‘Outlander’ Star Graham McTavish Welcomes ‘Blood of My Blood’ Stars Into the Hit Show’s Universe: ‘You Won’t Be Disappointed’
It would not be outlandish to say that Starz has complete faith in “Outlander.” Not only is the tentpole series gearing up for its heavily anticipated final episodes next year, but the fantasy period drama is even getting a prequel to hold audiences over until then.
“Outlander: Blood of My Blood” premiered Monday night at the Directors’ Guild of America theater complex in Hollywood, complete with a bagpipe-filled red carpet and an immersive, interactive fan experience. Plus, original series stars Graham McTavish and Sam Heughan were in attendance to help welcome the new cast into the family.
“When we started doing this, we had no conception at all. You live in a bit of a bubble when you’re making it, you’re not aware of what’s going on or what to expect. When we started, we just bonded together, hoped for the best and now 11 years later, here we are,” McTavish said of the spinoff, in which Sam Retford takes over as his character Dougal MacKenzie. “I advised Sam, what I wanted him to do was explore the soft and sensitive side of Dougal, which was not covered in the original. But he’s his own man, and he’s a lovely one at that.”
Meanwhile, showrunner Matthew B. Roberts explained the draw of making a prequel – especially one that has already been renewed for a second season ahead of its series premiere.
“This opens up the universe, it opens up our ability to tell stories. Every story always had to come back to Jamie and Claire in ‘Outlander.’ With this, it doesn’t necessarily have to do that,” he shared. “There’s so many characters in ‘Blood of My Blood,’ that we can follow them and see where they go — they don’t have to always be attached to Ellen, Brian, Julia or Henry.”
And while Season 8 of “Outlander” is set to be its last … you never really know what the future may hold, as the EP teased: “We’ve had people die on the show multiple times that keep coming back and coming back, so never say never. You don’t know. There’s another book coming out.”
Naturally, author Diana Gabaldon was also in attendance, as were new Outlander Universe additions Harriet Slater, Jamie Roy, Tony Curran, Conor MacNeill, Rory Alexander, Séamus McLean Ross, Hermione Corfield and Retford (Jeremy Irvine was not present).
(L-R) Ronald D. Moore, Maril Davis, Diana Gabaldon, Graham McTavish, Tony Curran, Rory Alexander, Hermione Corfield, Jamie Roy, Harriet Slater, Seamus McLean Ross, Sam Retford, Conor MacNeill, Matthew B. Roberts and Sam Heughan attend the “Outlander: Blood of my Blood” series premiere at the DGA Theater on July 28, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Starz)
“We wouldn’t have Jamie without Brian and Ellen. So coming into something like this show that has an established fandom — not just a fandom, but passionate fans. I mean, you’ve seen them, they know how to party. It’s been great, the support has been amazing. I just feel so lucky and privileged,” Roy gushed. “It’s very rewarding. I’m a big fantasy fan, so getting to pretend that you’re living in the 18th Century is pretty incredible. And they do a good job of it — the costumes, the sets, everything — that when you get to work, you feel like you’re actually a Highland warrior.”
“The romance is a huge part of the story and it’s a fun part to tell. I think it’s very important to the story of Brian and Ellen, and every intimate scene that we do furthers that story,” Slater added. “It’s a love story at its heart, and those are my favorite kinds of stories to tell and to watch.”
The premiere screening event also featured collectible flower crowns, a photo op with The Lounge Booth and a tasting of Heughan’s Sassenach blended scotch whisky, while the afterparty at Bar Marmont included elaborate décor and references to the show, passed apps, open bars with even more Sassenach Spirits, branded matchbooks and, of course, a cleverly placed typewriter.
“Outlander: Blood of My Blood” premieres Aug. 8 on Starz.
The post ‘Outlander’ Star Graham McTavish Welcomes ‘Blood of My Blood’ Stars Into the Hit Show’s Universe: ‘You Won’t Be Disappointed’ appeared first on TheWrap.
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