Outlander prequel series announces casting of major characters
Starz has officially cast four actors to play the younger versions of *drum roll*...Murtagh Fitzgibbons, Dougal and Colum MacKenzie, and Ned Gowan.
By Ariba Bhuvad
News surrounding the Outlander prequel Blood of My Blood continues to get more exciting with each new update. As of this week, the series has officially cast four actors in the roles of major, and we mean major characters.
You may be wondering how the characters could be so exciting when this is a prequel series. Well, these are the younger versions of characters we love, love to hate, and admire.
So who exactly are these major characters? And what actors have been cast? We've got all the fun details for you below!
Get ready to see the past versions of THESE Outlander characters
One of the most exciting things about Blood of My Blood is that it is taking us even further back in time than the story we know. Starz recently revealed that the story will revolve not just around Jamie's parents, Brian and Ellen, but also show us how Claire's parents fell in love. We'll still have a duel past/future timeline. Whether there will be any time traveling is yet to be discovered, but at least we know that we will be seeing stories take place in two different time periods. Who knows, maybe Jamie and Claire's love story is more intertwined than we could ever imagine!
The prequel series is set to be very exciting and explore a different side of the story we hold near and dear to our hearts. And that includes the casting of these four characters:
- Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser
- Dougal MacKenzie
- Colum MacKenzie
- Ned Gowan
Murtagh, previously played by Duncan LaCroix, will now be played by Rory Alexander. This character was a close confidant and best friend to Jamie Fraser until the very end, and it will be thrilling to see a younger version of him interact with a young Jamie and his parents, especially because Jamie is his godson. In fact, we know that Murtagh was in love with Jamie's mother, Ellen, so I wonder if that will be included in the series in some capacity.
Dougal, previously played by Graham McTavish, will now be played by Sam Retford. Dougal and Jamie's relationship as uncle and nephew is quite complicated in the flagship series, so we can only imagine what it will look like in its early days. As you may recall, Dougal is the War Chieftain of Clan MacKenzie, and his brother Colum is the Laird. There are a lot of politics at play between them.
Colum, previously played by Gary Lewis, will now be played by Seamus McLean Ross. As mentioned, Colum is the Laird of the MacKenzie clan and Jamie's maternal uncle (along with Dougal). In the original series, we learn via Claire that Dougal suffers from Toulouse-Lautrec Syndrome, which causes his legs to curve in and be severely deformed. In the books, the condition is blamed on Colum falling off of his horse, which tracks given that there would be no other medical knowledge available in the 17th century to suggest otherwise. It is unclear how or rather if this will be depicted in the prequel series. Tune in!
And last but not least, Ned Gowan, previously played by Bill Paterson, will now be played by Conor MacNeill. Ned was the lawyer and legal advisor to the MacKenzie clan, so essentially, the voice of reason and logic. He is also the guy that tries to help Claire through the witch trials when she is convicted of witchcraft, so Ned is definitely a big character and will have a role to play in Outlander: Blood of My Blood.
What else do we know about Outlander: Blood of My Blood?
The official description of Blood of My Blood reads: “The series will center on these two parallel love stories set in two different time periods, with Jamie’s parents in the early 18th century Scottish Highlands and Claire’s parents in WWI England.”
Yes please, sign us up for that!
At the moment, the series is currently filming in Scotland. There is no premiere date as of yet, but Starz will definitely let us know when they're ready.
Check back here for more updates on all things Outlander including the second part of Season 7 and the final season, as well as the prequel!
Next. Outlander spinoff casts Jamie's parents AND Claire's parents. Outlander spinoff casts Jamie's parents AND Claire's parentsOutlander spinoff casts Jamie's parents AND Claire's parentsOutlander spinoff casts Jamie's parents AND Claire's parentsOutlander spinoff casts Jamie's parents AND Claire's parentsOutlander spinoff casts Jamie's parents AND Claire's parentsOutlander spinoff casts Jamie's parents AND Claire's parents. dark
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels
h/t Variety