Thursday, September 29, 2016

We have Fergus.....


Outlander exclusive: Meet Fergus as an adult

César Domboy will take over the role of the adorable French pickpocket from season 2

BY LYNETTE RICE@LYNETTERICE


For full article 
http://www.ew.com/article/2016/09/29/outlander-season-3-adult-fergus






Remember the adorable Fergus, who played the pickpocketing French kid taken in by Jamie and Claire in season 2 of Outlander?

Good news, fans: the character will be back when the drama returns for a third season on Starz — and he’ll be a grown-up! EW has learned exclusively that César Domboy (The Walk) will take over the role when the story jumps ahead two decades in the new season.

Here’s the official description of his character from Starz: “Born into a brothel, Fergus has grown up into a charming, devilishly handsome man with a strong sense of loyalty and decorum, despite his unconventional upbringing. He is the ultimate romantic, wearing his heart on his sleeve and falling in and out of love easily. However, Fergus’ devotion to Jamie has never wavered, making the Frenchman an integral part of the Fraser clan. Still, his debonair demeanor masks a longing for a lasting love and a permanent sense of belonging.”


The role was previously played by the adorable Romann Berrux, a French actor who stole the hearts of fans (and the wallets of unsuspecting fools in that French brothel).

Domboy, 26, has been working in film, TV, and theater in France for years. Besides his appearance in Robert Zemeckis’ The Walk, he also appeared in season 2 of The Borgias.

Domboy is one of several new actors who will join the ensemble when the drama returns sometime in 2017. (Sadly, Starz won’t reveal the exact date of its much-anticipated comeback). Among the new additions: Wil Johnson (Waking the Dead), who will play Claire’s close friend and medical colleague Joe Abernathy when the drama focuses on 1960s Boston; John Bell (The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies), who will assume the role of Jamie’s nephew Ian Murray; andDavid Berry, who will play Lord John Grey, a former British soldier-turned-Ardsmuir prison governor.




And here’s a juicy tidbit that EW also learned exclusively: We’ll also meet a new person from Jamie Fraser’s extended family! Lest we want to meet the other end of his sword, however, that’s all we can share so far.

For more scoop about season 3, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly on stands Friday, or buy it here now. And why not join in on the discussion? On Oct. 3, Amy Wilkinson and I will host a special edition of Outlander Live! on EW Radio. We will interview executive producer Maril Davis, give away an Outlander Season 2 Collector’s Edition DVD, and take your calls!

Outlander Live! airs at 2 p.m. ET on Sirius XM 105.

CAITS SONG

Edinburgh TV Fest: Ron Moore



Ron Says Sci-Fi Provides a "Free Pass" to Address Tricky Issues

The Hollywood Reporter
by Georg Szalai


Full article



Ron Moore
Michael Kovac/Getty Images

The 'Battlestar Galactica' alum talks about Cylons, al-Qaida and Bryan Cranston's involvement in upcoming anthology series 'Electric Dreams: The World of Philip K. Dick.'

Science fiction gives creators and writers a "free pass" to address controversial contemporary issues in a way that doesn't scare viewers, Ron Moore, exec producer of Starz's Outlander,Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Voyager, said Wednesday.

"If you put these things in a science fiction context, you get a free pass, not just from networks, but from audiences as well, because you are allowing them to think about things in a way that doesn't threaten anybody," he said during a sci-fi masterclass at the Edinburgh Television Festival. "If you call them Klingons [in the Star Trek universe], it's different than if you call them the Soviets. In Battlestar Galactica, if they are the Cylons it's different than if you are saying it's al-Qaida."

Concluded Moore: "There are different emotional buttons it pushes with anybody. So by just taking one step back and removing all the contemporary labels, you can still get to some interesting thematic ideas, you can explore really deep philosophical questions, political questions and socio-political questions and religious questions, but you need to kind of give everyone permission not to get upset."


READ MOREBryan Cranston to Appear in Philip K. Dick Drama Series for Sony, Channel 4


He showed a water torture scene from the first season of Battlestar Galactica and explained that the writing staff had "just even heard of the concept of water boarding" and seen the first images of Abu Ghraib when the scene was written. "It was very much in the moment and it was important in that show that we were talking about what was happening in real time," Moore said. "It was an opportunity to sort of explore a lot of those things - heroism, what's a good, what should a good guy do."

He also recalled: "We had a huge fight with the network about it at the time, not so much because of the themes that I am talking about now, but because it was too graphic. In the early drafts, she knocked his teeth out. It was much more brutal and graphic, and then we kind of compromised."

Moore was on Wednesday also asked about upcoming anthology series Electric Dreams: The World of Philip K. Dick, based on Dick's short stories. The show from Sony Pictures Television and British broadcaster Channel 4 will be written and executive produced by Moore and Michael Dinner (Justified, Masters of Sex), with Bryan Cranston executive producing. When the project was announced, the team said Cranston was also planning on appearing in the series.

Asked about Cranston's level of involvement and acting plans now, Moore said Wednesday: "He is one of the producers. He is very involved in it. ... His participation in front of the camera is a different question. We are not sure, and he is not sure. A lot of it depends on schedules and timing. I know he'd like to, but we are still in the very early stages of this."

Moore also addressed the new series Star Trek Discovery, led by showrunner Bryan Fuller. “I know Bryan well, and we’ve worked together,” he said. "He is going to approach that show in a very different [way]. ... He has a very fresh and exciting opportunity. Knowing Bryan, he will seize that opportunity and strangle it for every possible thing he can get out of it.”


