Outlander Season 3 Casting Announcement

It was announced earlier today that two pivotal roles for the upcoming third season of Outlander were filled.

First, young actor John Bell (The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies) will play Young Ian Murray, the nephew of Jamie Fraser (series lead Sam Heughan).

Young Ian is a tall, gangly Scottish lad with a heart of gold, a stubborn streak and a penchant for getting into trouble. Bursting with charm, he’s more like his adventurous, fierce uncle Jamie than his farmer father Ian — but when we meet him, he is still a very gawky boy. However, he keeps trying to prove that he is a man and we will see him grow into quite a formidable one as the series evolves.

And, actor Wil Johnson (Waking the Dead) will play Joe Abernathy, the friend and medical colleague of Claire Randall (series lead Caitriona Balfe).

Joe is a fellow doctor-in-training whom Claire befriends in medical school. Intelligent, charismatic, with a wry and irreverent sense of humor, Joe is a loyal confidant with great affection for Claire. He puts on a good face, but he is all too aware of his place in the Civil Rights era. Joe and Claire both feel out of place in the mostly all-white, all-male medical field, which bonds them together in a lifelong friendship.

The third season picks up right after Claire travels through the stones to return to her life in 1948. Now pregnant, she struggles with the fallout of her sudden reappearance and its effect on her marriage to her first husband, Frank (Tobias Menzies). Meanwhile, in the 18th century, Jamie suffers from the aftermath of his doomed last stand at the historic battle of Culloden, as well as the loss of Claire. As the years pass, Jamie and Claire attempt to make a life apart from one another, each haunted by the memory of their lost love. The budding possibility that Claire can return to Jamie in the past breathes new hope into Claire’s heart… as well as new doubt. Separated by continents and centuries, Claire and Jamie must find their way back to each other.

Thanks to the folks at Variety for the above details.  Outlander does not have an official airdate on Starz yet, but it’s anticipated to back in early 2017.

For more casting details for season three of Outlander, please see this casting announcement for who will play Lord John Grey.