Chris Larkin changed his surname to make it on his own as an actor

Dame Maggie Smith’s son has a major role in Outlander – and we didn’t even realise! The Downton Abbey star has two sons, Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin, who both followed in their mother’s footsteps as actors.

In Outlander, Chris Larkin stars as Richard Brown, the brother of the villain, Lionel, who kidnaps and sexually assaults Claire. After Lionel’s death, Richard is determined to destroy Claire and Jamie, and has a major part to play in Claire’s arrest for the murder of Malva Christie.

It is easy to miss Chris’ connection to his famous mum, as he changed his surname to distance himself from the family connection. He told The Times: “I wanted to do it on my own. Robert, my father, was always trying to get me to trade on the family connection.

“He never got the changing of the name. He would go, ‘Why don’t you change it back?’ But that was the choice I made. And I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I had gone back on it. It would have been like admitting defeat… I’ve always been a fiercely independent soul.

© Robert Wilson

“There are lots of people whose parents are in the business who might be able to say, ‘Yes, I got my big break because of who my parents are’. Great. The challenge is to sustain it. And if you’re not good, you’ll be found out. The job is fairly brutal like that.”

The actor has starred in many TV shows and films over the years, including Black Sails, Yes Prime Minister and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. His brother Stephen also starred in Black Sails as James McGraw, as well as Jane Eyre and Alex Rider.

© Robert Wilson

Speaking about their mum, Toby, and her relationship with his three children, he told the Daily Mail: “She loves, really loves, being around them. She was stern with me but around them, she is a real softie. That’s the privilege of being a grandparent — they can indulge the children while parents have to be the bad guy. Grandparents can also be subversive and naughty with them. And she certainly is.”

He added: “I have a policy with my mum – we both kind of think that the family acting thing is a bit naff. I cringe when I see that someone obviously thought, ‘Hey, we’re both actors, why don’t we do something together?'”