Monday, September 26, 2016

More Than a Mere Ladies Maid: Meet Adrienne-Marie Zitt!


Outlander Homepage Originals By Nancy M Guillory





Outlander fans might swoon over Jamie Fraser, but his irresistible godfather Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser, has fast become popular with the ladies, especially as his love life heated up with a pretty French house maid in season two of the Starz series.
Vive Les Frasers!

Who is the actress lucky enough to play Suzette, opposite fan favorite Duncan Lacroix? Well, the lovely French-born, Adrienne-Marie Zitt, isn't just lucky, she is smart, multi-talented, charmingly quirky, endearingly down to earth and was kind enough to give Outlander HomePage and our followers, a chance to get to know her better.




Outlander Home Page (OHP): When in your life did you realize entertainment (acting, singing, writing, yep, she can do it all!) was your calling?

Adrienne-Marie Zitt (AMZ): To be honest, I have always been attracted to creative endeavors. The first "job" I ever wanted to was circus horsewoman after I saw the women in sparkly costumes doing acrobatics on the horses backs when I was about 4 years old. Then, by age 10, I was directing, writing, and acting in my own plays in the schoolyard (as well as singing in the school choir), casting my friends and (probably entirely baffled) random children in the playground! My big hit was a play called "The Misadventures of the Sun King" and involved Louis the 14th, a crown, a pulley system, and a teddy bear. Big success!


Well that playground perseverance paid off! Adrienne-Marie charmed Outlander fans in her portrayal of the Fraser's house maid Suzette. Her character also charmed the scowl right off of Murtagh.








OHP: Your "love scene" with Duncan Lacroix was fantastic! How hard was that scene to shoot? Surely that scenario created a few out takes.

AMZ: Aaaah, the famous "love" scene with Duncan. It was actually a pretty quick scene to shoot. Caitriona wasn't there that day so it was just those shots of Duncan and me, and that one line. We did about 5 or 6 takes I think, mostly because Metin wanted me to bow before I said my line, and I kept forgetting (possibly because I was on my first TV shoot, topless, and straddling a man I'd only met on a couple of occasions. I will always remember looking down at Duncan under the sheets thinking... This is SURREAL...) I just especially remember afterwards, it had really felt like a bonding experience for both of us. We were both very nervous about it. 



I think most Outlander fans will agree, that was one of the season's favorite scenes.


OHP: You've done both camera, and stage work. Which one do you find more challenging? Is there a specific aspect, or element of the industry that is your true passion? 

AMZ: By far I have found the camera work much more challenging, but that is possibly because my experience in TV is limited to... Outlander! Whereas I have decades of experience in stage work, and the bulk of my training was theatre-based. It's a very different process, usually much slower, you get to really know your cast mates, you rehearse a lot, you have a lot of time to explore... TV, at least the Outlander experience, struck me by its very different rhythm, and the amount of technical things you have to keep in mind. I can't believe it now, watching my few seconds of chasing after Caitriona on the stairs, how many technical notes there were on that simple move. With theatre you don't really contend with technical stuff until the very last days before opening night. So, I'd say so far I cherish the theatre process, but I'd love to expand my TV experience, just for fun. 

Well, Outlander fans certainly enjoyed your TV experience, and hope you get the chance to expand your television appearances.


OHP: If you could play the lead role in a remake of any classic film, which one would you choose, and who would you want as your leading man?

AMZ: Ooooh that's tricky! Very tricky! My first thought was Scarlet O'Hara on "Gone With the Wind", because it's such a kick-ass female role, the likes of which are seldom seen nowadays. Here's a woman who's beautifully flawed, a bit of a villain, but not in a simple way. But, you know, Scarlet is really Vivian Leigh, it's difficult to imagine stepping into that! If I got to do it, just for fun, I'd choose Richard Armitage as my leading man, since I couldn't have Clark Gable....

Hey, we knew from her role as Suzette this lady has excellent taste when it comes to leading men!


OHP: Where/when will we get to enjoy your talents again? What upcoming projects are you working on? 

AMZ: Well, for the moment, my projects are either writing or theatre directing based. I'm in touch with a small theatre company whose scripts I have really liked, very female-focused, strong, little known stories. I may be acting with them at some point soon, so I'll keep you posted on that. It would be quite an exciting part. I also have quite a few songs to record! So as per usual - I"m back to what I was doing at age 10.

What she was doing then, certainly seems to be working well for this hard working, gracious actress now.


Outlander Home Page really enjoyed talking to Adrienne-Marie Zitt, and wish her all the best as we look forward to seeing more of her on stage and screen.



Variety talks to Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe about Season 3!


‘Outlander’ Season 3 Preview:
Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan Tease What’s Ahead for Claire and Jamie.


This article has been updated from original, right after the season finale...




Laura Prudom News Editor
Of Variety 


Season 2 of “Outlander” began with a disoriented Claire Fraser (Caitriona Balfe) returning through the standing stones at Craigh na Dun, alone and pregnant, to reluctantly reunite with her first husband, Frank (Tobias Menzies) in 1948. In the premiere, we saw Claire and Frank negotiating how they might raise a child together, with their relationship irrevocably strained by the events of Claire’s absence and the man she fell in love with during that time away.

Sunday’s finale, titled “Dragonfly in Amber,” showed us the harrowing moments leading up to that reunion, as Claire’s second husband, Jamie (Sam Heughan) convinced her to return to her own time in order to protect her and their unborn child, since he believed that he was destined to die with his men at the Battle of Culloden.

