In season seven, part two of Outlander, Claire Fraser (played by Caitriona Balfe) was devastated when she learned of her husband Jamie Fraser’s (Sam Heughan) death.

His friend Lord John Grey (David Berry), who was not so secretly in love with the Highlander, was heartbroken at the loss.

So when Claire was at risk of being arrested for being a spy, John took it into his own hands to honour Jamie’s memory and marry her in a bid to protect her.

With Lord John so pivotal to season seven, viewers are keen to know all there is to know about actor David Berry.

Unexpected talents

Born in January 1984 in Toronto, Canada, the actor moved to Australia with his family when he was seven years old, along with his three other siblings.

It was soon realised that Berry was a talented singer and violinist, and so attended a school on a scholarship for his vocal abilities.

While studying at the prestigious school, he performed professionally, including at festivals and at Opera Australia.

He originally began to take a very different path when he received another scholarship in 2002 to study political science at Montreal’s McGill University.

However, his interest in a political career wasn’t to be, as he went on to study at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art in 2010.

After achieving a Master’s in Media Practice at the University of Sydney, Berry got his first job in television as a researcher for Channel Seven.

Acting career

The 40-year-old’s first-ever television role was in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries in 2012, when he played Alistair.

He then appeared in several episodes as Logan Meyer in Home and Away in 2012 before landing his biggest part yet as James Bligh in the drama A Place To Call Home for five years.

Berry landed on his feet in 2016, though, when he was cast as Lord John Grey in Outlander, thus reaching international fame.

Sam Heughan incident

While speaking to Marie Claire, Berry opened up on a stunt during his first date on set, which he counts as one of his most memorable.

After getting on a plane to Scotland to begin shooting just a week after first auditioning for the role, the star said: “It really was a baptism by fire.

“I was beyond jet-lagged and not really knowing what I was saying or who the character was yet, and I was expected to film my first scene in torrential Highlands rain.

“The producers must’ve had a lot of insurance because I could’ve killed Sam Heughan that day.

“Sam was in handcuffs while tied to the back of the horse by a rope, with me out of my mind, somehow managing to deliver all of my lines.”

Depression

Even though Berry is a celebrated member of the Outlander cast, he has spent many years of his life battling depression and now openly talks about his experiences.

Five years ago, he shared an emotional post on Instagram about his mental health issues to try and raise awareness and encourage others to seek help.

He wrote: “I’ve struggled with depression since my early 20s. Many years later, and the feeling has never entirely left me. It’s encoded somewhere deep in my DNA. “My thoughts get dark from time to time. The peaks and troughs of life are a little more intense for me than they are for other people. Life feels like it’s too much. I feel alone and hopeless.

“But here’s the thing I’ve come to know: the hardest thing about depression is asking for help – admitting to yourself and others that you really don’t have it all under control.

Once you overcome that, the rest is easy: Exercise, therapy, medication and mindfulness.”

Berry prefers to keep his private life out of the spotlight, so little is known about his relationship with his wife, Kristina Tesic. Apart from that, they have been married for 12 years.

The pair went on to welcome their son Alexander in 2016 on the same day he returned Down Under after filming finished on Outlander season three.