung says. “I think showcasing men evolving in their emotional intelligence and actually talking about their emotions is such an important task.”

In a conversation with THR ahead of the season two finale, Hardung talked about the second season of the Prime series, James’ character evolution, Ruby and James’ stronger relationship and the show’s global success.

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At the start of season two, we see James in a dark place, which I imagine may or may not be challenging to play. Can you talk about your approach going into this season and the mindset into playing this dark period with James after first processing losing his mom?

I just read these scripts, and I was like, “This is going to be horrible summer.” So much to deal with. But then at the same time, showing him rock bottom then gives you the capacity to really let him grow. And I think that’s also such a beautiful message. I was willing to go to these dark places because you need to see that in order to understand his actions, why he behaved the way he did at the party with Elaine and to win back the audience’s sympathy for that character. I was anxious to in a way hurt my own character, because you never want to betray them. You’re always very protective of your character. I want the best for James, but then doing all this stuff where that self destructive [behavior happens], you had to do it in a way that was him losing connection with his emotions, because otherwise it would be far worse.

There can be an argument as to what qualifies as forgivable. After James’ actions and breaking Ruby’s heart in that moment, as the person playing him did you personally see it as redeemable and forgivable?

That’s a very divisive question among the fans these days. I would love to do almost a cultural analysis. If there’s like cultural differences among who’s able to justify his action, who isn’t. First and foremost, it is definitely cheating. No question about that. But then stepping forward, as an actor portraying James, I will have to justify it. I will have to think I’m still a good guy. It’s like there’s this cognitive dissonance theory, and we all as humans want to reach cognitive consonants. We don’t want our actions to betray our own emotions or thoughts that we have about ourselves. So in a way, for him or for me, trying to get into his head, it was about rationalizing and coming up with this really crude and weird idea that by cheating, I’m pushing her away to save her because I don’t have any connections to my emotions anymore, and I’m going to hurt her anyways. I don’t want to drag her down with me. So I’m, in a way, protecting her by pushing her away, which is horrible, because I’m taking away her decision. It should be her decision, after all. But he then has to learn, because he just hasn’t been brought up in a way to understand that.

So do you typically find yourself being more understanding of James’ actions, or do you feel like because you play him, you’re maybe even more critical of him and his decisions than people may think?

You have to be understanding of his actions. If I criticize my own character, I’m creating space between me and my character, then I won’t do justice to that character [and then] I’ve failed my job. Because we don’t go through life doing stuff that we know are wrong, we’re going to justify it in some way. I think he numbed down to such an extent. There’s this beautiful quote in Call Me By Your Name, where it’s like “But to feel nothing so as not to feel anything — what a waste.” That’s the road that he went down. He chose to feel nothing so not to feel anything.

This all happens after James learns he has lost his mother. At the end of season one, in their last interaction, we see James’ mother kind of push him towards abiding by the loyalty to his name and his Beaufort role despite his feelings for Ruby and yearn to be free to explore who he is away from that Beaufort shadow. We obviously see his relationship with Mortimer and how that is, but how did you interpret what his feelings were toward his mother and how that impacted how he responded with her death?

That’s a really great question. Actually, first time I got this question today (Laughs.) He’s going to be so self loathing in a way, or he’s going to hate himself for having the last encounter with his mother be that really unloving encounter that he had. He feels he’s almost unthankful to his own mother, although he’s received unconditional love in a way by her. But he feels betrayed by her in a way. And so I think it’s really important and beautiful that we have this fairy-tale scene in between life and death somewhere in between there and in episode two, where some of his inner monologue is being spoken out as dialogue, because his mom was such a pillar in his life that he then tries to shift towards Mortimer. And Mortimer does that in various scenes. Like in episode one when he’s like, “We’re family now. We’re going to take care of each other.” Or in episode five, when he breaks down. You kind of have that glimmer of hope that he could be the substitution for the mother that James needs, which he probably doesn’t.

Do you almost feel like apart from grieving his mother, James was also grieving the possibility of freedom?

It’s almost like this idea in psychology: the power of the situation. We become part of the situation like this great Stanford Prison Experiment. And so when his mother died, also the free version that he could be while being around his mother died, I think that is hurtful as well yeah.