That seemed like the end of Claire and Jamie’s story (although fans of Diana Gabaldon’s novels already knew that there’s plenty more of this tale to be told, with eight books currently published and more to come — not to mention the fact that the show was already renewed for season 3 and season 4), until Claire discovered that Jamie survived both Culloden and the execution of Jacobite soldiers that followed the battle, meaning that there was a chance they could still reunite if she went back through the stones — albeit after 20 years apart.

Given the number of books in Gabaldon’s series (and the fact that viewers would probably riot if Sam Heughan suddenly disappeared from the show), it’s not much of a spoiler to say that Claire and Jamie will someday find each other again. “There’s a lot of challenges to season 3 — there’s a period of time where Jamie and Claire are apart; he thinks that he’s lost her, or at least that she’s alive and well but in the future, so what is he living for? What sort of man is he now?” Heughan observes. “She will eventually return, but they’re both older, so what is Jamie, who is the man he’s become” in the time since they last saw each other?

Those questions — “who is Jamie without Claire, why is he still surviving, what has he got to live for when he’s lost the woman that he loves” — will be central to the character in season 3, according to Heughan.

And therein lies both the tragedy and romance at the heart of the “Outlander” series, which, despite its genre-bending sensibilities, incisively explores the sometimes harsh realities of a lasting relationship, with all the triumphs, complications, joys and heartbreaks that go along with it. When they find their way back together after decades spent separated, Claire and Jamie will have to relearn what it means to be a couple, something that Balfe admits she’s eagerly anticipating in season 3.

“I think what’s going to be most exciting is the reunion between Claire and Jamie and them discovering each other again and falling in love all over again,” she tells Variety. “I think both of them have probably held each other up on a pedestal for 20 years, so in many ways, they’re going to have to destroy that image first before they can fall in love with the person right in front of them, and that’s going to be really interesting. I love the complexity of that, because you can’t be in love with a ghost, and Claire is in many ways in love with Jamie’s ghost, as Jamie is in love with her ghost, and that’s not the people they are when they see each other again.”

The season 2 finale may have jumped ahead in time to introduce us to Claire and Jamie’s daughter, Brianna, on the cusp of adulthood, but we still have 20 years of lost time to revisit, and the show isn’t likely to skip over all of it, especially since those life experiences will inevitably have shaped who Claire and Jamie are now that they’re middle-aged.

“What I’m so excited about as well next season is we’ll see, hopefully, some of her progression as a mother,” Balfe says. “So even though we’ve jumped forward in episode 13 [to see Claire] at 50, hopefully we’ll see some of that journey between late 20s and 50.”

While the actors had yet to read scripts for season 3 when they spoke to Varietybefore the finale aired, Gabaldon’s “Voyager” gives us some hints as to what we might see in the new season, including a final showdown between Jamie and Menzies’ Black Jack Randall, who was destined to die on Culloden Moor.

“If you’ve read the books you will know that Randall will appear again,” Heughan teases. “I know that Diana has written the scene of how they ended up [back together], so hopefully – and who knows, I haven’t read the script yet, but hopefully, we’ll get to see Jamie and Randall in the Battle of Culloden.”

We’re also likely to see Frank again, to give viewers a sense of the realities of his relationship with Claire. We know from some of Brianna’s comments in the finale that her parents’ marriage wasn’t particularly idyllic in its later years, and Menzies confirms that the tentative plan is for season 3 to explore the couple’s dynamic following the move to Boston, including “the disintegration of their marriage out there… it’s slightly ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ in Boston, which hopefully will be really exciting stuff to dig into.”

Balfe agrees, “The relationship between Claire and Frank is so rich and complex, I’m really looking forward to that.”

After the political intrigue of this season, Heughan says season 3 “feels like a very new chapter,” with trips to tropical climates that are far removed from the chill of Scotland. “There’s a lot of travel involved, and I think that’s the joy of the show — it’s never the same thing, it’s constantly moving, so next season should be quite an adventure.”

Friday, September 23, 2016

Elle talks to Sam Heughan


Talking to Sam Heughan About Sweat, Sheep Dipping, and 'Outlander' Spoilers




"It's pretty ridiculous, isn't it?"





BARBOUR/JOHN ANGELILLO

BY ESTELLE TANG
By Elle Magazine

Full article
http://www.elle.com/culture/movies


I know I'm at the right place when I hear the screams. As I approach the Barbour store on NYC's Madison Avenue, a man who seems handsome even from 100 feet away steps out of a car and the decibel count immediately goes up. Way up.

There's a crowd behind a barricade on the pavement. One woman has been waiting there since midnight. Another arrived at 4 a.m., all the way from Washington, D.C. Another says she's from Norway.


They're here to see Sam Heughan, Outlander's Jamie Fraser. He cheerfully waves at the crowd and poses for a couple of photos before striding in through the doors, and an admiring "He's so nice!" wafts in after him. In a kind of echo, Heughan approvingly calls, "This is a nice store!" Everything definitely feels nice right now.

Among the storied tartan and jackets of the classic brand, I spoke to Heughan about his role as Barbour's Global Brand Ambassador, what we can expect from the third season of Outlander, and what he would be doing if not portraying an 18th-century Scot.

How did you come to collaborate with Barbour?

