The “Outlander” prequel series at Starz has cast four actors as younger versions of key characters from the original show.
“Outlander: Blood of My Blood” has added Rory Alexander (“Inland,” “Pistol”), Sam Retford (“Hoard,” “Ackley Bridge”), Séamus McLean Ross (“Rebus,” “Payback”), and Conor MacNeill (“The Tourist,” “Industry”) to its cast.
Alexander will play a young Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser, originally played by Duncan LaCroix. Retford will play Dougal MacKenzie, who was first played by Graham McTavish. McLean Ross will star as Colum MacKenzie, originally played by Gary Lewis. And MacNeill will play Ned Gowan, who was first played by Bill Paterson.
“We are thrilled to expand our season one cast with some well-known characters from the ‘Outlander’ universe. We’re so excited to welcome Rory, Sam, Séamus and Conor to the MacKenzie and Fraser clans and to explore the young journeys of these fan-favorite characters,” said Matthew B. Roberts, showrunner and executive producer on “Outlander: Blood of My Blood.”
The quartet are the latest additions to the series’ cast. They join previously announced leads Harriet Slater, Jamie Roy, Hermione Corfield, and Jeremy Irvine as well as Tony Curran.
“Outlander: Blood of My Blood” will focus on Jamie’s parents, Ellen MacKenzie (Slater) and Brian Fraser (Roy) and Claire’s parents, Julia Moriston (Corfield) and Henry Beauchamp (Irvine). The official description states, “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.”
The 10-episode first season is currently in production in Scotland. “Blood of My Blood” was formally greenlit at Starz back in January 2023, while Variety exclusively reported the show was in the works in February 2022. At the time of the greenlight, it was announced that “Outlander” would conclude with its eighth season. Production is set to begin soon on the final 10 episodes of the mothership series, while the final eight episodes of Season 7 will air later this year.
Roberts executive produces “Blood of My Blood” along with Ronald D. Moore and Maril Davis, who developed “Outlander” for television, under their Tall Ship Productions banner. Story Mining & Supply Company will also executive produce, and “Outlander” author Diana Gabaldon serving as a consulting producer. Sony Pictures Television is the studio.
(Pictured, from left to right: Rory Alexander, Sam Retford, Seamus McLean Ross; Conor MacNeill)