In season two, we see James determined to win Ruby back, but it’s worth noting that though she wants to, she doesn’t give in and forgive him.

Good for her!

Yes she doesn’t want to be the one to necessarily save or “fix” him like James could originally think so he later begins therapy. Can you talk about James’ epiphany moment of seeking help and your thoughts on him doing therapy?

I think it’s such an important message to go out there, because I think with the whole movement of #MeToo but also afterwards just female empowerment, it’s so important to destruct this narrative of women having to fix men, because that’s not how it should be. Like men need to also deliver their own emotional intelligence [and] bring that to the relationship. We don’t want to have another kid in the husband that you have, right? So I think showcasing men evolving in their emotional intelligence and actually talking about their emotions is such an important task. I, having grown up, couldn’t distinguish between the emotion and myself. I think learning to really pinpoint down that space in between that’s a true learning for him.

Then as he’s coming to grips with his feelings and really admitting it to himself, James also admits it publicly with a speech during the gala. Can you talk about that speech specifically, and how that marks such a pivotal moment for him?

Yeah I love that speech because it’s really showing how much he’s willing to risk because he’s going public and so specific about her [Ruby] without saying the name, but everyone knowing that he’s talking about her. I love that line, “Everyone deserves a life where we’re free to love who we want … to live and to love.” It’s also speaking about how we sometimes don’t allow ourselves. He has the capacity. It’s a lot about the choices that he thinks he’s made. There’s this beautiful metaphor from Jorge [Amado], a Brazilian author, this idea of the small elephant who’s tied to like a little stick. And when he was little, he couldn’t escape, and then he grew up, and he stopped trying to escape. He never realized he’s a grown-up elephant who could just easily rip out that stick from the ground. But he stopped trying, and I think that’s that’s part of his realization as well.

There’s a moment where we see Mortimore have his own vulnerable moment privately for James and Lydia to see. Yet he is obviously so against James’ public speech. Do you ever see a time when Mortimer stops being so committed to the Beaufort facade? Or what did you make of that moment?

Well, you know, sometimes you got to hit rock bottom. So maybe if Beaufort burns down or if Mortimer ends up in therapy. Or in season 25 maybe? Like 20 seasons to evolve or something. Never ever give up hope!

Amid the low moments, there are so many lighthearted fun moments one being the awkward car ride James and Ruby have with pointed songs playing on the radio. I read that that scene was improvised by you and Harriet. Can you talk about filming that scene?

I just remember that we were in that scene, and [director] Martin [Schreier] just had a speaker on, and he would just continue to play one love song after another, and we just weren’t allowed to laugh. It was horrible! It was painful, because these songs are so on the edge, and he would just come up with new ones like every 30 seconds, and it was so hard not to crack up. So that was definitely a fun moment to shoot.

Also, what I loved is episode four, when the waiter comes, they’re having their date, they’re really into it. It’s like a running joke this season: They always have the build up, and they never get to do it. And so they’re having the build up again and then the waiter comes. [When] I was shooting, I was like, “What is the waiter doing?” Like James is buying the whole freaking restaurant. Just give him some space. What is your problem?

During their date, Ruby seems to surprise James by requesting a burger versus the fancy menu items. I was curious given James fell in love with Ruby and knew who she was as a person, did he think that was a date that Ruby would want or do you think he’s also still learning how to not just just do the Beaufort way of things whether it be the rather fancy dinners and things like that?

I think he’s still evolving. When they arrived he was like, “Is it too cliche?” So he was a bit self-aware. But it’s also episode four, he went to therapy the first time in episode three. You got to do some work in between, talking about timeline. I could also imagine that it’s just like something you didn’t think about. He was just like, “Well this is great place” [but] didn’t think about the menu. I like much better the moment when she uses her finger and she licks on them…

Oh there was great tension!

We couldn’t keep a straight face when we did that! Also, I think the way they edited it now, when after her finger, it goes on my close up, and my face just looks like I’m having a stroke. I saw this really funny edit online as well, where someone was putting this arrow sound of Microsoft, like no neurons firing anymore. There’s like no connection in the brain!

Another nice moment for Ruby and James is when James joins Ruby’s family for a dinner, which was a nice contrast to see when compared to how season one ended with him just watching them eat together through the window. Can you talk about that moment for James and how it could show him a life he could have outside of the Beaufort shadow?

