Brian Fraser Will Continue to Grow and Evolve in Season 2 of ‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood’

“He changes very, very significantly.”

You’re ahead of where we are as viewers, so as you shoot the second season and you’re learning what comes next in Brian’s journey, is it changing your perception of what you went through in Season 1? Does having further context for the journey of your character make you think any differently about what he’s already been through?

ROY: Totally. Since we’re in Season 2 and we know where it goes, when we were at the premiere, I was like, “This is guy is so different from what I know in my heart to be Brian” because he’s gone through so much. Even in Season 1, there’s a huge change. But then, when we get to Season 2, it changes again. He does a lot of growing up. A lot happens in that time, and he changes very, very significantly. I like to think he’s gone from a boy to a man in Season 1. By the end of Season 1, you’re like, “This Brian Fraser knows what’s up. He’s definitely taken his future into his own hands.”

It struck me as funny that you would have a serious scene with your father while he’s on the toilet. What’s it like to shoot a scene like that? Is that one of the reminders of the time period that you’re shooting this in?

ROY: Shooting that was so funny. When I watched the cut episode for the first time, I heard that they put in the sound effects of him being in the toilet. I was just like, “Oh, my God, that is so grim.” But actually, on that day, Tony [Curran] was messing with us. It was on our coverage, which is very rude of him, but when he was saying his lines, he would say something like, “Tell me about…” and make this noise “…the gathering.” He would make these horrific sound effects with his own mouth to put me and Rory [Alexander] off. Keeping a straight face during that scene was such a challenge because we kept bursting out laughing. (Director) Jamie Payne had to come up to us and be like, “Boys, be serious here.” And we were like, “Yep, okay. Of course.”

When I’m working with Rory, the two of us are Brian and Murtagh in real life. We love to have a laugh. We goof around a lot. That was a very, very interesting scene to shoot. But it was good fun on the day. Brian knows his father is a grotesque man This isn’t the first time that this has happened. This is almost the norm. Brian very much has an agenda during that scene, to try to break off Ellen’s engagement with Malcolm Grant. And then, it goes a little bit too far the wrong way, to the point where he’s saying that he wants to ruin this woman’s reputation. It goes from Brian appeasing his father and making him feel like he’s so smart and so clever to, “Oh, wait, actually, dad, this isn’t a good idea. I don’t think you should go down this path.”

Brian knows that being with Ellen is dangerous for so many reasons. At the same time, he’s the one thing that Ellen has chosen for herself, in a world where so many men are trying to make decisions for her. Does he fully grasp the seriousness of the situation?

ROY: Brian and Ellen are actually very similar in their circumstances in so many ways. Brian is the one thing that Ellen has been able to choose. Ellen is the one thing that Brian has actually wanted in his life. Brian knew he wasn’t going to get the things in life which normal men get, and that’s okay. He accepted that. And then, he realizes, “Oh, wait, Ellen is this one thing that I actually want,” and he’s going to do anything that he can in his power to be with that. He’s a smart guy and he’s aware of how difficult it will be, but the heart rules all, what can I say?

Brian’s feelings for Ellen make a mess of his friendship with Murtagh. We want Brian and Ellen together, but by them being together, he’s hurting his best friend. How did you justify that violation of the bro code?

ROY: It’s the bro code, but it’s also not in Brian’s nature. It goes against everything that he is, as a person. You’re always trying to do the right thing and the good thing, and this goes against every moral fiber of his being. He’s lying, and not just lying, but lying to his best friend. It’s a tug of war. He’s never wanted anything, and this is the one thing that he wants. He’s willing to jeopardize his own morality in pursuit of this love of Ellen. It was difficult because when I was filming with Rory and seeing how sweet and honest he is, and he’s got this little twinkle in his eye, it killed me. It really does put a knife in your heart. I was like, “Oh, man, I feel bad for this guy. But I can’t let him know.”

When you read the moment with Ellen and Brian kissing out in the woods, and Murtagh coming across them, what was your reaction to that? How do you think Brian would have felt if he had known that happened?

ROY: He would have been heartbroken. He would have been absolutely devastated. That was obviously not the way that he wanted Murtagh to find out. I believed it was Brian’s intention to tell Murtagh eventually. He just didn’t know the best way to do it. He didn’t do himself any favors because the longer you leave that, the more difficult it is. Murtagh seeing them kiss in episode give, obviously, all trust was gone and it really put their relationship in jeopardy. Brian felt horrific about it, but at the same time, he was in love with this woman. He’s sorry, but he does love her. So, he has to get Murtagh back on his side, which is not an easy feat.

If Brian knew that Murtagh stumbled upon him kissing Ellen, do you think they still would have ended up in the chapel together, or do you think there would have been a fight between Brian and Murtagh that would have kept that from happening?

ROY: Don’t put me in that position. I feel horrible, even thinking that. No, I don’t think the chapel would have happened. If he looked over and saw Murtagh, he would have to go see him. I don’t think Murtagh would want to talk to him at that point, so maybe he would go back to Ellen and they would just have a conversation. I don’t think what happens in episode five would have happened had he seen Murtagh. It’s his best friend and the only family that he actually has. He would have wanted to make amends as quick as possible.