WE HAVE BREE! Starz announced the casting of one of Outlander’s most important roles today! Sophie Skelton is going to play Brianna Randall Fraser the daughter of Jamie and Claire Fraser. She is described as a newcomer and I have to say I’m glad to not have a lot of other roles competing with her portrayal of Bree. I read her IMBD and was tickled to find she has older brothers named Sam and Roger. LOL, it’s kismet! I was impressed with the fact that academically she could have chosen any course of study and chose to act. I think that bodes well for us fans and for her suitability to play Bree. It was exciting to put Sophie’s picture side by side with Rik Rakin who plays Roger Wakefield MacKenzie. We’ve waited a long time to see them together!
Read the rest of the article after jump!
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This couple’s casting has been almost as eagerly awaited as Jamie and Claire (gotta admit I’m pretty excited to see who will be cast as Lord John and wee Ian too). Bree and Roger are so very important to the rest of the series. So, I’m feeling pretty grateful that they didn’t rush to cast Bree! They took their time with Claire and look how well that turned out!
Funny, but today, when I thought of upcoming scenes, it wasn’t the great scenes between Roger and Bree or even Claire and Bree that came to mind. Instead, it was the scenes between Bree and Jamie.
My mind kept running scenes and dialogue of the two of them together. The delicate dance of those two trying to build a relationship was fascinating, so many mixed up feelings and longings. In fact, in my opinion some of the most moving scenes in the books are between and about those two. At least one left me choked with emotion and several others left me beaming with my eyes filling with tears of joy. Have I told you how surprised I am by how much these books resonate? Amazing.
Perhaps my own difficult relationship with my father contributed to my fascination with the relationship between Jamie and Bree. One the most poignant scenes I have ever read, in any book, is the scene where Jamie looks at Brianna’s pictures. He is so moved by what he sees that he is unable to even hold the pictures steady. With Claire’s help he makes it through the miracle of seeing the child he thought he’d lost forever. He then turns to Claire and falls apart in her arms. The depth of feeling revealed in that scene moves me to tears. He believes that Bree is a gift and blessing from God. When he learns his sacrifice bore the fruit of his daughter he is overwhelmed. This man loves his bairn just because she exists.
When Jamie is finally given the chance to be a father to Brianna she is an adult. She comes from a different time with different social and cultural mores and has loved another man as her father. We see Jamie navigate his way through these complications. Sometimes he gets it right and sometimes he doesn’t, but always he is motivated by his love and dedication to his child. She is aware of her father’s sacrifices for her and I believe she wants to love him. The scene when she first sees him says it all. At first, he isn’t as big as she thought he’s only man sized, but by the end of their first moments together she realizes he is everything she had hoped he would be … Her Da. Bree wants a close relationship with Jamie and she struggles to make that a reality. The specter of her late “father” Frank often stands between her and her Da and as a result they tread lightly and carefully always concerned about the other’s feelings.
The scene that left me choked with emotion was the scene where Jamie takes his devastated daughter into his arms. He holds her on his lap and croons his love, reassurance, and protection as if she was his little girl.
She hadn’t cried when she told me, either. But now she clung to him and wept, as much from relief, I thought, as from grief. He simply held her and let her cry, stroking her hair again and again, his eyes on my face.
Diana Gabaldon Drums of Autumn
So many happy scenes of the two discovering their similarities and differences to see, moments when their pride and delight in each other shines through. I want to see all the moments when their Fraser tempers and stubbornness get in the way and the tender moments when they swallow their pride and apologize because their relationship is more important than being right.
Welcome Sophie to our crazy clan. Bree is a wonderful character full of contradictions and charm. I can’t wait to see you bring her to life!
Love your words – – and am also looking forward to watching Bree’s relationships unfold, not only w/ Roger, but mainly Jamie, also Wee Ian, Jocasta and Lord John – – and hopefully, in the next new book with William. Thanks for your blog – – always enjoy!
I keep looking at the picture of Caitroina and Sophia side by side and find it completely believable that they could be related. The dyed auburn hair provides enough similarity to Sam but there is also something else in her features that truly makes her look like she could be the product of these two actors. I know it was a long and hard search to find Roger and Bree, but I trust that the search was a success and we have many incredible moments ahead if STARZ keeps renewing the series. Sophia is British, so I am looking forward to hearing how she does with a Bostonian access which is very specific.
I thought the same about the pics!
Well written. I am a little confused about Sophie/Brianna’s choosen eye color. In the book Claire was the one with brown or whisky eyes. Such a twist in the characters. I am sure I am missing something here.
Not sure it’s a twist just difficult to find everything! I’m sure that once we see her on screen her eye color will make no difference!
