‘1883’: Sam Elliott Explains Why One of His ‘Favorite Scenes’ Is Heartfelt Shea-Elsa Moment

As one of the biggest stars on the cast of 1883, Sam Elliott brought his character Shea Brennan to life right on the screen. He was a complicated figure. One that was stricken with trauma. Recent and decades old. A former Civil War captain and a widower. His story is one of the most exciting and interesting in the series. And, it’s his moments one-on-one with others where he excels.

After the death of Ennis, played by Eric Nelsen, Elsa Dutton is distraught. And, really, that’s an understatement. Her cousin had been killed early on in the journey. Her aunt, Claire, couldn’t deal with the pain and took her own life. Then, Ennis, Elsa’s first love is killed. That’s when the young woman finds herself in a similar spot that her aunt was in.

That’s when Shea stepped in with this little piece of advice.

“I know how you feel, a lot of people are going to tell you that,” Shea tells Elsa. “Whether it’s the truth or not, I don’t know… But I know it’s true when I say it.” Of course, he’s talking about the death of his wife and daughter. While it is one of the first scenes of the series, it is something Shea keeps inside mostly. Except for this time, he didn’t.

Reflecting back on this particular 1883 episode, Sam Elliott says it is his favorite scene.

“That’s one of my favorite scenes,” the veteran actor says. “Shea tells her a story that he’s heard from an Apache scout which is a great tale. He’s trying to make Elsa come out of her gloom that she’s immersed herself in and at the same time he shows a glimpse of what it is that’s driving him to Oregon.”

‘1883’ Star Sam Elliott Really Enjoyed Working on the Show

Throughout the whole process and all the media, Sam Elliott has just loved working on 1883. He is the picture-perfect cowboy but had a lot of respect for his cast members. Offering advice and telling stories. He even said that working with his costars was “special.” Working with guys like LaMonica Garrett were the highlights.

“When you get an opportunity to take a relationship all the way through a project,” Elliott explained. “It just enriches it all the way along. Not only what’s on the page but all the company that comes with it. Working with LaMonica [Garrett] is…it’s special. It’s very special.”

All of those special relationships made for a special show. Fans are rewatching, watching for the first time, wishing there were more episodes… it has been a wild ride that’s for sure. Luckily, Taylor Sheridan is still pumping out plenty of content in the Western genre.