These guys are platinum sponsors of that event. We got talking, and Helen and I realized that I come from the same village that her ancestor John Barbour came from, who created Barbour. It just seemed like such a great connection. I grew up in Scotland, and everyone wore Barbour. It's very practical, it's very outdoorsy. It's what the gamekeepers and the fishermen and the farmers would wear.

Do you have any particular outdoors memories of your childhood in that village?

It sounds almost unreal, but I was born and raised on old castle grounds—Kenmure Castle.

That does sound made up.

It's pretty ridiculous, isn't it? But it was also a working farm, so we used to go help the local farmers dip the sheep and round up the sheep. The local shepherd, I vividly remember his old Barbour jacket, with a hipflask in the pocket. It just feels very familiar—like part of my childhood. The smell of the wax. Whenever I put one on now, it just feels comforting.




Sheep dipping—what is that?

It's to cleanse the sheep of any pests. It's an annual thing, before they shear the sheep.

So you've created a capsule collection with Barbour. What inspired the pieces?
They have this great archive where they have jackets that date back to when they first began in 1894. They're still wearable; they've been so well maintained. That's what inspired me. To see how, over the years, the jackets change to suit the purpose—for the Second World War, or for motorbike riders. It's all practical.

So that's what I wanted to reflect in my collection. I love the outdoors, I love climbing mountains. But I also like to walk down the street in New York in the fall and go to a bar. So what I require of a jacket is different, but it still has that heritage.

I read that you're a fan of Bear Grylls. If you had to head out on an adventure right now, what would it be?
I've always been into endurance sport, which I think is more about your mind pushing your body, which is definitely why that Bear Grylls book sung to me. I'm kind of obsessed by Everest and all those men that mountaineer and take themselves to extreme limits. Having gone back to Scotland to work on Outlander, I've been climbing a lot and getting out in the highlands.

I imagine it's pretty cold in Scotland while you're filming.

I came from Scotland this week—I'm filming now, and just finished the first two episodes of the third season. It's freezing cold. It's raining.

Isn't it summer?


Yeah. It's Scotland. It's always wet. Scotland is about layering. The weather changes every ten minutes.




But you have it easier than your co-star Caitriona Balfe, who has to wear giant dresses that she can't even get through doors. Is she mad at you sometimes?
You know, every day I feel very fortunate, because it's tough for women. In those days, it was terrible—in these corsets, to be almost trussed up in something very constrictive. Whereas for men, it was very relaxed. They give me half an hour to get ready in the morning, to get my kilt on. I can do it in two minutes. It's great. Poor Caitriona is there for 45 minutes.

Is there anything you can tell us about the forthcoming season?

The third season is based on the third book. I don't want to jinx it, but it feels very strong, very exciting. There's a lot that happens in it. If the second season was very political—a lot of intrigue, and even Diana Gabaldon said it's a hard book to adapt—I think the third book is the one everyone's excited about. So much time passes by—20 years—the characters are apart and together again, so there's some big emotional stuff.

Are you spending a lot of time in makeup to capture the passing of time?

[Squints cagily] Jamie has to age—I'm not giving away how. But I think it's less about looking older and more about the experiences he's gone through. I spend hours in makeup anyway, because I'm always covered in mud or blood. You can still see makeup on my nails here. It just won't come off. I've spent the last two weeks on a battlefield.

Well, I did suggest that Caitriona has it easier than you, but spend a lot of time wearing not that many clothes and covered in crap. How do you deal with that? Do you have a psychological trick that keeps your body warm?

I tend to enjoy the cold more than the heat. So, I've had the air-con on here constantly. Because I sweat as soon as the sun comes out.

If there's one Barbour piece you could give to Jamie, back in the 1700s, what would it be?
He's a practical guy. I would give him one of the practical wax jackets. It would last forever, it would keep him warm and dry. And camouflaged, as well.

He would probably think you were some kind of magical wizard.

I mean, he's dealt with a lot and taken it all in his stride. If he can believe Claire's from the future, then a Barbour jacket is an easy jump to make.

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Ron D Moore answers questions about Season 2... By EW..



Outlander finale: Ronald D. Moore recaps season 2, and what death he regrets!

The droughtlander begins

BY LYNETTE RICE
Of EW

For the full article 






The 13th episode of Outlander, “Dragonfly in Amber,” marked the second season finale the Starz series. (Tear!) We asked Executive Producer Ronald D. Moore to look back at the challenges of adapting Diana Gabaldon’s second book, Dragonfly in Amber, to the small screen — and what we can expect in season 3.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How long did you know you wanted to use the Chamber Brothers’ Time Has Come Today for the finale?
RONALD D. MOORE: Quite a while. I think it was actually in the script. I think [writers] Matt Roberts and Toni Graphia came up with that as their end title song. Everyone just sort of loved it from the beginning.

SEE ALSO
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And the title card featuring the scene from The Avengers!
That started with Matt. I think we were talking about doing something with an old television and a clip. At first he said, you know, it should be Star Trek. I giggled and thought that’d be funny, and then immediately I thought it has to be one with Scotty, one where he is wearing his kilt. Then I looked up when Star Trek was actually on the air in the U.K. and it turns out it wasn’t on in 1968. We still wanted to start with a clip that puts us in that time period. What would have been shown there that was iconic and American audiences would get? I think it was Marina Campbell, who’s our assistant, came up withThe Avengers.

