Since its debut in 2014, Outlander has not only been one of the best shows on Starz, the historical fantasy drama series about a woman transported back in time to 18th-century Scotland has consistently been one of the most popular on TV in general. The continued success of the series can be attributed to its engaging story, high production value, and most of all, its tremendous cast.
But, even though the likes of Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan have continued to be mainstays of the series (and presumably will be for at least a little bit longer), other actors who found success as members of the Outlander cast have since left the show for one reason or another. With some of these faces that haven’t been around for a while, there’s a good chance you are wondering what they’ve been up to as of late. If that’s the case, let’s start a trip down memory lane ahead of the long-awaited Outlander Season 6.
Tobias Menzies (Jonathan ‘Black Jack’ Randall / Frank Randall)
For the first few seasons of Outlander, Tobias Menzies played dual roles on the series, one as Claire Fraser’s (Caitríona Balfe) husband Frank in 1940s England, and the other as his viciously cruel and demented ancestor, Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall. Menzies, however, would depart from the series in the fourth season when Frank was killed off (Black Jack died in the Outlander Season 3 opener). Since then, Menzies has been rather busy.
Since leaving the series, Menzies has continued to find success in front of the camera with his Primetime Emmy Award-winning portrayal of Prince Philip on The Crown, a run on the British comedy series This Way Up, and in 2021, on an episode of Modern Love, one of the best Amazon shows.
Graham McTavish (Dougal MacKenzie / William ‘Buck’ MacKenzie)
Graham McTavish was one of the mainstays of Outlander in the show’s first two seasons with his portrayal of the fearless (and feared) Dougal MacKenzie. And though the character would be killed off early on, McTavish returned as William “Buck” MacKenzie for a quick surprise in the show’s fifth season.
In the years since departing Outlander, McTavish has stuck with the fantasy drama genre with appearances on The Witcher Season 2 on Netflix and, in the near future, on HBO’s upcoming Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon. Since 2021, McTavish has appeared alongside his former co-star, Sam Heughan, on the Starz docuseries, Men in Kilts.
Simon Callow (Clarence Marylebone)
Simon Callow’s Clarence Marylebone, a.k.a. The Duke of Sandringham was a necessary evil in the early part of Outlander who had a little taken off the top when he treacherous ways were uncovered in the show’s second season.
The veteran film and TV actor has continued to land roles on high profile productions since his time on Outlander came to an end, with his most recent appearances being on Hawkeye as the ill-fated Armand Duquesne III, and then later on as Codringher on the second season of the popular Netflix series, The Witcher.
Duncan Lacroix (Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser)
Duncan Lacroix was one of the main members of the Outlander cast throughout the show’s first five seasons, and is remembered for his portrayal of Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser, the leader of the Regulators movement before being shot down by British forces.
Since leaving the show, Lacroix has kept a relatively low profile (when not posting about his travels on Instagram), but he is slated to appear alongside Graham McTavish in The Guest of Summer.
Grant O'Rourke (Rupert MacKenzie)
A lot has changed since Grant O’Rourke’s character, Rupert MacKenzie, was executed in Outlander Season 3, but the Scottish actor has remained rather busy in the nearly five years since leaving the show.
Over the course of the past few years, O’Rourke has been a part of several short film productions, including the 2020 short, Neville is Dead, in which he appeared alongside his son, according to his Twitter account. His other recent work includes Ladybaby and In Her Corner.
Nell Hudson (Laoghaire MacKenzie)
For much of the first four seasons of Outlander, Nell Hudson took on the role of Laoghaire MacKenzie, a woman whose obsession with Jamie Fraser was only matched by her hatred towards Claire.
In the years since her time ended on Outlander, Hudson has gone on to appear on the 2021 Netflix murder mystery series, The Irregulars, as well as the most recent entry in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, which also debuted on the streamer in 2022.
David Berry (Lord John Grey)
David Berry took on the role of Lord John Grey on Outlander starting with the show’s third season and struck up a conflicted bond with Jamie Fraser.
Once his run on Outlander concluded in the show’s fifth season, Berry went on to land a role in the Winding Road podcast series.
Steven Cree (Ian Murray)
Steven Cree played Ian Murray throughout the first four seasons of Outlander. Despite being a fan-favorite and one of the show’s most interesting characters, the actor is no longer part of the series.
But, this doesn’t mean Cree is done with acting. Heavens no, Cree is busy as ever with shows like COBRA and A Discovery of Witches, as well as movies like Martyrs Lane and the upcoming Shudder exclusive, The Twin. And, who knows, maybe he’ll mess with Sam Heughan enough to get back on the show in the future.
Edward Speleers (Stephen Bonnet)
At long last, Edward Speleers’ Stephen Bonnet got what was coming to him when he was shot in the head in Outlander Season 5, bringing an abrupt end to his reign of terror.
Since departing the series, the former Downton Abbey star has gone on to appear in the romantic comedy, For Love of Money, and the 2022 Netflix movie, Against the Ice.
Laura Donnelly (Janet "Jenny" Fraser Murray)
Laura Donnelly, who played Janet “Jenny” Fraser Murray on the first three seasons of Outlander hasn’t been on the show in a number of years, but has remained just as busy as ever.
Not long after leaving the Starz fantasy drama series, Donnelly landed the role of Hella on Britannia, a performance she then followed up with a lead role on The Nevers, portraying Amalia True.
Although a lot of these actors -- and the characters they play -- will probably never return to the Outlander cast, there's always a chance some of them (the living characters, anyway) return in the future. But while you wait for any surprising returns, check out CinemaBlend's 2022 TV schedule so you don't miss a thing (like the Outlander Season 6 premiere).