I mean probably a crazy experience for him. For the first time [to] just experience true warmth and love in a family table, light heartedness. So I think it’s a really healing, wholesome experience for him to have and to see the potential of a life that he could have maybe in the future with Ruby. I think it’s like forging the bond even stronger between them.

After reuniting, Ruby and James first agree to keep their relationship a secret

For two minutes (Laughs.)

Yes! I was just going to say they reveal it during the hangout that Elaine invited them all to, but what did you make of Ruby and James short-lived secret? Did you agree with them being public so quickly? Do you think they would’ve been able to keep it secret for longer? 

Well, I think what’s more important for me to focus on is that it was a shared decision, because we talked a lot about that, Harriet and I, on set when we there. Originally it was written only as James again, crossing a line, and just saying, like, “Yeah, we are.” And I think both of us felt that it’s just so important that they do that on equal terms, and they both decide they don’t want go public with their relationship. So I think just having that little moment of looking into each other’s eyes and her then nodding and being like, “Yeah, you can go.” I think it was really beautiful, because it’s another moment they grow together. It’s like talking again about forging the bond. All these little experiences where they together make decisions that make them who they want to be as a couple.

So in the first season, James had explained to Ruby his fears of what his father could do and how he couldn’t protect her or prevent things from happening.

And he was right!

He was! This season, it actually happens. Mortimer is going after Ruby completely with her family, the relationship, her education, and James makes a point to Ruby that he wants to still stick together through it. He even noted that how the old James and new James would respond is different. Do you think that James still has that fear that his father is going to push Ruby away from him? Or do you believe that he believes that he they can withstand it all?

I think at that point, in the end, he thinks they can withstand it all, but he isn’t quite sure, or he doesn’t want Ruby to have the sacrifices. I love these conversations that Ruby has with her mother, where she’s like, “A long as you love each other, that’s the most important thing. They can take away our job, but they can’t take away our dreams.” I love that part. I think that’s something that he never learned, because it was always very outbound, materially consistent. So I think it’s something maybe he can also learn from her growing further that some sacrifices are maybe worth to be made, and others are worth fighting for. And I love the scene where he goes then to Miss Campbell, and tells her “You can learn a lot from Ruby. She’s the most fearless person I know.” It was beautiful.

We see Ruby actually meet Mortimer, and he gets to know her a little bit. What did you make of that moment?

James fucks it up because he still can see that she has the scholarship, which leads him to cancel the scholarship. So that was like, again, shit, he’s so stupid.

What do you think that it would take, if anything, for Mortimer to truly accept that relationship?

Well, if Ruby could become millionaire. It’s just about the money. Yeah, horrible person.

When thinking of James at the start of season two to the end, what did you make of his character evolution? What are you the most proud of with James, and what are you still hoping for him going into season three?

I’m completely proud of of the changes he made and the character development. I think he grows so much throughout the entire season, and that’s something that was so rewarding to play as well, even though sometimes I missed playing the arrogant James Beaufort, because I know people loved it and it was fun playing it. Sometimes I’m like, “I wish I could do just a little bit more of that.” That is a defense shield, not trying not to let anything actually come through to you. It’s a very arrogant way to go through life.

Maxton Hall has become such a success globally. So much so that the books have now been published in English for the first time. I know we still have one more season of Maxton Hall so it’s not necessarily goodbye just yet, but when reflecting on the show and your character, what do you think it is about the show that has resonated so strongly with audiences worldwide, and what makes it stand out in today’s TV landscape? 

I think we as a cast and as a whole team took the material completely seriously. Even though, some aspects are probably over characterized or like just taken to an extreme and over dramatized, we never judged it. We always believed them wholeheartedly and gave it 100 percent and always took love as the centerpiece of this whole universe. I think that longing for love is one of the most universal human needs that are out there … to experience unconditional love. And I think having a space for that within the lens of a coming-of-age genre as well, it’s something beautiful, because it’s fearless. When we grow up [and experiencing] first love, we don’t know the heartache yet, and so we’re going in 100 percent. I think that unforgivable dedication, in the search of love is something we can all yearn for in a way.

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Maxton Hall season one and two are now streaming on Prime Video. Read THR’s interview with Maxton Hall author Mona Kasten and more show coverage here.