Outlander’s Duncan Lacroix (Murtagh) recalls “weird,” emotional final day on set

Outlander star Duncan Lacroix looks back on Murtagh’s heartbreaking death scene, as well as working with Sam Heughan (Jamie Fraser).

Outlander broke our hearts several times over during its fifth season. But perhaps one of the biggest gut punches was losing Murtagh (Duncan Lacroix), Jamie’s beloved godfather. In Diana Gabaldon’s novel series, Murtagh dies during the Battle of Culloden, in Dragonfly in Amber. He lasted longer on the Starz show, but it didn’t make losing him hurt any less.

Speaking with Cinemablend, Lacroix reflected on Murtagh’s death scene, and his final day on set. “We had little weird things happening like the fake blood on my chest kind of attracted a swarm of wasps at one point… which was a bit of a challenge. But yeah, it was an emotional day and a kind of fitting end, I think.”

I think many Outlander fans will agree that the hardest part of that episode was watching Jamie come to grips with the reality of Murtagh’s death. Even though Murtagh was gone, Jamie took his body to Claire (Caitriona Balfe) in the hopes that she could work her magic and save him. Lacroix recalled how strange it was to be a part of that scene, yet not participate at all.

"I could feel myself getting emotionally drawn in. It’s such an emotional scene. I was getting upset myself…. But it’s just a question of the technicalities. Just holding your breath and staying still as possible, kind of overrides anything that’s going on. But again, just phenomenal work on both their parts in that scene. You know, it’s strange when you are are kind of a pivotal member of that scene but you’re not actually participating at the same time. It’s kind of a weird experience."

Jamie and Murtagh definitely went on an emotional roller coaster in season 5, starting in the premiere when Jamie told his godfather to run up to the moment he held Murtagh’s body in his hands. It was a painful, memorable way for him to go.

Speaking of painful, Brianna Fraser (Sophie Skelton) went through her own deal of turmoil in season 5, especially with Roger’s (Richard Rankin) near-death experience that all but took away his ability to speak. Frustrated and upset with the situation, Brianna turns to her father for advice in a deleted scene, recently put on YouTube by Sony Pictures Television:

I’m really sad that they cut this scene out because it shows Jamie’s love for his daughter, and how closely he listens when Claire talks about things beyond his understanding.

"When two people love each other enough, nothing can tear them apart. No pain, war, death, nor time. I told your mother once, ‘Nothing is ever lost, only changed.’ She told me it was the, uh, first law of thermodynamics. I said it was faith."

This deleted scene (along with other behind-the-scenes goodies) are all available in the Outlander season 5 collector’s edition Blu-ray and DVD set.

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h/t Glamour