Outlander: Blood of My Blood’s Sam Retford and Bobby Rainsbury on Bringing a Timeless Romance to Life

Outlander: Blood of my Blood is built on the legacy of two couples: Julie and Henry Beauchamp, and Ellen and Brian Fraser. Yet the most fascinating couple of all is the one we didn’t see coming.

Born not out of love but duty, Season 1 forced Dougal MacKenzie and Maura Grant to marry in a hasty union between clans. This arranged marriage quickly developed into something more profound in Season 2 as the couple navigated family and loss with dynamic chemistry.

I recently spoke with Bobby Rainsbury (Maura) and Sam Retford (Dougal) about their process of bringing this bombshell couple to life and the pressures of continuing the Outlander dynasty.

With any spin-off, it’s never easy portraying a beloved character. This is especially true for Dougal, who left his mark on the Outlander series — and quite literally on Retford, who has inherited the difficult task of “growing” Graham McTavish’s signature beard.

“They’ve left it on! The glue that they used was so strong. We finished filming it almost a year ago, and I can’t get it off,” he joked.

While the Outlander legacy may materialize differently for Retford and Rainsbury, the loyal fan base has become a prominent focus for both actors.

“Originally Maura was just in the final episode of Season 1. So being asked to come back was a surprise and a shock,” Rainsbury said. “Being given the chance to mold this character that we’ve only heard about and never seen was such a treat. Wanting to do it justice for the people that have loved the show for so long is absolutely at the forefront of the work that’s done.”

“I found it the most daunting just doing right by what people had spent the last 10 years creating, and trying to do that justice. I mean, that’s quite daunting,” Retford added.

In the spirit of fan service, Blood of My Blood Season 2 Episode 6, “Small Mercies,” re-introduced us to a familiar adversary: Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall.

So, who else from the original series would Rainsbury and Retford like to run into?

“I think the children,” Rainsbury answered. But not the twelve fictional children Dougal envisioned Maura having — just one very important Scotsman. “When we meet Jamie, I just think that’s going to be a big moment.”

Rainsbury explained that the introduction may not be as “violent” as Black Jack’s, but it would be significant. “I think the moment where that comes to being, and the dynamic of the clan is around him — because we know of his precarious position in Outlander — and how that comes to be, I think that journey is going to be really exciting.”

Retford would love the opportunity to have his younger version of Dougal cross paths with a certain time-traveling descendant.

“I’d love Richard Rankin to cross paths with him. I just really love Richard, and I think we’d have really good fun. He did come and visit set one day, and it was really fun, but it’d be nice to meet my — what is he, my six-time great-grandson, or something.”

What’s particularly endearing about this MacKenzie/Grant duo is their refusal to mourn what could have been. Instead, Dougal and Maura have embraced marriage with a playful curiosity.

For Rainsbury, that’s part of the couple’s charm: “We have the romantic version of love with the two couples, and then you have something a bit more real, where you get yourself into positions which are quite funny and heated. It’s different every single time that we see them, and I think it’s so important because it represents life in a very true way.”

“Yeah, the choreography of all of it is something to discover, but it has to be based in reality, doesn’t it, Sam?”

“I think that’s such a good point, Bob,” Retford agreed. “I’ve actually never looked at it like that, that their situation is one that’s very grounded in reality. And they’ve made the most of their situation, right? And it’s quite an exciting thing, because the audience knows that these two fall so deeply for each other by Dougal’s reaction in Outlander to her passing.”

Retford went on to say there will be “loads to play with” between their wedding day and that reaction in the original series.

“She’s obviously someone who is so ingrained in his DNA and in his life. We get to take them from despising each other and not really standing being in the same room as one another, to that point, which is really nice.”

As a result of Dougal and Maura forging an unconventional love language during their time together on-screen, Rainsbury and Retford have also developed their own unique off-screen banter.

“Oh, we just have an absolute blast, don’t we? It’s just the most fun,” Rainsbury declared.

“You do. You have a blast. I’ve got to babysit you. Bobby has awful tantrums,” Retford teased.

“I don’t! You can’t start spreading these rumors; they’re quite rude,” she fired back.

At this, Retford cracked a smile in defeat before continuing: “Bobby is just the best. I mean, I’ve learned so much from Bobby. I felt like she brought such a different energy to the cast to come in right at the end, and then to have the privilege to get all of last year to work with her as well was — it was really lovely to become your friend, Bobby.”

“You too!” Rainsbury agreed.

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Outlander: Blood of my Blood airs Fridays on the Starz app and streaming platforms.

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