Greetings, all Outlander fans! Writing from the Doubletree by Hilton Seattle Airport Hotel in SeaTac. KoKo and her trusty team are at it again with Outlander Vancouver/Outlandish Adventures (OV/OA) for a second time this year! The theme for the event is “Redcoats on the Ridge.”
January of 2022, an earlier OV/OA event was hosted by KoKo.com. If you want, you can read about the January event using this link.
My friend, Jody Kawamata-Chang of “Aloha Outlanders” flew in from O’ahu while I drove north from Oregon. We checked into our hotel late in the day and the next day went shopping!
First, to a nearby-by Trader Joe’s where pumpkins were half what they are in Hawaii! Sadly, no way for Jody to take one back to her home state.
Then, on to IKEA. Neither store is on the big island so Jo stocks up whenever she is on the mainland. (He, he. My shaka sign is backwards! Jo says, that’s because I am a tourist! 😇)
For the OV/OA event, masks were optional, but all attendees were required to present a negative COVID test within 48 hours of registration. We both passed our tests and wore masks, throughout!
Registration went quickly and smoothly due to friendly and helpful volunteers.
Our first panel was Friday evening. Five Outlander cast members entered the room to Queen’s “We Will Rock you!” shared their lives with us: First into the room with big applause was Tim Downie ( plays Governor William Tryon)!
Cutie Paul Gorman (plays Josiah and Keziah Beardsley) joined us!
Followed by Joanne Thompson (Amy McCallum)!
And, last but certainly not least! David Berry (plays Lord John Grey).
The cast took their seats on stage and the Q and A began!
Asked what they did the day before and, of course, they went to Pike’s Market in Seattle. This is a must-see of Washington state! One of the cast exclaimed, “They throw fish!” Yes, yes, they do! 😃
Apparently, their Uber driver was a fellow named Omar who promptly fell in love with Paul. He drove them all over for no additional fee.
David was asked how he got cast for Outlander. His agent sent him the casting opportunity. He got 10 pages of script! He submitted his demo reel. Got a call, “Can you be on a plane?” 😉
Tim was asked for any funny filming experiences. He played a small roll in the fifth film of the series, Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)! He was asked to film a polo scene because he had a bit of riding experience. He was put on a very small aggressive polo pony. A drone few overhead and a filming car drove next to him. Turned out everyone but Tim was an experienced polo player. He was terrified and the director, Michael Bay, commanded three more takes, ending with the comment, “You are a funny guy.” Tim was terrified! 😱
Joanne told us the role of Amy was the fourth time she auditioned for Outlander.
She auditioned for the woman who meets Frank in the bar and he who subsequently strangles (Outlander episode 108, Both Sides Now).
She auditioned for Roger MacKenzie’s sixth times great grandmother, Morag Gunn MacKenzie.
She even tried out for the part of Eppie the whore (Outlander episode 510, Mercy Shall Follow Me.) Psst…I am glad she didn’t get this part!
Finally, success! She snagged the part of Amy McCallum! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Paul worked hard to get a job after acting school. He had bit parts here and there. But then got a call to try out for the Beardsley twins. He and Caitlin had a chemistry test and it turned out great. They have become very close friends. He is very grateful to all the fans.
After the chemistry test for Caitlin and Paul was finished, Paul stepped out of the room and the casting person said to Caitlin, “Wow, you are really tall!” They also said Paul was “phenomenal” and reminded them of a young James McAvoy!
A few more comments included Tim stating he tried out for the part of Archibald Campbell! Why? Because he is “fluent in English!” 😂
The cast said their goodbyes and David was the first out the door!
On our way back to our hotel we met this odd security guard looking like a pear-shaped R2D2! No fooling, it is real. It toured the parking lot “looking” for problems. 😲
More posts to come about the delightful OV/OA event!
Greetings, all Outlander fans! I just returned from a three-day event (January 21-23), at Doubletree by Hilton Seattle Airport Hotel. Buckle up! This is a looong post!
This was the long-awaited 2022 Seattle Adventure (OVSA) sponsored by Outlandish Vancouver, an event that typically occurs every October in Surrey, B. C., but sadly was postponed due to COVID.
