Outlander actors Sophie Skelton and Richard Rankin have been appearing with series stars Caitriona Balfe as Claire and Sam Heughan as Jamie for numerous seasons and a total of seven years in real life.
The duo, who play Jamie and Claire’s daughter Brianna and her husband Roger, have travelled back in time 200 years, beginning in 1971, and have survived various perils along the way, including Bree’s attack by despicable pirate Stephen Bonnet in season four and Roger’s miraculous survival after being hanged at the Battle of Alamance in season five.
They’ve worked hard to live in peace on Fraser’s Ridge, North Carolina, in an eighteenth-century America preparing for the brutal atrocities of the Revolutionary War.
Outlander made a triumphant comeback on Friday with the first half of season seven’s final 16 episodes.
As loose ends from season six were being resolved, including Claire’s last-minute escape from the noose after being accused of the murder of Malva Christie and her baby owing to Tom Christie’s dramatic confession, Roger bumped across fellow time traveller Wendigo Donner again.
Bree, who is expecting her second child with her husband, was understandably apprehensive about Roger assisting Wendigo, given that the activist was there during her mother’s horrible kidnapping and sexual abuse at the hands of a gang in season five.
That appears to be just the tip of the iceberg of the trials for Roger and Brianna this time around however, with Sophie, 29, admitting: ‘Honestly, these characters have been put through the wringer. I feel bad for them. And yes, season seven is no different!
‘They are going through some horrifying things. It makes for good watching, but poor Roger and Bree!’
Discussing what little they can in detail ahead of season seven, Richard, 40, added: ‘Our newest arrival is kind of a catalyst for our journey through season seven and what happens to us directly or indirectly, but we go on a journey which you can expect will involve a great change of scenery.’
Season seven is based on the seventh novel in author Diana Gabaldon’s historical fantasy series, An Echo in the Bone, and Richard teases that “a hell of a lot” happens.
‘I feel like in my head there’s several versions of Roger and Brie that progress throughout season seven and so much happens to them and so much change that I think they go through a journey of kind of discovery in themselves and in their relationship, but we also see them in a place which is much more grounded,’ he explained.
The actor also stated that he believes this is the finest season yet for Roger and Bree and their relationship.
‘It’s been my favourite time for Roger and Bree, right off the bat in season seven. There’s been some ups and downs with them, but they do feel pretty solid and very supportive of each other in season seven, which I really like.
‘I think it’s been a long time coming that we can [finally] sit and enjoy their relationship properly – I think fans are going to love that!’
Sophie, on the other hand, was ready to urge the audience not to get too comfortable…
‘Saying that though, I think that’s one of the ironic, sad things about the season – Roger and Bree as a couple are at the strongest place that we’ve seen them and it’s so beautiful to see they’re such a cool team now. But as is with Outlander, usually loved ones are torn apart for reasons not really in their control,’ she shared.
‘Even when we give you these lovely cushty moments where you just feel mushy and happy, there’s this little niggle in your tummy, that’s like, we know that they’re just going to really mess with our emotions shortly…’
Having given over several years of their life to portray Roger and Bree at this time already, the two performers confess there are parts of their roles – and certainly ‘Brianna-sims’ – that ‘slide into their lives’.
Sophie straight away points to Brianna’s sense of humour ‘and her dad jokes’.
‘I think there’s been a clip that’s been circulating [from season 7 episode 1], where she says to Roger, you know, “What would I even say to a minister, break a leg doesn’t feel right?” And then what does she say, “God luck?”
‘But that was why I was drawn to Brianna from the beginning because in the books she actually has a lot more banter with Claire, and she’s so witty even from the from day dot. In the show what was great is that we didn’t start out that way because we wanted to give a whole journey to that and show that mother daughter relationship not always being so picture perfect. But that’s why I kind of liked her from the beginning because her humour is as dad jokey as mine!’
Richard also admits to small accent variances, owing to the fact that he is Glaswegian and Roger is from Inverness.
‘His accent still slips through – actually, Roger’s gotten progressively more Glaswegian as the seasons have gone on, but I blame that on external factors, story factors, not just my laziness,’ he joked.
‘But he’s from Inverness so that accent I think, I’ve started to find that I was speaking in a lot of ‘Invernetian’ vowel sounds and my Rs are starting to become much less rhotic. But you take little parts of your characters everywhere with you, I think.’
Outlander season seven continues with episode 2 available on Friday June 23 on Lionsgate Plus.
