There are a handful of moments in Ti West’s wonderfully-received horror throwback film X that stick with me, but Jenna Ortega’s sudden, chaotic exit is easily one of the biggest. It’s the kind of scene that feels like it had to hurt to pull off, like someone really took a risk to sell it. But as it turns out, the magic of that moment comes down to timing and a classic Hollywood trick known as a “cowboy switch.”
Speaking on The Big Boy with Kid Cudi Podcast, Ortega breaks down how the scene actually comes together, revealing that what we’re seeing on screen, as her character sprints out the barn door and gets blasted down, is the result of a “cowboy switch,” also known as a “Texas switch,” a practical filmmaking technique that’s been around for decades. She explains:
We actually did a, what’s it called… cowboy switch. I don’t know if you know what that is, but it’s basically, they had the camera going, they had me and Mia in our places, and then they had a stunt double behind the camera. When I run out of frame, I leave the frame. Mia stays, they stay with Mia, I would run out of frame, duck, and they would follow Mia, and my stunt double was already running to go out. Because it’s a pretty high jump. I can jump, but she caught air…
It’s one of those filmmaking techniques that works best when you don’t notice it, like a sleight of hand trick. The camera keeps rolling, the movement never stops, and before you realize what’s happening, the switch has already been made.
Article continues belowEven more impressive? Kid Cudi, who also appears in X, didn't clock it at the time. He explains he wasn't always on set for those moments and assumes Ortega was doing the full stunt herself, which says a lot about how seamless the final shot looks. The Scream alum adds:
I’m glad that it looks that way, but, no. I loved doing it because I love practical effects and you know, cowboy switch is classic Hollywood. Very typical of Westerns and things.
Those old-school practical effects are a big part of what makes the horror stick and is probably why X is still considered one of A24’s best horror movies. Fittingly, the “cowboy switch” gets its name from exactly where you’d expect.
What Is a Cowboy Switch, Anyway?
If the term sounds like something pulled straight out of the set of the best movie westerns, that’s because it basically is. The “cowboy switch,” or “Texas switch,” comes from classic Hollywood Westerns, where stunt performers swap places with actors mid-shot during horse chases, falls, or fights.
The key is keeping the camera moving. As long as the framing and motion stay consistent, the audience doesn’t notice the handoff. One second it’s the actor, the next it’s the stunt double, and the illusion holds because your eye never has time to catch the change. It’s simple, but pulling it off cleanly takes serious coordination.
Why It Works So Well in X
Ti West’s X leans heavily on practical effects and in-camera tricks, making it a movie throwback, which is part of what gives it its gritty, grounded feel. There’s a texture to it that you don’t always get when everything is smoothed out digitally. Using something like a cowboy switch fits right into that approach.
It keeps the action feeling real. There’s weight to it, timing to it, and just enough unpredictability that your brain buys what it’s seeing. Even once you know how the trick works, it doesn’t take away from the impact. If anything, it makes you appreciate it more.
These days, a lot of new horror movie moments get polished up in post-production, so it’s refreshing to see a film that goes back to basics and totally nails it. Even if Ortega doesn’t actually take that fall herself, it really feels like she does, and that’s what counts.
Ortega isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Her 2026 movie slate includes The Great Beyond, Klara and the Sun, and The Gallerist.