Just so you know, all attendees were required to be fully vaccinated, boosted, and show a negative COVID test within 48 hours of check-in. Fortunately, my roomies and I were good to go!
It loomed large for us three roommates arriving from Oregon, Hawai’i and Washington, respectively!Jody KC (O’ahu) and I were first to arrive.
My new acquaintance, but a friend of Jody’s, nurse Ally, joined us the next day!
Before the event even started, guest Steven Cree shared this clever video on Instagram. And, this was just the beginning of his wry wit displayed at the event!
Friday afternoon, we headed for the registration desk. Volunteers woman-ed the tables so registration was swift and efficient.
Soon, we walked away with lanyards, badges, and tickets for photos and autographs.
Barely got into the common room before this bad dude tried to steal my badge! Arrgh, matey!
We were reminded by Jamie and Dr. Claire to be careful of GERRRRRMMS, to wear our masks, to keep our hands clean, and to social distance where possible. But, dirty minds??? …. No problemo!
A lovely Vendor Row was open with Outlander-themed items for sale!
NOTE: Jody, Ally, and I pooled our memories, pen and paper notes, and nimble fingers working virtual keyboards to recreate the five panel discussions that follow. Hence, our “transcripts” are rough approximations of cast comments. Only the items in quotes are exact. Videotaping or audio recordings were strictly forboden at OVSA! 🚫
First Panel – Friday Evening
Koko Pipkin, the brains and force behind OV, was first to take the stage.
Koko introduced all seven cast members to a rousing ovation: David Berry (DB), Lauren Lyle (LL), Cesar Domboy (CD), Duncan Lacroix (DL), Sophie Skelton (SS), Richard Rankin (RR), and Steven Cree (SC).
The cast took their seats, set up in groups of 2, 3, and 2. But, Steven moved off to the side like he was hosting, AND TOOK OVER!! He didn’t dominate, though. Rather, he graciously asked each actor for their name.
He commented on how CD managed to look cool 😎 no matter what or where (Cesar wore shades – it was nighttime and indoors!). Yep, he is cool!
WARNING:
The audience was enthralled!
Steven served as fairly raunchy host so please bear that in mind before reading the following compilations of five different panels!
Steven kept the ball rolling and was nearly a one-man comedy show. He asked the cast for favorite things: RR: Richard loved the 2021 documentary “The Beatles: Get Back,” produced and directed by Peter Jackson.SC: Ten-year-old Steven saw Ted Neeley in the lead role of Jesus Christ Super Star in West End London. He instantly fell in love with theater! He was fascinated by Jesus and his story. “The epic-ness. I have seen the movie over 100 times!” DL: “A man gets lonely in the Highlands.” We had no idea what Duncan meant! 🤷🏻♀️
Audience questions were invited, fans lined up behind the microphone, and there were some good queries!
Q: What celebrities would you pay money to meet? DL: Graham McTavish offering to buy a round of drinks. SC: Ted Neeley the star of JCSS. “He was hung… Jesus.” 😳 DB: “Harry Connick, Jr.” LL: Best concert ever was Justin Bieber.
Q: Fav slang word or phrase: DL: “Orango” (referring to someone being an orangutan) SC: “Go take a flying fuck into a rolling donut,” “bolt yer rocket,” “tata subunit,” “your arse and parsley,” and “piss off!”
Q What kind of animal living or dead would you want as a pet? DL: “Rat.” LL: “Woolly mammoth.” SC: “Cross between a shark and angry chimp.” 🤪
Q: What celebrity would you like to meet in person? SS: “Taylor Swift.” LL: “Jesus.” DL: “I saw AC-DC at 12 y. o. Big impact!” (That wasn’t the question, Duncan!)😜
Q: Does costuming help and how does it influence performances? LL & SS: Corsets suck! They cause chafing, sore ribs and hips, and bruising. And, it is hard to eat wearing a corset!
