’Outlander’s Sophie Skelton on Reinforcing the Partnership Between Brianna and Roger

[Editor’s note: The following contains major spoilers for Season 7 Part 2 of Outlander.]

The Starz collection Outlander simply had its Season 7 Half 2 finale, leaving the beloved characters on an optimistic word to carry followers over till the ultimate season. After discovering their kidnapped son in 1980, Brianna (Sophie Skelton) introduced Jemmy and Mandy to 1739, in order that they may all be reunited with Roger (Richard Rankin). Figuring out that she will be able to’t threat operating into her personal father when he comes house from college and never operating to return to a time interval that Rob Cameron inhabits, all that’s left for Brianna and Roger to determine is what time interval they need to take up residence and lift their household in. However you’ll have to remain tuned for Season 8 for that!

Throughout this one-on-one interview with Collider, Skelton talked about Brianna’s progress over the seasons, letting her mama bear out, how lonely it was to shoot this block of episodes as a result of the youngsters may solely work restricted hours, filming the reunion with Roger, why she’s tremendous happy with this level in Bree and Roger’s relationship, that Brianna desires to maintain her household collectively in a single time interval any longer, the “epic” remaining season, and what has most stunned her concerning the Outlander fandom. She additionally mentioned being excited to tackle new initiatives, why she’d wish to movie someplace with sunshine, and being open to the potential for one other long-running TV collection sooner or later.

Sophie Skelton Has Been Ready To Play This Model of Brianna for Eight Years on ‘Outlander’

Collider: Each season is absolutely tough and emotionally difficult for these characters, however any time a toddler is in peril or below risk, that may be heightened even additional. I actually recognize how lively your character was find her son. Was it good to see the expansion that she’s needed to get her to the place she was in, on this half of the season? What was it like to essentially let that mama bear come out?

SOPHIE SKELTON: It’s truly extraordinarily refreshing to let what I believe is Brianna, at her core, out. After we began the present, there was so much I needed to rein again in. She was rather less mature, and rather less developed. She didn’t know herself as effectively, and didn’t fairly know the best way to deal with her feelings or her retailers. And so, there’s a lot of Brianna that I needed to simply let unfold because the seasons went on, and I used to be so wanting to get up to now. Really, I believe essentially the most genuine Brianna is the place she is simply uncooked and emotionally open. She’s such an empathetic particular person and he or she is such a protecting particular person. One factor for her is that she felt like she by no means actually had anyone to guard her. And so, on the subject of the purpose that she actually could be a dad or mum, she’s gonna fully do this.

The toughest elements for her on this season have been when she felt like she wasn’t in management, and he or she needed to relinquish that and let Roger go and discover Jemmy. A few episodes in the past, after we discover her within the kitchen, it simply reveals the helplessness and hopelessness of not with the ability to be within the driver’s seat of your individual baby’s well-being. And so, what I really like about this episode, and those earlier than it, is that she actually can take the reins a bit extra. I believe that’s when Brianna is in her factor. So, yeah, it was a reduction for me, as an actor, to have the ability to play this model of Brianna, who I’ve been ready to play for eight years. For Brianna, it’s a reduction as a result of her household’s again collectively. She realizes that that’s all that issues to her proper now and that’s all she wants. It doesn’t matter the place it’s or what’s happening. Everybody with the ability to be in her arms is a security that she’s by no means recognized.

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Did anybody see this coming?

You described Brianna in an interview as being a little bit of a scorching mess this season, and I don’t actually see it that method as a result of she’s had considered one of her youngsters taken and Roger’s in one other time interval, and that may push anybody to the restrict. You can provide her somewhat little bit of a room on the new mess of all of it.

SKELTON: For positive. Look, I might by no means say “scorching mess” with any judgment. One factor you’ll be able to by no means do is choose your character. And I, as an individual, am not a judgmental particular person. However one factor it is best to by no means do is choose your character as a result of then clearly you’ll be able to’t play it authentically. You might have to have the ability to justify each resolution your character makes and be on board with it, whether or not you agree or not. After I say “scorching mess” it’s as a result of it’s only a plethora of feelings and shit, fairly frankly, that typically you simply don’t know the place to start out. When Rob Cameron involves the home and he’s simply not negotiating along with her, it’s that helplessness once more and that frustration. She has nothing at this level and has nothing to lose. That simply places you in a headspace that I might describe as a boiling pan. It’s unpredictable.

Have been you at the very least somewhat impressed that she would decide up a gun and hearth it to guard her household? Do you assume she would have killed him if she had the possibility?

