WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Outlander season 7, part B
Scottish star Steven Cree has said returning to acclaimed series Outlander for its penultimate season was “a privilege”.
The 44-year-old star has reprised his role as Old Ian Murray, best friend and brother-in-law to Jacobite hero Jamie Fraser (played by Sam Heughan).
Cree was last in the show back in 2018 for an episode of season four before the show placed the focus firmly across the Atlantic on Fraser’s Ridge in the New World.
However, Cree has now made a return to Outlander with his character experiencing an emotional reunion with his son Young Ian Murray (John Hunter Bell).
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Cree said: “One of the things I liked most about it was going back now. The last time I was on it, I wasn’t a dad and going back and having the scenes with John Bell, who plays my son in it.
“I have hopefully a couple of lovely scenes with him that were really about being a father. I always say you don’t have to be a murderer to play a murderer or anything else, but actually being a dad and understanding about that and understanding what I would want to say to my daughter informed and really helped me.”
In the interview from last year, where Cree was also speaking about his show The Diplomat, he said: “I don’t think I’ll ever be in a show again that’s a worldwide phenomenon, so it been nice to be a part of that journey and it’s never been too all-encompassing for me.
“I’ve always had the opportunity to dot in and out, do other stuff. So it was a nice experience.”
Did he have to don a prosthetic again for war hero Ian, who lost a limb while fighting in France? “I’m sitting down mostly in it, so I wasn’t on the wooden leg too much.”
The star also addressed the departure of Laura Donnelly, who originally portrayed Old Ian’s wife and Jamie’s headstrong sister Jenny Murray.
He said: “To be honest, returning without Laura [Donnelly] wasn’t that weird because I hadn’t filmed with [her] since season three that was in 2017, I can’t remember.”
Actress Kristin Atherton took over the role of Jenny for season seven, part B when Jamie and Claire Fraser (Caitríona Balfe) returned to Scotland and Lallybroch.
Cree said: “And actually, Kristin [Atherton], who came in and played Jenny was so fantastic and my storylines [previously] in the show were mostly with Jamie and Claire. I never really had that much stuff with Jenny. It was fine.”
Reflecting generally on the Outlander effect, Cree said: “The show for me has become almost something else. I’ve done a lot of Outlander fan conventions over the years and the fans are so, so, so enthusiastic of the actors and they get behind every single charitable cause.”
He added: “I really wanted to make sure I was available to go back and do it as well. I wanted to go back as I know how much it means to the fans of the show because I’ve met so many of them over the years. It’s a privilege to be part of something like that.”
Outlander season 7, part 2 premieres Sunday, November 22 on Starz
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