Let’s go back to the start of the season, when you began the action in the ’40s rather than the ’60s, when the book actually starts. Was this a way to give Tobias Menzies more screen time?
No. It’s just that starting in 1968 was too big of a leap for the TV audience, because the last time we saw Claire and Jamie, they’re sailing off to France. I just thought fading into 1968, when Claire not only returned to the 20th century, but also has a grown daughter was too much. It was big enough to say that she returned to the 20th century. So you saw her return. You still had the shock value of that. Then we could hold off the 1968 stuff until the end of the season.

The political machinations got pretty dense in France. What was it like for the writers, trying to keep the story clear for the viewers?
It was very tricky. In the book, the section in Paris is even more episodic. The Comte St. Germain’s story is over here and there’s the relationship with Master Raymond over there and then the Duke of Sandringham. We kept trying to find ways to unite the storylines. For instance, the big dinner party where everything goes askew … the book doesn’t have either Prince Charlie or the Duke there, and the dinner party is unrelated to that plot. We knew we wanted to play the dinner party because it was such a key moment in the book. But then we tried to work a way so that it also fed into the Jacobite plot. Those were our struggles — finding ways to unite various plot threads to go through events much, much faster.

What did Diana Gabaldon think about how things were addressed in France?
She said, “I think you’ve guys have done a nice job. This is tricky material.” She was very supportive.

Did you decide early on to show more of Prestonpans and less of the Battle of Culloden?
Yeah, but that also follows the book because the book doesn’t take you into the Battle of Culloden. That was an easy decision to make. The book did detail a lot of Prestonpans. It also dealt with the Battle of Falkirk, which we decided not to do because we just said, let’s do one big battle. Prestonpans seemed like the best one to do for a variety of reasons.

I understand you shot Prestonpans in a tent with lots of smoke.
It was historically accurate, because it was a surprise attack in the wee hours of the morning. A lot of their numbers were cloaked in fog. That helped to panic the British, because they had no idea how many they were dealing with and where they were coming from. There was a certain disorientation on their part when the Highlanders just came screaming out of the fog.

Were you happy to take the action out of Paris?

I think everyone wanted to get back to Scotland, because it felt like Scotland was home to the show. Season 1 was a love letter to Scotland. There was a sense that when we were in Paris it wasn’t really Outlander, even though it was with our principal characters.

One last question about those France scenes — did French dildos really exist and look like that?
They did actually exist. And I think they looked like that. I think dildos have been with us since the Egyptians.

After finding your Jamie and Claire, was it a walk in the park to track down an actress who could play Brianna?
No. It was difficult. They’re very tricky roles to cast, especially when you’re casting the adult child of two of our leads. So, you want to see both characters in her immediately, which is a big challenge in terms of who that actress is going be. She also has to literally play the daughter of Claire in the episode. She has to have a certain chemistry with Roger. And even though she’s in the episode a lot, she’s not as big in the next season. The roles of Roger and Brianna grow over the course of the books. At first you’re just seeing the two of them for briefer periods of time. All those things added up to a very complex casting process.

Brianna is raised in Boston, but you went ahead and cast Sophie Skelton, who is from the U.K. Did you consider casting an American?
We did talk about that. We looked at Americans. I think there were some Canadians in the mix. It was a fairly wide net.

Brianna is supposed to have a Boston accent, but Sophie ended up not using one. Why?
Boston accents are tricky. It’s easy for them to become a caricature pretty easily. We’ve got so many accents going on in the show. It just didn’t feel like we needed to go there, as well.

Was it important to find a sexy man to play Roger?
He just needed to be charming and funny, and you had to instantly like him and feel like he was a good match for Brianna. Richard Rankin had that in spades. Everyone just immediately likes him when they meet him.

Are you starting production on season 3 any sooner this year?
We’re ramping up now. We are working on scripts and stories. We will probably be on an accelerated overall production schedule now that we have two season pickups. So we can start actively planning season 4 as opposed to waiting for a pickup. Season 3 is a traveling show. It starts in Scotland, but then it’s a sea voyage. There are pirates. It’s in Jamaica. It’s in the New World. And book 4 is in the New World and suddenly in North Carolina. So having the ability to make long range plans about where we are shooting certain elements and where we want to dedicate resources is enormously helpful in planning the show.

Can you say where season 3 will be shot?
Our home base will always be Scotland. We’re looking at various options for where to shoot the ships and where to find tropical beaches and jungles to play the Caribbean section of the story. Hopefully, we’ll find a place that has both things at once so we’ll only have to make one big trip for the company.

Does a Waterworld-like Outlander season excite you?

It will be great. They’re challenging shoots. Anything having to do with the water is very challenging for any production. But my production company is called Tall Ship. This to me is going be a lot of fun. There are big logistical and technical difficulties involved.

How much longer are we fans going to be able to enjoy Tobias?
Unfortunately, his role will come to an end relatively soon. It’s not over yet. We’ll still see him in season 3. But other than occasional flashbacks to Frank or Jack, their story pretty much ends in book 3.

Of all those killed off this season, which one would you have wanted to keep alive?
That’s a hard one to say. I think we all will probably miss the Duke of Sandringham quite a bit. He’s a great character. I lament his loss.


Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Introducing Young Ian and Joe Abernathy of Season Three!


‘Outlander’ Casts Young
Ian and Joe Abernathy for Season 3



Laura Prudom News Editor @lauinla
of VARIETY

For the full article:
http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/outlander-young-ian-season-3-joe-abernathy-voyager-1201865605/



COURTESY OF STARZ SEPTEMBER 20, 2016


Outlander” has cast two pivotal roles for Season 3, Variety has learned.