Q: Will we see Laura Donnelly (Jenny) in coming seasons? LL: Laura will be coming back! What??? The audience went wild and then, it turns out, Lauren was joking! 😬 But, the cast all agreed that Laura’s return as Jenny is unlikely. 😢 SC: He met a lovely attendant on his flight over and had a nice chat. Next day, met same flight attendant at Pike Street Market in Seattle! “Incredible!”
Q: Fav leisure activities during COVID? SS: Long walks. Laura and Sophie then bantered about long walks – more than an hour? Less than an hour? It remains a bit obscure. CD: Playstation! He considers himself to be a master chiller. LL: Loves working with Cesar. They were on the phone or FT daily during lockdown. (They truly do enjoy a warm and wonderful friendship, like brother and sister!) CD: He and LL like the same food and eat off each other’s plates. RR: Likes Sophie’s laugh!
Q: Fav music: LL: Loves the S6 Outlander trailer music and any funky-pop-sync music. CD: Anything that sounds like melted cheddar to his ears. 😆 (Someone liked Jim Morrison in leather pants but I didn’t catch who. Sorry!) SS: American country music RR: Beatles and John Williams (Quite a range!) SC: Beatles and musical theater. Steven claimed he “feels music through his bones and out his ass, but that might have been Sam Heughan’s finger!” (I warned ya!) 😮 DB: Classical to jazz, all genre.
Saturday morning was devoted to photos with cast members. This is my favorite! 🥰
Many members of My Peak Challenge, known as Peakers, attended the conference. This is Sam Heughan’s training program. Later that day, we gathered for a group photo. All devoted to healthier living, exercise, and community!
Next Panel – Saturday afternoon: DB, DL & SC
Another Q and A session, and believe me, there was no paucity of questions. The fans came prepared! After introducing the guys, SC said we were going to start off with Koko stripping! (Puir Koko – she was such a good sport!)
Q: What was Murtagh thinking when Jocasta threw the glass of whisky in his face (ep 413, Man of Worth)? Please be specific! DL: Murtagh got tingly all over from head to toes and there WILL be something done about it! (Pssst…..There WAS something done about it!)
Q: Will there be a LJG spin-off? DB: I cannot talk about it. I cannot say. (Hmmmm….. 🤔) SC: You can see it at pornhub.com!
Q: Any line flubs? SC: Steven was waiting for the director to call “cut” after finishing a scene with Cait (ep 112, Lallybroch), but no one yelled “cut” so the cameras kept rolling. Steven was uncomfortable so he grabbed a head of cabbage off the table, handed it to Cait, and said: “Stuffed cabbage, Claire?” His clever ad lib made it into the show. Check it out!
Q: David, what happened with Lieutenant Leonard (Charlie Heitt, ep 313, Eye of the Storm)? Leonard was the de facto Captain of the Porpoise but Lord John addressed him as Lieutenant Leonard. DB: In the confrontation between LJG and Captain Leonard over whose power was paramount, David accidentally called him “Lieutenant” Leonard.This lucky slip-of-the-tongue was kept because it came off as intentionally putting Leonard in his place. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Q: What do all of you think of the way slavery was depicted in Outlander? DL: Duncan said he was uncomfortable with the way slavery was filmed and would have preferred if modern sensibilities had been added to the show.
Q: How did you cope with Outlander? DB: “Lots of alcohol!” SC: “All actors are insecure and want approval.” He prefers getting compliments much more than “You are a f**king shit!” And, flying from one continent to another is not a hardship.DB: Hard to take so much attention. We may need it but it is also difficult. SC: Graham likes being on a pedestal. (What???)
Q: What are you afraid of? DL: Water and diving lessons. “I am a – what you call it? Aquaphobe? Aquaphobic? I would overcome it if it were for a role.” (fear of water is aqua-phobia). SC: Sex scenes and horses. “Sex scenes are hard!” He told us “Outlaw King really taught me to respect horses. I’m like how is this gonna go?” He was referencing an epic scene involving horses, riders, and trees. A stunt rider fell off his horse and got dragged, and had to be air-lifted off set and replaced by another actor. Steven was scared he’d get hurt. DB: People who think you are competent in an area just because in a show you acted it! 😯
Q: Most awkward scene? DL: Sex scenes with Jocasta. He thought he would be on top. <G> “Keep moving” the director said. “Hope you enjoyed it , Jo. I know you are blind, but!” 😱 DB: Sex scene with someone you had never met before (ep 411 – If Not for Hope). This was the pantry sex scene wherein the director asked them to “settle it down,” they were making too much noise!
