Graham McTavish and Gary Lewis Join ‘Outlander’

Graham McTavish Joins Outlander
Graham McTavish (Photo Courtesy of Starz)

Graham McTavish (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) and Gary Lewis joined the cast of the original series Outlander airing in 2014 on Starz. The series is based on Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling books and will be executive produced by Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation). Moore also handled writing duties on the first two episodes, which John Dahl (Dexter, Breaking Bad) is directing.

Starz says McTavish will be playing Dougal MacKenzie, and Lewis has been confirmed to play Colum MacKenzie. The cast also features Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser and Tobias Menzies as Frank Randall and Jonathan ‘Black Jack’ Randall.

Filming will begin this fall in Scotland.

The Plot:

The Outlander series spans the genres of romance, science fiction, history, and adventure in one epic tale. It follows the story of Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743, where she is immediately thrown into an unknown world where her life is threatened.

When she is forced to marry Jamie Fraser, a chivalrous and romantic young Scottish warrior, a passionate affair is ignited that tears Claire’s heart between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

Dougal MacKenzie is the War Chieftain of Clan MacKenzie. His older brother Colum is the ruling Laird but would be nothing without Dougal, his loyal right hand. Dougal is a skilled and experienced warrior. A strong leader, he commands respect in any setting and is feared by many. Unlike his brother, Dougal secretly supports the rebel cause against the British.

Gary Lewis Joins Outlander
Gary Lewis (Photo Courtesy of Starz)

Colum is Jamie’s maternal uncle. He is a man who reigns over a powerful clan, but must rely on Dougal to be the true muscle. Colum suffers from a condition now known as Toulouse-Lautrec Syndrome, a degenerative disease that renders his legs immobile at times, and fills his days with great physical pain. Colum, using wine to dull the pain, is able to rise to the occasion when needed, parading around at clan dinners and gatherings, solidifying his position as clan leader.