Joining Jamie Fraser’s (Sam Heughan) world in the 18th century, John Bell (“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”) will play the role of Young Ian Murray, Jamie’s nephew. Young Ian is a tall, gangly Scottish lad with a heart of gold, a stubborn streak and a penchant for getting into trouble. Bursting with charm, he’s more like his adventurous, fierce uncle Jamie than his farmer father Ian — but when we meet him, he is still a very gawky boy. However, he keeps trying to prove that he is a man and we will see him grow into quite a formidable one as the series evolves.


Meanwhile, in Claire’s (Caitriona Balfe) life in 20th Century Boston, Wil Johnson (“Waking the Dead”) will play her friend and medical colleague, Joe Abernathy. Joe is a fellow doctor-in-training whom Claire befriends in medical school. Intelligent, charismatic, with a wry and irreverent sense of humor, Joe is a loyal confidant with great affection for Claire. He puts on a good face, but he is all too aware of his place in the Civil Rights era. Joe and Claire both feel out of place in the mostly all-white, all-male medical field, which bonds them together in a lifelong friendship.


Season 3 of Starz’s “Outlander” is based on the third novel in Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling series, “Voyager.” The third season picks up right after Claire travels through the stones to return to her life in 1948. Now pregnant, she struggles with the fallout of her sudden reappearance and its effect on her marriage to her first husband, Frank (Tobias Menzies). Meanwhile, in the 18th century, Jamie suffers from the aftermath of his doomed last stand at the historic battle of Culloden, as well as the loss of Claire. As the years pass, Jamie and Claire attempt to make a life apart from one another, each haunted by the memory of their lost love. The budding possibility that Claire can return to Jamie in the past breathes new hope into Claire’s heart… as well as new doubt. Separated by continents and centuries, Claire and Jamie must find their way back to each other. As always, adversity, mystery and adventure await them on the path to reunion. And the question remains: When they find each other, will they be the same people who parted at the standing stones, all those years ago?

Showrunner Ronald D. Moore, Maril Davis, Matthew B. Roberts, Toni Graphia, Anne Kenney and Andy Harries serve as executive producers of “Outlander,” which is produced by Tall Ship Productions, Story Mining & Supply Company and Left Bank Pictures in association with Sony Pictures Television. Starz retains all domestic multiplatform pay TV rights to the original series.


Monday, September 19, 2016

Writers Guild Foundation talks to the Outlander Writers!





PODCAST: INSIDE THE WRITERS ROOM WITH OUTLANDER

by Enid Portuguez
Of
Writers Guild Foundation 

On June 7, we had the pleasure of welcoming the fantastic writers from the hit Starz show OUTLANDER, including show developer and showrunner Ronald D. Moore and executive producers/writers Toni Graphia, Anne Kenney, and Matthew B. Roberts. Moderated by TV Guide’s Kate Hahn, the lively conversation covered the challenges of adapting Diana Gabaldon‘s enormously popular novels into TV, the scenes the writers fought for, and exactly how they craft the show’s steamy sex scenes.

We’ve got to say, OUTLANDER fans are some of the most passionate out there, and it only added to the energy of this night. Enjoy this spirited conversation!






Click link for website and Audio Podcast:

Monday, September 12, 2016

“Picture This” An interview with Outlander fan artist, Vera Adxer, conducted by your Aussie Blogging Lass!



Outlander Homepage Originals By Susie Brown 



As the famous saying suggests, 
“ A picture is worth a thousand words.” Certainly there are many talented artists around the world who can tell a story by putting images onto paper, canvas or computer screen. But Outlander fan artist Vera Adxer goes one step further than that: she takes quotes from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander novels and then creates stunning artworks based around the words. Her images are memorable, all the more so because the actors from the Starz hit TV series also serve as the inspiration for many of the pieces. 





As the latest Droughtlander continues to drag on, we were thrilled when Vera agreed to chat to us and tell us about the fan art she creates. 


A recent depiction of the upcoming season 4 Drums of Autumn 



OHP: Tell us something about yourself. Do you have a background in art?

Vera: I’ve always had a soft spot for art, whatever its form: painting, drawing, even designing clothes. When I finished high school, I had many options to choose from for further study. I chose primary school teaching, but it was far from what would be my true orientation. When I lacked just two subjects to graduate from Masters, I started researching design - I never imagined it could be so large! After that, I went to an Institute of Design for four years. It was very interesting, because I received a lot of training in Fine Arts and had great teachers. I followed this with a postgraduate degree in Digital Media at UNCUYO, one of the most prestigious universities in Argentina. I specialised in different fields of design, such as editorial design. I worked for a few years in an editorial capacity, but now I work independently.

The design process is usually very structured. I am always “under the eye” of my customers and I must make sure that they are happy. I have to admit that sometimes it is frustrating not to feel personally satisfied with a job, even if the customer leaves with a smile.

My hobby has always been a brush and my lectern. A few years ago I also started to write short stories. It's a very beautiful thing to be writing, drawing or painting. In short, anything artistic is part of my life!

OHP: How long have you been making Outlander fan art? What inspired you to make it? 

Vera: Two years ago I created my Facebook page, "Outlander Love & Art" and then "Outlander Argentina". It was a place just for me and five other people to share something interesting about the series. Then I started creating pictures, trying to make them fit with the texts of the books. It was nothing professional, I did it just for me. But then people started to ask me for more pictures and soon I was trying to fulfill their wants. So I asked for suggestions of some specific parts of the books. As a result, I met many people. It was lots of fun. I made one or two fan artworks per day in my free time.

