The HBO Max (now Max) true-crime limited series Love & Death brought the infamous and bizarre story of Texas housewife Candy Montgomery to the screen, anchored by a critically acclaimed, nuanced performance from actress Elizabeth Olsen. One of the most talked-about and darkly humorous moments in the series was an ill-fated roller coaster ride in Episode 2, “Encounters,” a scene made instantly iconic by Olsen’s genuine, physical reaction that perfectly merged the character’s turmoil with the actress’s personal fear.
The Blurring of Fear and Performance
The scene, which features Candy Montgomery and her lover, Allan Gore (Jesse Plemons), at an amusement park, was designed by the creative team to capture the emotional chaos and desperate need for thrill beneath Candy’s placid suburban façade. For Olsen, however, the challenge was entirely real.
The actress has been public about her struggles with panic attacks and intense anxiety in her twenties. Facing the large, fast roller coaster triggered a genuine rush of fear, blurring the line between Candy Montgomery’s growing internal volatility and Olsen’s personal discomfort.
Veteran director Lesli Linka Glatter, known for her work on Homeland and Mad Men and her focus on capturing raw, authentic emotion, made a crucial, high-stakes decision on set. Recognizing Olsen’s mounting anxiety, Glatter knew a second attempt would be impossible and a forced reshoot would yield a less authentic reaction. She captured the entire sequence in just one take, a gamble that paid off with startling realism.
Glatter later confirmed that the raw footage, featuring Olsen’s true fear and panic, was preserved and used in the final cut. Olsen’s declaration after the ride—“I’ll never get back on that”—cemented the crew’s decision, turning the single take into one of the series’ most memorable moments, combining real anxiety with an uncomfortable, nervous humor.
Context of the True Crime
This moment of physical and emotional authenticity is emblematic of the meticulous detail used to ground the unbelievable true story. The series is based on the 1980 murder of Betty Gore by her friend Candy Montgomery, who famously struck Gore 41 times with a wood-splitting axe in Wylie, Texas, following a confrontation about the affair Candy had with Betty’s husband, Allan.
Love & Death used the roller coaster scene as a subtle metaphor for Candy’s inability to control the emotional “ride” she was on—an emotional state that would culminate in the shocking act of violence that led to the murder of Betty Gore.
The series was a significant success for Max, with critics widely praising Olsen’s portrayal of the complicated suburban killer, a major acting accomplishment for her outside of her blockbuster Marvel Cinematic Universe role as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch. The decision by Glatter to prioritize that raw human emotion over a perfect, scripted performance created an iconic television moment that defined the uncomfortable psychological tension of the entire show.