Jamie (played by Sam Heughan) fathered his love child William Ransom (Charles Vandervaart) with Geneva (Hannah James) during his time as an indentured servant at Helwater. Geneva died in childbirth and William was raised by his aunt Isobel (Tanya Reynolds) and her new husband Lord John Grey (David Berry), who gallantly married the lady despite his feelings for Jamie. Lord John has been caring for William ever since with the boy making sporadic appearances in Outlander.
Season seven will see William – now a grown man – with a greater part to play in the Starz historical series.
Canadian star Vandervaart’s casting was announced back in May and will be an intriguing addition to the show.
William doesn’t know his father’s true identity, believing it to be the late Ludovic Ransom, the Eighth Earl of Ellesmere (James Cameron Stewart) who was married to Geneva.
Jamie was blackmailed into sleeping with Geneva after she threatened to reveal his true identity as a Jacobite.
William Ransom and Claire Fraser in Outlander (Image: STARZ)
Jamie and Claire Fraser in Outlander (Image: STARZ)
However, his presence could prove to be problematic for Jamie’s wife Claire Fraser (Caitriona Balfe) with William being a constant reminder of his infidelity.
Skelton addressed how her character Brianna felt about the truth being kept from her both about Frank Randall (Tobias Menzies) not being her biological father and also her half-brother William.
She said: “I think she’s old enough to see past ‘lies’ now and looks more toward the reasons the lies took place.
“The lies protected everyone, including Frank. Maybe mostly Frank and that is something she will forever be grateful for.”
Jamie and Claire could be at odds in Outlander season 7 (Image: STARZ)
Speaking about how Claire feels about Jamie’s love child, saying: “Regarding William, again I think this is something that pains Claire to this day and it wasn’t really Brianna’s secret to know.
“Wishes on deathbeds were made and she was told when the time was right.
“I think she can respect both the value of a promise and the value of timing.”
Adding: “At first, and at the young and complicated age she was when she found it, it wasn’t an easy one for her.”
Skelton is now busy working on season seven of Outlander with filming taking place in Scotland and the show is most likely to be hitting screens in 2023 at the earliest.
Skelton said: “For now, more Outlander anyway! We have a fair few months left of that first so everything else afterwards is still early doors and under wraps at the moment.”
The star has most recently appeared in the tense psychological thriller Stalker in which she plays an actress who finds herself trapped in an elevator with a strange man, who turns out to know her – even if she isn’t familiar with him.
Comparing working on Outlander to the contemporary Stalker, Skelton said: “To be honest, it never feels hugely different.
“Once you’re in your character’s head and mind frame in specific situations, all the surroundings – eras, costume, setting – fades away.”
Skelton continued: “Unless, of course, it’s a scenario whereby those things are relevant and affecting the character at that time.
“Brianna, for example, she is thrust back into a time period that isn’t her own, so she is on constant guard when she’s not in the safety of her home and/or with family.
“Outside of those moments, she’s having to watch her language and watch that she doesn’t slip up and mention something too jarring to people of that time that could then be construed as witchcraft.”