SKELTON: Completely. Yeah, I believe she would. She’s been by way of an excessive amount of. She’s not as hotheaded as she was once. I do assume that she acts with somewhat bit extra context and intelligence now. I’m not saying that she would do it from a spot of naïveté and being like, “Yeah, okay, cool. I can kill folks and get away with it.” However her son has been taken. The one factor that’s nice about this season is that query of what lengths would you go to? Not simply the characters on display screen, but it surely makes you, as a viewer, verify in on that state of affairs. What would you do? If this man has your baby, and your baby may have gone to any time interval and also you would possibly by no means discover him, within the warmth of the second, what lengths would you go to? Brianna has simply been by way of a lot trauma and grown up in a time within the 18th century the place that was sadly only a norm. That completely is the place her muscle reminiscence defaults to now.

Sophie Skelton Loves That Brianna Was the One To Take Care of Her ‘Outlander’ Household

I additionally love that she is aware of Roger effectively sufficient to know that he wouldn’t ever return house with out their son, so she’s the one which needed to go discover him to reunite the household herself. Did it really feel additional particular to you that she was the one who truly bought her household again collectively?

SKELTON: Yeah. One factor that the present began out on was being very female-led, and we’re very happy with that. Clearly, it’s typically lovely to throw in a sprinkle of damsel in misery in there. That’s practical. It’s positively nice that the writers and producers have remembered our roots and the place the present got here from and circle again to that. So, yeah, Brianna being the one to save lots of the day and the one to once more take the reins and take the chance and return and be the one who places the meals on the desk and the one who takes care of the household, I believe is a very cool message. That’s a very good message to ship out to loads of the youthful followers which have grown up with Brianna. You are able to do all of it and also you don’t must depend on anyone. It’s wonderful when you’ll be able to, and Brianna can depend on Roger, but additionally, she will be able to do that.

Not solely can this girl do all of it, however she will be able to do all of it in a large number of time intervals.

SKELTON: I do know. Even once I mentioned the “scorching mess” factor, she was once very stoic and he or she used to come back throughout like she had, once more excuse my language, all her shit collectively. And truly, what I really like about her now’s that she’s way more weak and clear and uncooked in her feelings. Really, she’s freaking out. She doesn’t know what to do. Life actually is on prime of her, and one way or the other she digs in and he or she finds a method. That may be a lovely factor I really like concerning the present. It’s not all sunshine and daisies, and we don’t make not possible stuff look straightforward. It’s very very like, have you learnt what? Typically it’s okay to be at all-time low. It’s okay to cry. It’s okay to really feel misplaced and never know what to do. That’s why I really like a few of these scenes the place Brianna is on her personal, or she’s placing on a courageous face for Mandy. There’s somewhat little bit of realism sprinkled in there, which I believe is absolutely essential for folks to see.

How did you discover the expertise of filming chunk of the season aside from just about all the remainder of your forged? Normally you at the very least have anyone with you. Did it really feel prefer it type of allowed additional room for her to develop, or did it simply really feel lonely and separated from all people else?

SKELTON: Yeah, it felt lonely. It perhaps, in a bizarre method, allowed her to attach with herself a bit extra. I definitely felt that for these scenes the place Brianna sat on her personal, staring into area and feeling misplaced and there’s nothing she will be able to do besides wait. In that silence is commonly the place you re-find your self somewhat bit, which I do know sounds actually corny, however in these moments, Brianna’s life is so busy. She’s a full-time working mother. She’s bought two youngsters. She’s renovating a home. There’s time journey, and all these things. In these moments the place she’s simply sitting on the sofa and Mandy is asleep and he or she has nothing, that always is louder than if you’ve bought all of the noise happening. It’s in these moments that yow will discover essentially the most power as a result of these moments are fairly scary. I do assume she perhaps didn’t develop in these moments, however perhaps simply had a minute to sit down with herself for a second, which I don’t ever assume she will get the possibility to do. However yeah, for me, it was a bizarre season. Caitriona [Balfe] got here on set at some point as a result of I believe she had a scene after me or she was directing. She simply popped on and was like, “Wow, I didn’t actually notice how remoted you’ve been all season.” It was simply me, my damaged hand, and two youngsters. That’s why they wrote the damaged finger into the season as effectively. It was so much to take care of. I used to be going by way of some stuff.

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After which, there are the issues that folks don’t even take into consideration who don’t know the way units are run or how issues are actually shot. I might think about there have been occasions if you have been doing scenes with the youngsters the place the youngsters weren’t even there as a result of they will solely work a specific amount of hours. So then, you’re much more alone than folks notice as a result of it doesn’t look that method within the scene.