OHP: What was your first piece and do you have a favorite? 

Vera: One of the first was of Claire and Jamie standing in a book. It is still one of my favorites, as is a more recent one of Jamie in the printshop.  




















OHP: Is your work exclusively Outlander based, or do you make fan art about other shows?

Vera: I also do other series - everything anyone asks me - it has become a habit for me. I have made fan art for shows like Vikings, Penny Dreadful and The Walking Dead. I am always open to new ideas. Very recently, a lady wrote to me asking if I could make an art work of her and her husband as I do with Claire and Jamie. It was very comforting to know that they looked like a cover of a romance novel!

OHP: Can you tell us something about the process of making an art work? What steps are involved? How long does it take you to make each one? 

Vera: Outlander fan art is a challenge! I try not to follow a strict line in the designs. I like to innovate, but the pieces are always subject to the lines of the book. That has its advantages and disadvantages. In the beginning, I usually created a picture each day. When I set up the Twitter page, I invited my friend Begoña Díaz to help with the choice of phrases, while I dedicated myself to the art. Bego is now making her own fan art and she is really good. I have a great student!

An artwork usually takes between 20 minutes or 1 hour, but sometimes it can take much longer. The process begins by choosing the theme. In the first season, this was often landscapes and flowers. In the second season, I started building on the historical context, looking at famous paintings and trying to merge the images. The next step involves giving clarity to a photograph. It’s not something that I like to do on a computer, because I'm not very fond of Photoshop and filters. I prefer to use my iPad and perform edits with the digital pen. 

OHP: We know that your fan art is loved on Twitter - how does that make you feel?  

Vera: Everything happens so fast on Twitter!  It is difficult to get people’s attention, so when I thought about creating "Forsteras" therein lay the challenge! Diana Gabaldon’s books have short, romantic and classic phrases and making artworks based on these phrases was a way of getting attention both for the books and my work. It's a kind of positive energy. Today, almost a year later, we have nearly 2,400 followers, who usually leave good messages and it's fun. It is hard work, but having important people following us, such as Diana Gabaldon, Jon Gary Steele and Adhamh Ó Broin is an incentive to do more. I am always striving to do better work for our page.

OHP: Can you tell us about any favourite comments that people have made? 

Vera: I have been very touched to receive private messages saying things unimaginable to me. One lady wrote to me saying the images had helped her a lot through a difficult moment in her health. I’m also thrilled when someone asks for a Fan Art to use for a raffle for charity. I am always happy to help. In a strange way without knowing it, each of those people have helped me to overcome a difficult moment of my life, and this virtual world has become something special for me.

OHP: Have you ever been contacted by anyone involved with the show? 

Vera: Definitely the best day was when we had notification on Twitter that Diana had begun to follow us! Scott Kyle became a great friend, as well as many other followers of Outlander. Many of the supporting actors of the series have asked for their own piece of fan art. I loved the idea and I am grateful to each of them. I've met wonderful, maybe not famous people, but I can definitely say that I have found many friends.

Because we are limited by 140 characters, we don’t tag the protagonists in the series very often, unless they are campaigning for nominations for a prize. Last year for the Golden Globe, Sam gave us two retweets and that helped our page a lot. Then, a few months ago I received a message from Starz. They asked permission to include my name and one of my artworks on their Outlander Community website in the Fan Art section.

OHP: Have you read the Outlander books, or did you discover the story via the tv series?

Vera: Honestly, I did not know of Diana Gabaldon and I had never read the books. Romance novels were not part of my world. I’d watch a movie and if I liked it, then I’d read the book. I always liked science fiction, but had never related to romance.

But Outlander has a unique magic and from the first episode of the series I was captivated! Not even a week later, I was reading “Outlander” and two months later, I had read all eight books.  Now when I watch the show with my parents, they either ask me: “What will happen now?” or “Do not tell us anything please!”

I am continually reading the books, writing down phrases in Spanish and English. I try not to use the translator for my fan art, because it doesn’t always do it correctly. It is also interesting to note that there is a big difference between a book written in English and one in Spanish. The translation can drastically change some parts of the books and that can be very frustrating.

OHP: Apart from Twitter, how can people see your work? 

Vera:  People can visit any of the following sites.

OHP: What plans do you have for the future? 

Vera: I do not think much about the future, therefore my plans are only for tomorrow. Who knows what can happen! My way of life is "here and now", trying to give the best of me to whoever wants to receive. I'll take the end of Outlander as my philosophy: "And the world was all around us, new with possibility."


We’d like to thank Vera for answering our questions - and if you need some more help to survive “Droughtlander”, we certainly recommend heading to her sites and checking out her amazing fan art! 

This interview was conducted by Susie Brown, a writer and teacher-librarian who lives in Australia.








One of our favorites:


We would like to thank Vera for her beautiful work on our, An Evening with Graham McTavish event. The flier, poster sign, and press release art, was Vera's donation to the charity! Without which, our campaign to sell tickets would have been very limited, to say the least!


