It’s been 12 years and almost 100 episodes since viewers were whisked away to the sweeping hills of the Scottish Highlands in Outlander. For the cast, including Aussie star David Berry who plays Lord John Grey, a lot has changed in that span of time – on and off screen. But the time-travelling love story between Jamie and Claire, played by Sam Heughan and Caitríona Balfe, has never wavered in its appeal. Now, it’s time to say goodbye.
The adapted drama, based on the novels by Diana Gabaldon and set in the 1700s, has captivated fans the world over, many of whom are passionately predicting how the final season will end.
David Berry on coming home
For David, who has played Lord John Grey since 2017, the end of Outlander is bittersweet. He may be closing a huge chapter on his life but he’s also expanding upon another as he returns to Australia and, more importantly, his son, Alexander.
“We wrapped the show last year and I’ve been concentrating on family and being a dad,” David, 42, tells TV WEEK. “Obviously, the show took me away from family for quite some time and it’s important to me to be there for the things that I missed. It’s been wonderful to be able to do that.”
While the show isn’t appropriate for eight-year-old Alexander to watch – “definitely not,” David says with a laugh – he was thrilled to have him travel to Scotland during filming.
“He came to Scotland and we visited Stirling Castle and parts of the Highlands, and that’s one of the main attractions of the show,” David says. “The period detail is incredible in this show, but to be honest, it’s better appreciated more by the fans than my son – he cares a lot more about Pokémon right now! Maybe when his tastes mature, he’ll come to see Dad as a bit cooler than I am right now.”
Will Lord John Grey die in Outlander?
With season eight bringing his character’s arc to an end, David can appreciate how much Lord John – a secretly gay aristocrat, hopelessly in love with Jamie – has grown in his time on air, having navigated several ongoing hardships. It’s been a character to relish and, for fans, a man to love.
“John starts in a very uncertain place and is disillusioned with the world, then he finds a purpose through the Frasers that turns his life upside down,” David says. “There’s a huge growth in character. And then by the end of it – I was just about to say something that might have spoiled the final season! – but there’s another layer to him.”
That almost slip of the tongue doesn’t give fans eagerly awaiting his fate too much advance information. Similarly, when TV WEEK asked if, like many characters have experienced, Lord John will face a brush with death in the run-up to the finale, David’s answer was cryptic.
“I can’t tell you whether he lives or dies, but Lord John will live on forever,” he says with a smile.
David Berry on Outlander‘s legacy
What David can say is that it’s a long road back for Lord John and Jamie, whose friendship is complicated by recent revelations, as well as the unrelenting love the nobleman has for him.
“They’re certainly not friends at this point and a lot of healing needs to happen for that friendship to ever occur again,” David teases.
As for his own friendship with the cast, David says it’ll endure long after the credits roll – as will the legacy of Outlander, a bona fide phenomenon.
“There’s been a lot of life changes; the cast have been through marriages and kids born. We’ve been together a long time,” he says. “It’s been a great privilege to live with these characters and act with this wonderful cast and crew.
“We’ve become like family. And whilst I may not see them as often as I used to, they’ll always be part of my life. We don’t always see our family, but they’re with us all the time. I’m so lucky to have been part of it with them.”
Outlander is available now on Binge.
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