John Bell: 'Outlander' Cast in Grief Acceptance Stage

Emotional Farewell for the Outlander Cast

The cast of Outlander has shared their reflections on wrapping up the final season of the beloved time-travel romance. Filming the eighth and last season was described as an emotional experience, but the actors are proud of the journey they've undertaken over the years.

Based on the best-selling fantasy novels by Diana Gabaldon, the show's finale aired on Starz and provided closure to the story of British World War II nurse Claire (Caitriona Balfe), her 18th-century Scottish husband Jamie (Sam Heughan), and the family they lived with in the American colonies during the late 1700s.

John Bell, who plays Jamie's nephew Ian, shared his thoughts on the emotional impact of finishing the series. "It's a victory lap, 100%. It's been a year-and-a-half since we wrapped, so there's been plenty of time to reminisce and process. What are the five stages [of grief] again? We're fully at acceptance now," he said in a recent Zoom interview.

Bell expressed satisfaction with his character's ending. "It's hard to sum up 10 years of this character development," he added. He also joked about the possibility of an Ian spin-off, saying he has some ideas if anyone is interested.

Izzy Meikle-Small, who joined the show as Ian's wife Rachel in Season 7, felt a deep connection to the Outlander world despite being a newer addition. "It's been a really wonderful experience that I'm super-grateful to have had," she said. "Rachel's arc has been great."

Meikle-Small reflected on Rachel's journey, noting that Season 8 marked her transition into womanhood, exploring her roles as a wife and mother. "I feel very happy for where Rachel and Ian end up," she added.

The Magic of Scotland and Love

According to Bell, one of the reasons viewers have remained captivated by the show for over a decade is the beauty of Scotland. "I think it was the Victorians that first fell in love with the castles of Scotland in a more romantic way, and that love has continued on," he explained.

"Scotland is its own character in the show, and then, I think, it's love, isn't it? It's such a pure love story and it's just portrayed with such care and passion by our two leads," he added. "They are our department heads, in a way. We look up to them and that energy, attitude, professionalism that they bring every day is inspirational."

A Bittersweet Finale

The final moments of the show saw Jamie and Ian heading into battle against the British, believing it to be the day Jamie dies, based on a book written in the future. Although the heroes win the skirmish, Jamie is shot by a captured prisoner and appears to die. Ian and the other men then kill the shooter.

Claire refuses to leave Jamie's body, and a series of memories from their lives play out as she mourns. This includes the mysterious Season 1 scene where Jamie visits Claire as a ghost before she travels to his timeline.

Returning to the present, it initially looks like Claire might have died of a broken heart alongside her beloved. However, both Claire and Jamie open their eyes before the credits roll.

Emotional Impact on the Crew

Executive producer Maril Davis described the emotional toll of filming the final season. "It was waterworks the whole season. I think I started at the first read-through and did not stop till the end," she said.

Davis emphasized the importance of savoring the moment. "My mindset going in was to 'Enjoy it, kind of understand this special moment you're in and sit in it and appreciate it.' And I felt I did that."

Show-runner Matthew B. Roberts found ways to cope with the sadness of the show ending. "That's the legacy — what that final wrap gift was," he quipped. For those who had been with the production since the beginning, a map of all the places they had visited was created as a token of appreciation.

Future of the Outlander Universe

Although the flagship series is complete, a prequel about Jamie and Claire's parents has been green-lit for a second season. There may also be future shows set in the Outlander universe.

Roberts noted the vast amount of material available. "There is a ton of material there and a ton of different stories that we weren't able to get to and we'd love to do more spin-offs," he said. "We've been talking about some just very recently. So, knock on wood, hopefully, we hear more about that."

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