SKELTON: Completely, and I really like that you just mentioned that. Yeah, with the youngsters’ hours and the breaks they should have and the period of time, clearly we shoot very lengthy days and the youngsters can solely do sure hours. They must have breaks each X period of time, however we match so much in a day. We don’t have time to only cease capturing. It’s too large of a present. So, yeah, most of these scenes will simply be me to a crew member on their knees, pretending to be Jemmy, which regularly is extra distracting. I’m like, “Simply put a mark on the wall for me, and I’ll discover that and simply do the scene with that.” So, sure, you’re proper, more often than not, it’s simply me appearing with me, or a tennis ball. There’s no emotion coming again at you then. You’ve gotta think about it.

What I actually beloved concerning the reunion is that it’s performed out in two elements, with Roger seeing Jemmy first earlier than he knew that Brianna and Mandy have been additionally there. Was there a dialog about how that complete reunion ought to play out? Did you discuss or shoot any completely different variations of that second? Once you’re ready for thus lengthy for a second like that to occur, how do you even get it as excellent as you need it to be?

SKELTON: Really, I believe the writers just about had that in thoughts, that Jemmy emerged first. Clearly, a throughline of the season for them has been in search of him, in order that was actually becoming. However us coming by way of the smoke was the toughest factor. In Scotland, we’re at all times battling the climate and the wind and every part else, so the logistics of that scene was most likely the toughest bit, and youngsters’ hours and making an attempt to get the right lighting, which is at all times difficult if you’re on location. However by way of the configuration of the order all of us got here by way of, that was truly fairly set. That was our one aim.

That was a double tear-jerker second.

SKELTON: Yeah, precisely. For us, as effectively. I believe that was the final shot collectively, which is at all times fairly good. You by no means know if, subsequent season, the youngsters can be older they usually gained’t be in once more, so that you do truly get that genuine really feel of claiming goodbye. And to Lallybroch, as effectively.

Once you assume again to who Brianna was, the primary day you walked onto the set, now that you just’ve completed the entire collection and you may take into consideration what it’s, as a complete, does this specific second really feel like a kind of essential factors in her story that can at all times be an essential level in her story?

SKELTON: Yeah, it does. Brianna had two dad and mom, then she had one, then she had none, then she had one, then two, then none. She most likely has some abandonment points. She’s very a lot been on her personal. She doesn’t have siblings. She doesn’t have grandparents. She’s been fairly a lonely child, and he or she’s had nothing wanting so much to take care of in her life and loads of loss. And so, for her to truly have her circle of relatives and for them to be again in a time once they can, collectively, perhaps go discover her dad and mom once more, perhaps not, or arrange life there. The idea of her youngsters having an uncle, or an incredible uncle, is great to Brianna as a result of she simply by no means had household. So, yeah, that scene actually did imply so much as a result of she’s been determined for that, her complete life. It’s been taken away from her, time and time once more. Now actually appears like a time when she’s been to hell and again, and no matter occurs now, we’re coping with it as a household. We’re not splitting up. That’s such a contemporary feeling for her. It’s such a personality peak for her as a result of I simply assume it’s a degree of life that she’s by no means actually had earlier than. The idea of everybody with the ability to be collectively and the prolonged household is surreal to her.

‘Outlander’s Sophie Skelton Is Pleased with How Far Brianna and Roger Have Come

On the identical time that you just’ve been exploring her arc, you’re additionally exploring the connection arc along with her and Roger. Once you consider the place their relationship bought to by the top of this season, even by the top of the collection as a complete, how does that journey really feel to you? Do you’re feeling glad now with the closure of their story?

SKELTON: Yeah, I’m tremendous happy with them, as characters. They each had a lot rising to do, individually and collectively. One factor that I’ve at all times beloved concerning the present is that it reveals very various kinds of relationships and never all concepts of romance must be the identical. We’ve been fed so much with films that that is what it ought to appear to be. What’s nice about Brianna and Roger, but it surely’s additionally their downfall, is that it’s actual. They make errors. They don’t talk, which drives me loopy. They’ve not dealt with issues fantastically previously, but they nonetheless work by way of it. I’m actually happy with the folks they’re now and the couple they’re now. They appear to speak higher they usually appear to essentially be coping with the exterior as a group, versus letting the exterior are available and tear them aside. That’s all you’ll be able to actually ask for. It’s come to a very cool pinnacle of their relationship, at this level.

By the top of the season, they make this resolution to reunite with Claire and Jamie, despite the fact that we don’t get to see that household reunion but.

SKELTON: Do they? I don’t know.

