'Outlander: Blood of My Blood' cast talks prequel's interconnected romance

Get ready to travel even further back in time with the Outlander prequel series, Outlander: Blood of My Blood.

While the original series focuses on the time-traveling love story of Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) and Claire Beauchamp Fraser (Caitriona Balfe), the new Starz drama follows the dual love stories of Jamie and Claire’s parents across 18th century Scotland and World War I era England.

Jamie Roy and Harriet Slater, who play Jamie Fraser’s parents Brian Fraser and Ellen MacKenzie, say that similar to Jamie and Claire, their characters face obstacles that keep them apart. But the difference is how they fall in love.

“When Jamie and Claire are put together they're kind of almost forced together for certain reasons and then they realize they have this love for each other,” Roy explains. “Whereas when Brian and Ellen meet, it's from that first moment that they see each other in the stables they're like, 'Wow, there's something about you that I know is going to change my life.'”

The cast says the series’ built-in fanbase has already been so supportive, as seen by the positive reaction at San Diego Comic-Con and the show’s recent L.A. premiere. The original cast — which has wrapped filming on Outlander’s eighth and final season — has also been involved in passing the torch.

“Sam [Heughan] has been nothing but supportive,” Roy says. “He was texting me asking how I was getting on and everything, how was I handling everything and he's just been so, so supportive and I can't say enough how much it means to me.”

Outlander: Blood of My Blood, also starring Hermione Corfield and Jeremy Irvine, premieres its first two episodes Friday, Aug. 8; the show has already been renewed for season 2. 

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