And too keep in mind that (if the director wants) colored contact lens work wonders to change a person’s looks. My daughter has red hair and wears blue contacts to accent her pale blue eyes. Totally stunning!
Agreed! I get seriously verklempt thinking about those scenes with Jamie trying to make up for 20 + years without his daughter, longing to know her and to be of importance to her life, both of them struggling to come to grips with the fact that she’s crossed oceans of time to get to him for te sane reason. I’m choked up just trying to verbalize that. I. CAN. NOT. WAIT!! (Ps Sam Heughan will KILL it- that is all )
This story just gets better and better!
I completely agree about the emotional impact of Jamie holding Bree on his lap and comforting her, but I really loved the humor too–Bree asks him to sing, and then she says “You can’t sing.” “Aye, that’s true. Shall I stop, then?” “No.” “Do you ken something yourself, a leannan?” “What’s that, Da?” “Ye weigh as much as a full-grown deer.” “Shall I get off, then?” “Of course not.” Then Claire states–Both stubborn, both strong. And both, thank God, mine. LOVE!
IKR! So much to love!
Wonderful insightful article again, Beth. I am looking forward to Bree finding out about her real Da, from Clair. That scene will be electric, especially with the gorgeous Richard Rankin, oops Roger, looking on, and falling more in love with her.
Love your work, from way down in Australia.
🌺🌺🌺🌺
TY! And graveyard scene 😳😩
You are such a gifted writer, Beth. I am so grateful to have discovered your blog. To my eyes, Sophie looks just like I pictured Bree and I am so anxious to see her with Jamie and Roger. April can’t get here soon enough!
TY!
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Well now you’ve done it Beth, all of those special scenes in one place, to be read all together! Gotta get control of my emotions before I can drink my coffee. Just finished re read of D of A, now on FC so Roger and Bree and the above are very much on my mind . Also watching crimson field. Rik is going to make an awesome Roger, and now with what I have seen from film clips, Bree, future seasons have the potential to be outstanding. Sure hope we get them!
Very exciting time to be an Outlander fan!
So excited to see Sophie as Bree!
That was lovely. Your blog is very powerful and poignant. Thank you
Thanks for reading!
I am awaiting the scene between Bree, and Jamie from “the Drums of Autumn”, where she quotes “Innisfree”. This scene makes me cry every time I read it. And yes, I would be much happier if Bree’s eyecolor was that of Jamie’s, but I am going to get right over it. Welcome Sophie Skelton! <3
Ohhhh! The Mickey Mouse scene too!
Thank you for another marvelous blog post, Beth. Jamie and Bree’s relationship is so very precious to me. I only hope they don’t cut those small, tender, quiet bits from the tv series because they aren’t ‘action packed’. That’s my one complaint with Ron’s choices – he doesn’t include enough of the quiet moments that are so lovingly and beautifully written by Diana in the books. So many of Bree and Jamie’s best moments are the ones you mentioned, and I want to see every one of them on screen.
As always, you speak what so many of us feel when you write. Thank you for your articulate and wonderful words.
THANK YOU
We are in for quite a ride ! It is almost Feb 1 so maybe 8 wks or so away from Season 2!
So sad that Jamie never had the opportunity to know Bree as a child and to grow to womanhood. Your blogs tug at the heart just as DG’s writings do. Jamie is as tender as one would want him to be…with the emotion he has in his heart for his daughter…not knowing she was…alive! I look forward to your writing…when I remember my twitter, I’ll send it!
Thanks for the lovely comments!
Wipes tears from my eyes. Geez Beth, you did it again.
😘
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My new post on Outlander Online! BREEEEEEEE!
How old is Sophia by the way?
I haven’t found anything yet!
Moving post Beth. Makes me so excited! I read that Sophie is 21. I bet Cait will be glad to have another female on the set.
I want to see the scene when Breannia meets her father for the first time.
I SO agree with you, Beth. Adjusting, rearranging, and consolidating need to happen for TV. But the scenes you mention are key to understanding both Jamie and Brianna and their relationship. I trust, based on Season 1, that the writers have done the relationship justice. BTW, like you I teared up just reading your description of those key scenes. Diana is an amazingly evocative writer.
Genius for sure!
Sophie is such a beautiful actress. I’m wondering how challenging it will be for Sam to portray his love and emotion without it seeming too romantic. Even though there is a difference in their actual age….physically they seem closer.
I’m sure he’ll be able. After episodes 15 & 16 I think he can make me believe anything!
Excitement bluiding, for several scenes with Bree and Jamie. Such as when she gives birth to Jem, and doesn’t want Jamie to leave her side.
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