6:07

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It looks as if they’ve made that call. Whether or not they’ll keep in that point interval or go to a different time interval, it looks as if they need to be reunited. What is going to it imply to her to have that reunion once more, after turning into this person who she is now? She’s put her household again collectively and it appears like she’s discovered a power that she didn’t essentially absolutely know she had. How completely different will that make her in Season 8, reuniting with them and getting by way of what she has to get by way of within the final season?

SKELTON: I believe one factor that Brianna will at all times guess on is herself. She has needed to be exceedingly sturdy earlier than, which I believe has truly been perhaps somewhat bit damaging for her, however I don’t assume she ever doubts that she’s going to make it by way of one thing. And so, I don’t know that that essentially can be a altering issue when she reunites along with her dad and mom, however I do assume that sense of reduction can be one thing that she’s by no means felt fairly to that extent earlier than. She and Claire have at all times had a really mother-daughter, greatest friendy relationship that’s switched round. At occasions, Brianna has been the mom to Claire, and vice versa. And so, I believe she’s at all times had that power and that mama bear factor in her, so I don’t essentially assume that may be completely different round Jamie and Claire. It’s simply that now, greater than ever, she’s going to actually maintain onto what she has when she has it.

After the lack of Jemmy, in the event that they have been to reunite once more, I actually assume that would be the final time Brianna’s leaving. I don’t assume she’s messing round with this time journey factor anymore. Now she is aware of that she will be able to take any potential guilt away and that she’s not placing her youngsters in roughly hazard by being previously. It’s like, “You already know what? We’ve tried to do the most secure factor for them and go to the long run, however all over the place’s fucked. We’re gonna keep right here without end now, with mother and pop.” She is going to now simply maintain onto your entire prolonged household unit, versus simply her personal, greater than ever. It’s all the identical precedence now. So, I believe that’s what’s going to change, simply that anchoring down.

‘Outlander’s Sophie Skelton Is Excited for Followers To See What’s in Retailer for the Closing Season

With the finale completed and Outlander followers setting a countdown clock for when the ultimate season will lastly air, what would you say to tease what you’re most enthusiastic about with the ultimate season?

SKELTON: It’s actually onerous if you get up to now of a present. It could really feel such as you’re simply circulating tales once more, or it may well really feel like stuff’s getting diluted or somewhat bit recycled. However I, personally, from my stuff, am so excited for folks to see Season 8. Such as you mentioned earlier than, there’s a change in Brianna. She is written like way more of a safe girl now, and I beloved enjoying that. I actually beloved the dynamic with everybody in Season 8. And I additionally assume all people figuring out for positive that it was the final one, that relationship and that magic simply actually comes out on display screen. We’ve all recognized one another for ten years. It’s household, and so you actually really feel it. There’s simply way more grit to Season 8, in my view, for Brianna at the very least. I do know that with Season 4 we have been like, “That is our favourite season.” However genuinely, Season 8, for me, is like Season 1 or Season 4, it’s simply epic. I do know Droughtlander is at all times lengthy, and that have to be so onerous. I gained’t say, “I promise,” however I believe this one can be price it. And it’s the ultimate one, so let’s simply maintain onto it whereas we’ve it.

Having closed the e book on the collection and the character, what actually most stunned you about simply your entire expertise of getting spent so a few years telling a narrative and enjoying the identical character? What couldn’t you have got imagined earlier than you’d truly completed it and accomplished it?

SKELTON: That’s query. I believe we’re very fortunate with the present, in that I’ve gotten to play Brianna from age 16, with all of the flashbacks with Frank, performed by Tobias Menzies. I beloved working with him. We managed to do age 16 to age 32 or 35, no matter Brianna finally ends up as. With the flashbacks, time intervals, and so many various characters coming out and in, it simply appears like we’ve completed loads of reveals in a single, in that sense. I’m fortunate that, for me at the very least, every season has been fairly contemporary. We’ve had a distinct layer of Brianna that’s been peeled away, and now in Season 8, we’re attending to a model of her that I’m tremendous happy with. Due to the books, I at all times knew that we have been gonna have that, in order that wasn’t essentially a shock factor.

Truthfully, the factor that’s essentially the most shocking to me, out of all of it, is simply the fandom. Clearly, I knew what I used to be getting myself into in Season 2. I’d seen the response to Season 1, and it was unbelievable. And the way in which the followers welcomed me was unbelievable, simply the vulnerability of the followers, with Brianna having been by way of a lot sexual trauma and dying and so many issues, and the letters and the those who attain out if you see them and the tales that they offer you and the belief that they put in you. They find yourself telling me issues that they’ve by no means advised anybody earlier than, and one way or the other both Brianna or me enjoying Brianna permits them to open up and helps them heal. That, to me, has been essentially the most shocking and rewarding factor of all of it. It’s simply so cool to see this new age of fandom coming in with the present, rising up with Roger and Brianna, and studying a lot from Bree and turning into stronger for it and believing in themselves extra has simply been extra highly effective than I may ever imagined. It’s actually cool.