Q: David, will you bring back the podcast with Tim Downey?DB: No. They are done.
Next Panel – Saturday afternoon: Lauren & Cesar
The cheerful cuties came on the stage and we began another round of questions. This excellent format really engaged the audience and encouraged participation! Everyone seemed to love it!
(Psst…the photographer looks as if he is praying at the altar of Fersali!)
Q: Which scenes were ridiculously hard to film? LL & CD: The locust scene (ep 506, Better to Marry than Burn). It was all CGI and we had to shout “locusts” and beat the air with rags when nothing was actually there! CD: An intimate moment giving birth in S6. Which wasn’t awkward at all.LL: In S3, the boats were on rockers. Director would shout “wave!” They were supposed to scream and throw up hands as crew threw water on them. It felt ridiculous.
Q: What is the strangest thing you have been asked to autograph? CD: “Wooden hands.” 😁 LL: “Pictures of cats.” ( Apparently, lots of fans have named their cats, Marsali!)
Q: What do you look for in a new city? CD: Brunch places, good food. LL: Coffee – at Pikes Place Market, Starbucks on every corner, good burgers.
Q: How did you prepare for the birth scene in S6.LL: They haven’t really shown Marsali giving birth before. Maybe another baby is born and maybe it comes from me.We just look at each other and a baby appears. Actually, Lauren did a lot of research. Came across one 18th C. corset for nursing that had little wooden doors over the nipples – “ wooden doors for wooden hands.” 😅 CD: In S6 there is an intimate moment where Marsali is giving birth and Fergus is there. They had an intimacy coach for the scene. (Who knew?)
Q: Best attributes of the characters you play: CD: Fergus is likable and has a pure heart. How he handles trauma. LL: “No one liked Marsali, but I got people to like her and not Marsali-in-the-kitchen!” She has a real bite to her, able to hold her own. Fergus and Marsali choose to stay together because they love each other. CD: “I followed what Romann (Berrux) did to bring the freshness to Fergus and create an interesting arc from kid to a dark character.”
Q: Where do you go in the USA for snacks? CD: Shake Shack. Chocolate!LL: Mexican food in LA. – Cesar agrees.
Q: Why do you have such great chemistry: CD: We were hired at the same time. LL: “We were lucky.” Lauren received a text that she was supposed to get on a plane and be interviewed the next day. ”I got called to audition for Marsali with two other girls. I was trapped in London due to a terrorist closure of the airport. The casting director called saying the other two girls were trapped in London and we should all get together.” Lauren didn’t get on well with one gal, but thought the other did well. She went into the audition with a “whatever” attitude, and did the wrong thing. She auditioned for 10 minutes and didn’t think she did well. She heard later that Matt said, “THAT is Marsali,” after she left the audition. Incoming call the next morning – she got the part! (We were lucky, too!)
Q; Fav place you have been? CD: Scotland, Sahara Desert – special but rough. He got 4G in the desert! LL: Caribbean, lived in New Zealand.
Q: Jody’s question started off with a huge ALOHA. Cesar asked her about getting to Hawai’i – 5 ½ hours from Seattle – he was surprised how close! She offered to take him out if he came to the islands and he said he’d Instagram message her!!!
(Jody on her collapsible stool! She used it for photos with cast members. She is a wee lass)
Jody told Cesar and Lauren that she did not like either Fergus or Marsali in the books. Fergus was a “sexist pig” and Marsali was mean and only had kid after kid and why didn’t she listen to Claire about birth control? LL: Lauren said she worked to have us love Marsali, and indeed she did/does a fabulous job. We LOVE her portrayal of Marsali. CD: Buckle up in S6. Cesar said good things are coming up for Fergus in S6! Cannot wait! CD: He loves how Americans pronounce his name: See-zeror Say-Zar. He pronounces itSa-sar.
