“We Will Not Watch Her Die”: The Former Child Star Who Played The Little Girl In “Titanic” Just Explained Why Her Tragic Drowning Scene Was Cut

If you are in any way familiar with the 1997 movie Titanic, then you probably remember Alex Owens-Sarno in her first ever role: third-class passenger Cora, who Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jack Dawson famously reassures is still his “best girl” as he falls in love with Kate Winslet’s Rose DeWitt Bukater. Alex was just eight years old when the movie was shot, and she landed the role after attending an open casting call for extras at age seven.

In recent years, Alex has briefly touched on her experience filming the Hollywood blockbuster, and in 2017, she told BuzzFeed: “My mom has an amazing picture of me, Leo, Kate, and my little sister Rachel hanging out when they were resetting for the dancing scene. It’s one of my favorites and is a reminder of just how lucky I am to have worked with two of the best actors out there.”

“Leonardo DiCaprio was an absolute doll,” she went on to tell us at the time. “He was so fun and charming. He loved to put a smile on everyone’s face. [I’d often] be on his lap with a PB&J in between takes.”

Alex also revealed that there is a deleted scene from the movie where Jack sketches Cora, and she was gifted the final sketch of herself signed by Leo. She added: “Unfortunately, it got stolen out of someone’s trailer. That would have been the most amazing keepsake!”

And in a recent appearance on the After We Wrap podcast, Alex opened up some more about working with Leo, as well as another deleted scene that depicted her beloved character’s tragic death. But before we get to that, let’s focus on a slightly more joyful moment, like the scene where Jack dances with Cora during an Irish party in the third-class cabins.

But it was her axed death scene that really gave Alex a taste of the acting world. She explained: “For me, the thing that really lit me up about the Titanic experience, in the realm of acting, was actually my drowning scene.”

And while the deleted scene didn’t end up making the final cut, it was later released as part of the movie’s bonus features and is available to watch on YouTube. In the distressing 23-second clip, water is shown flooding the lower cabins as Cora and her parents desperately try to escape. With the stairwells closed off by a metal gate, they scream for help as the water rises, and Cora tries to keep her head above it.

You can watch the full scene, and a clip from Alex’s new interview, below:

Needless to say, I’m low-key grateful to have had one less tear-jerking moment in the final version of Titanic, but what do you think? Let me know in the comments!