Saturday, September 10, 2016

Terry Dresbach's Newsletter MASTER RAYMOND DETAILS



For those who don't know, Terry Dresbach, Costume designer, has her own website blog, "An 18th Century Life"
Here is the link to search out your favorite costumes and all the details that went into making each piece!

http://www.terrydresbach.com/details-master-raymond/
















Sunday, September 4, 2016

World Child Cancer: September Campaign with Caitriona Balfe


Caitriona Balfe asks fans: Tell us what your dream was? 
#WhenIWasYoung campaign 

Outlander Homepage Originals



When we were young with the world new to us, what did we dream of becoming when we grew up?
This answer may come quickly for some, I wanted to be a Ballerina. I was in ballet school, 4 days a week for 18 years..
Either way, I'm sure that's a question to make us Ponder the mission statement of the September campaign for World Child Cancer and start a dialogue.

We look at the young children who have cancer that this campaign is directed toward, and I think Caitriona's trip to Ghana is telling.

From Bernadette Giacomazzo of the Inquisitor:
http://www.inquisitr.com/3488925/outlander-season-3-news-caitriona-balfes-proud-patronage-of-world-child-cancer-photos/

World Child Cancer’s CEO Jon Rosser:
One of the reasons that Balfe went to Ghana with World Child Cancer in August was to visit a hospital full of sick children who had advanced forms of cancer. Sadly, however, this cancer went undetected for quite a long time for these Ghanese children, which allowed it to develop into its advanced stages. In a more technologically advanced country like the United Kingdom or the United States, this cancer would have been much more quickly discovered, and thus, treated. And its this disparity in diagnosis and treatment that World Child Cancer hopes, ultimately, to ameliorate.


For these children in developing countries, the opportunity to become what they've dreamed of, depends on awareness and donations that are directed to World Child Cancer embassadors and their efforts that improve lives.





Just giving page to donate directly to World Child Cancer, #WhenIwasyoung, Campaign :
http://campaign.justgiving.com/charity/worldchildcancer/wheniwasyoung

From World Child Cancer:

This September, to mark Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, World Child Cancer are running a worldwide social media campaign entitled #whenIWasYoung 


To mark Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, World Child Cancer are reaching out to new and existing supporters, as well as celebrities, to help raise awareness and support of our work by taking part in a worldwide social media campaign. 


Our campaign idea of #whenIWasYoung stems from a drawing by a little girl called Mae, who is currently receiving ongoing chemotherapy treatment on the children's cancer ward at Yangon Children's Hospital, Myanmar (see drawing below). This young girl, sees a future free of cancer and dreams of one day becoming a ballerina. Unfortunately, the likelihood of Mae fulfilling her dream is very uncertain, as survival rates for childhood cancer in the developing world are as low as 10%. This is in stark contrast to the developed world, where as result of medical advances, survival rates are around 80%.

World Child Cancer believes this inequality should not exist and instead that every child, no matter where they live in the world, should be given the best opportunity to fulfil their ambitions and dreams.



We are therefore asking you to think about what you dreamt of being when you were young. To get involved it is very easy and will take a couple of minutes of your time. All you need to do is follow four simple steps.

1. Download and print the campaign poster

2. Complete the sentence ' When I was young I wanted to be....'

3. Take a photo of yourself with the campaign poster

4. Upload your photo to social media during September Childhood Cancer Awareness month. Remember to use the #whenIWasYoung and to @WChildCancer.

Caitriona Balfe has already committed to supporting our #WhenIWasYoung campaign and we would love if you could join in too.

Website for full details:

https://www.worldchildcancer.org/get-involved/september-campaign


You can also make a donation via our Justgiving page or text WIWY 16 (£AMOUNT) to 70070. e.g WIWY16 £5

Here are just a few example of the difference your donation can make:

£5 buys nutritional support for 5 children and their families during treatment in Cameroon

£10 pays for a week's worth of pain relief medication for 4 children in Malawi

£25 funds accurate diagnosis for 10 children in Bangladesh

£50 pays for lifesaving chemotherapy for a child in Ghana


With your support we can even the odds for children with cancer and their families in the developing world.

If you have any questions about the September Campaign please get in touch with Rachael or call on 0203 176 7892.


Get involved

Fundraising events
Fundraising Heroes
Organise your own event
September Campaign
Celebrity supporters - #whenIWasYoung
Patient drawings - #whenIWasYoung
Schools and universities
Corporates
Rotary
Fundraising Volunteers
Become a Speaker
Donate
Leave a gift in your Will




Tweets from World Child Cancer about Caitriona Balfe's journey to Ghana:
https://twitter.com/WChildCancer/status/770943887410102272?s=09

https://twitter.com/caitrionambalfe/status/771400628761485314?s=09

https://twitter.com/WChildCancer/status/770532701564788736?s=09

https://twitter.com/WChildCancer/status/770532701564788736?s=09


Stories from Ghana:
https://www.worldchildcancer.org/stories/thomas

Thomas excerpt:
In Ghana, World Child Cancer provides an annual grant to help families who can’t pay for their treatment and need other financial support such as living costs and travel to visit their families. This is administered by the local healthcare team who decide how best to distribute the funds between those with the most need. We also support the work of the team at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, in Kumasi by raising funds to improve their facilities and facilitating training for healthcare staff to enable them to improve the diagnosis and care for children with cancer.



Caitriona Balfe travels to Ghana to meet the team on the front lines and see what they do.








Friday, September 2, 2016

Terry Dresbach's Newsletter, Claire, 'Blueberry' and Analiese, 'Dressage'


Details

For those who don't know, Terry Dresbach, Costume designer, has her own website blog, "An 18th Century Life"
Here is the link to search out your favorite costumes and all the details that went into making each piece!

http://www.terrydresbach.com/details-the-latest-claire-blueberry-and-analiese-dressage/