Q: What type of student were you? LL: Too chatty on report cards. She had a mean biology teacher. CD: Left school at 16 – a child actor. Cesar was told he needed to concentrate in school!
Next Panel – Saturday Afternoon: RR and SS
Q: Fav fun scene: SS: Anything with Jemmy (twins, Andrew and Matthew Adair, S5). She loves working with them. At the stone scene (Ep 511, Journeycake), he just wandered off! RR: Jemmy twins. Each time Jemmy reached for the tea kettle (Ep 508, Famous Last Words), Roger shouted, “no!” He said “kids were a nightmare” and told us when he yelled at the child actor (Andrew or Matthew), “NO!” using his scarred Roger throat, it terrified Andrew who recoiled saying “Don’t ever do that to me again!“
I caught a glimpse of firelight shining on the bones of [Roger’s] face, and then his expression changed in an instant, from wariness to horror. He lunged to his feet, mouth open.
“STOKH!” he roared.
SS: Sophie said Richard is only interested in two things: his camera and video games.RR: As if on cue, Richard whipped out a couple of his prized cameras from a bag. A discussion ensued with some audience members about his cameras, lenses, etc. He brought five cameras on this trip. He carefully handed one for Sophie to hold while demonstrating and explaining the other camera; all mechanical. She did a fab job as Vanna! He watched her like a hawk and even let her take a picture of us with his camera! He said her photo was “good.” (damning with faint praise!) SS: Sophie quickly said, “Hold it like a baby” and “Support the head!”as Richard was lecturing her on how to hold the camera and to be careful. (Like a daddy with his kid, aye?)
Q: Fav Outlander scene: RR: “I will always sing for you” from ep 508 “Famous Last Words:”
This is the quote from “The Fiery Cross:”
Roger: “Everybody wants the old Roger back. I’ll never be that man again. I studied history. I taught it. Now I’m livin’ it. When I saw that tarot card, I thought, ‘this is who I am now. A dying man.’ Maybe this was my fate. My own ancestor tried to kill me. Maybe I wasn’t meant to exist.” Brianna: “That isn’t true.” Roger: “Perhaps not. But I have changed. Remember when you asked me about my last words?” Brianna: “Yeah.” Roger: “I thought I knew what they’d be, but what mattered was the last face I saw. That face was yours.” Brianna: “Oh, Roger.” Roger: “I’ll always sing for you. No matter what, no matter where. Whether you’re there to hear or even if my voice isn’t able, I will always sing for you.”
Q: To SS, how did you prepare for the rape scene? SS: Sophie watched a lot of You Tube and court cases of rape. She wanted to portray her response as tonic immobility. The victim cannot fight because her body shuts down in response to the trauma. It occurs in women who feel the trauma strongly.
Q: What other character would you like to play in the TV show? SS: Jamie RR: Bonnet, Jamie and Roger (News flash – Richard, you already play Roger!) SS: Rollo RR: At which point, Richard states he f**king hates Adso. We both hate cats. Cats are dicks! 🤷🏻♀️
Q: What role would you like to play in another film/show? RR: Sophie is a “Friends” fan. She would be Monica.SS: Richard would like to play Gunther.
Q: Most awkward scene? RR: Filming the last sex scene of S5, Roger lost his privacy pouch.SS: Similar to a “nip-slip.” The camera man got right in between them during the filming. Very intrusive! RR: Richard said to the crew, “Sorry you had to see that.”
Q: How did you prep for the birth scene (ep 413, Man of Worth)? SS: She watched many videos of births. Most shows have the woman screaming but she heard low, animalistic sounds during childbirth videos. She was very interested in the birthing chair. One crew member told her she was sitting in it wrong – she needed to squat on it and face the back. Sophie said “Thank you for mansplaining to me how to give birth!” Major applause from the audience!
