Julia Fox Reveals Alternate Ending for Him — Sandstorm Chaos Nearly Ruined the Bloody Finale and What’s Next for Elsie
Him ends with a bloody finale, and Julia Fox — who plays Elsie — has explained that the film’s final scene was shot more than once, that the shoot was disrupted by a sandstorm, and that she has ideas about where Elsie might go next. The film was directed by Justin Tipping and stars Marlon Wayans as Isaiah White and Tyriq Withers as Cameron Cade.
What happens in the ending
In the final sequence, Cam (Tyriq Withers) fights Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans). Cam wins, kills Isaiah, and then walks into a stadium where a ritualized signing is expected. Instead of accepting the contract and becoming the organization’s new star, Cam fights back and kills several cult members. Elsie (Julia Fox) attempts to stop him and is stabbed. The scene is graphic and serves as the film’s climactic resolution.
Alternate ending details
Fox confirmed that the filmmakers shot more than one version of the finale to see which reaction worked better on screen. She described the two main variants and the difference in her character’s response.
Fox said: “The ending actually changed on us a few times. We shot the ending one way, and then we shot an alternate. They were just going to see which one worked more. So that was always in limbo, and we knew that throughout filming. In the other ending, Isaiah still dies — Cam still comes out as the winner. But our reactions were different. In the first ending, my reaction was heartbreak: I’d just lost my husband. And then in the second ending it was more, I don’t really care that much, actually. I’m more interested in upholding this system that we’re all existing in. That was the main difference.”
Filming difficulties and the sandstorm
The production used a stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to build Isaiah and Elsie’s home and other interiors. Fox said the house sets were built in the stadium wings, which gave the interiors a brutalist feel.
Regarding the shoot, Fox explained problems during the final day. She said they had only one custom dress — made by a Paris designer — and had “one shot to get that whole scene.” She described the physical demands and the intensity of the makeup and prosthetics: “In my last shot — we only had one of those dresses that I had on,” she told Polygon. “It was a custom dress made by a designer in Paris. We really only had one shot to get that whole scene. So obviously the pressure was really on. I’d never done anything like that before. I had worn prosthetics, but not like this one. It was just really, really intense.”
Weather also forced a pause. Fox said: “Being at the mercy of the elements — New Mexico can be very, very hot, and at the same time, bone-chillingly cold,” Fox said. “While we were trying to shoot the ending, there was this crazy sandstorm. All of a sudden, the sky just turned red, and you couldn’t even see your hand in front of you. We had to just abort the whole thing.
“There were tumbleweeds flying through the air like grenades. and driving home was just terrifying. You could not see anything — like a full 360, it was all just red from the dirt being kicked up. It felt like being on Mars. And filming out on that field, it was like 110 degrees. But it was worth it. It looked great.”
Where Elsie might go next
Fox offered two possibilities for Elsie after the film’s events. First, an alternate outcome in which Cam accepts the contract and Elsie tries to form a private alliance with him. She said: “I think she would’ve absolutely made a deal with Cam: ‘We’ll uphold this façade together. We both now have this secret, and I’ll help you keep up the illusion. I will make our lives seem aspirational, and you can go and do whatever you want, as long as it never leaks anywhere. We’ll just make this look like a happy home.’ I think she would try to make that deal.”
Second, Fox outlined a broader role for Elsie within the organization. She suggested Elsie could remain a powerful enforcer or handler because the group values what she does. As Fox put it: “She’s working for this organization where in a lot of ways, they look to her to be the handler, to make sure everyone’s where they’re supposed to be. And she’s really moving the chess pieces across the board. So I think that even if she didn’t want to make that deal with Cam, I think they would push her to, because they just like that she works hard for them and upholds their rule.”
Him is in theaters now.