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“I am actually happy with Season 8.”

It additionally feels fairly exceptional that they’ve stayed as sturdy and even been stronger from season to season. Fandom tends to wane somewhat bit, and it doesn’t really feel prefer it ever did for the present.

SKELTON: Yeah, it snowballed. I used to be like, “Oh, there’s extra of you. Droughtlander was very lengthy. I believed you’d all be dropping off, but it surely’s constructing.” Yeah, that’s tremendous uncommon. I’m actually astounded and grateful. It’s very cool. One of many first issues loads of followers ask me is, “What are you doing subsequent?” It’s good that they’re not invested in simply the character anymore. They’re invested in us as a result of it’s been so lengthy, and it’s pretty as a result of they simply need to see what you’re doing subsequent they usually need to comply with you, versus simply the character. That’s actually one thing, and I’m tremendous touched by that.

Sophie Skelton Desires To Be a Chameleon within the Subsequent Stage of Her Profession

Does it really feel actually bizarre to attempt to discover the subsequent factor if you’ve performed a personality for thus lengthy? As an actor, you at all times need to play completely different characters, but it surely looks as if after enjoying a personality for 10 years, it could be even tougher to attempt to determine what to tackle after that?

SKELTON: Truthfully, I’m simply fairly excited to do one thing completely different. I’m fairly fortunate in that we had the wig, we had the costumes, we had the fully completely different time interval, and my accent is completely different. So, for me, it was very easy to depart Brianna on the door, for a lot of causes, however that every one helps. I’m fairly excited to only be a little bit of a chameleon and go fully into one thing else. I fairly like folks not with the ability to determine what I appear to be as Sophie. Even followers will come to a conference and assume they’re seeing Brianna, after which they’re like, “Oh, you play Brianna.” I really feel fairly lucky that I can morph into one thing else simply. With Season 8, I’ve left Brianna in a spot that I really feel loads of closure on, in order that makes it so much simpler to enter the subsequent factor. There’s nothing extra we will do with that character. She’s laid to relaxation. She could or is probably not good, however she’s completed her story. I believe it’s actually peaceable, truly, to depart her there.

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Are you aware what you’re going to do subsequent? Do you need to take a while to determine what you need to do subsequent? Are you in search of a comedy with some good climate?

SKELTON: A comedy can be nice. And sure, on the subject of chilly climate, I’ve completed my stint for now. Filming someplace with sunshine can be unbelievable for a short while. No extra pneumonia from evening shoots within the chilly.

Now that you just’ve wrapped a collection the place you’ve performed the identical character for 10 years, is that one thing you’d ever take into account doing once more? Would you be focused on doing one other long-running collection, or would you like to know forward of time that it could be one thing with a shorter run? How do you’re feeling about taking one thing like that on once more?

SKELTON: I believe collection are in a really completely different place now than they have been eight years in the past. It is uncommon for one thing to go for so long as we did. Clearly, if it’s the correct undertaking and the correct character, I simply wanna do nice stuff, so I might by no means say no to that. However for now, I’m simply excited to do one thing completely different. What that appears like, I don’t know. When it comes to sitting and figuring it out, I’m not superb at being unemployed, so I’m onto the subsequent. If the correct factor comes alongside, then the time on it doesn’t matter. If the standard stays good and the character is nice, and the writing is nice, and the group is nice, then that’s actually uncommon and actually magical, so I wouldn’t put a stamp on a time restrict.

Claire Beauchamp Randall, a nurse in World Conflict II, mysteriously goes again in time to Scotland in 1743. There, she meets a dashing Highland warrior and will get drawn into an epic rise up.

Launch Date

August 9, 2014

Solid

Caitriona Balfe
, Sam Heughan
, Sophie Skelton
, Richard Rankin
, John Bell
, Duncan Lacroix
, Tobias Menzies
, César Domboy
, Caitlin O’Ryan
, Lauren Lyle
, Grant O’Rourke
, Graham McTavish
, Paul Gorman
, Charles Vandervaart
, Stephen Walters
, David Berry
, Sarah Collier

Seasons

7

Develop

Outlander airs on Starz. Try the trailer for Season 7 Half 2:

Watch on Starz