Q: We see your big beautiful dog on SM:RR: “I am right here!” 😁 SS: His name is Luca. He is 10 months old and 6’3” tall. Roger’s dog is Gonzo. During lockdown, Sophie took Luca and some friends to Richard’s house. She tried to get Luca to poop many times before the visit but no luck. Once inside, Luca pooped on Richard’s beautiful new multicolored, high-end carpet. The carpet has designs, but Luca went right on a white area! Her friend tried to clean it up but it just got worse. The cleanser contained bleach and soon it was apparent the carpet was Chlorox-ed. Sophie said: “Bye, we need to go!” Richard is silent. 🤐
Next Panel – Saturday Afternoon: RR, SC, DB, DL
These lads were in fine fettle! First question?
Q: Meet our mascot known as “Murtagh’s dildo.” (It is an ear of corn in an “upright” posture) …Will we get to hear Roger sing the corn grinding song in S6?
SC: WTF? 😂
Q: Which other Outlander character would you like to play? SC: BJR so he can do episodes 115 and 116 with Sam!DL: “Mark me!” Yep, he wants to play the Bonny Prince! DB: “Ian.”RR: DB would play a great Brianna! SC: People are complaining that Claire and Jamie aren’t shagging enough! (Steven was basically a stream of consciousness 😜)
Q: Not really a question but a comment praising SC for his work on men’s mental health. 👍🏻
Q: What nice thing happened on set? DL: “No one has ever said anything nice to me.” 🥺 DB: Carol Ann (Crawford), the dialect coach, helped David learn a lot of new lines quickly. She worked with him late into the night so he would be ready for filming. DL: I didn’t know she offered those services! SC: Carol Ann has no idea she is being implicated in a sex scandal right now! (David shakes his head – “Can’t say anything nice.”)
Q: How were you as a student? SC: Flew f-bombs all the time. When he was 10 y. o., a girl asked to get moved from his school table because he swore too much! DL: Went to a boy’s trade school that was rough. He faded into the background to survive. 😨 DB: Never got into trouble. Spent time doing music.SC: “Boo!” RR: At school, a four y. o. a girl asked him to stick his head under her skirt. He did and got into terrible trouble. Also, suspended for smashing a window. Always in trouble.
Q: Which actor would you like to work with: RR: Graham McTavish DL: John Sessions, who played Arthur Duncan, Geillis’ husband the pre-factor fiscal of Crainesmuir. SC: Tobiahs Menzes RR: Steven Cree, Tobiahs Menzes SC: “Everyone wants to play Jamie. He’s so wonderful. Blah, Blah: Eyes, arse, cock!” 😆
Q: How do you prepare for combat scenes? DL: Beheading the Duke of Sandringham (ep 312, The Hail Mary) took some preparation to get it right. Simon Callow was terrified. After the scene was over, Simon told the director, “Sam is a gentleman but that Duncan is a psychopath!” 🪓🩸
Q: How have things at Outlander evolved behind the scenes? DB: Feels bad he wasn’t in S1 because the fans are so nostalgic for it. SC: “F**king wonderful, a well-oiled machine!” RR: More efficient. Size and scale of all sets from S1 to present. All preserved and stored. Huge wardrobe department and armory.
Fan Comment: “David, thank you for portraying LJG with such sensitivity.” DB: It was tough to accept a part as a gay man because it was a big risk, but societal attitudes have changed. David tries to move the character in a slightly different direction so sexuality doesn’t define LJ – he tries to give LJ dimensions beyond his gayness to create a full human being.
Q: Did you have previous careers? DL: Plenty of jobs; hundreds of jobs in factories, cleaning roadways, etc. DB: A journalist. SC: Many jobs, worked in bars and restaurants and stuffed envelopes: he was a good letter licker! Wink, followed by a pregnant pause…. (Cheeky wee laddie) 😆 RR: Lots of jobs. Worked in Royal Bank of Scotland. Also sold kitchens and windows by cold-calling. If people were rude, he would say, “Oh, so you don’t want the round-the-world trip and hang up. Or, “ You don’t want your new BMW?” Richard was also a bar manager, and he quite liked that job.
RR: The one where Roger goes back home to Inverness and settles down with a nice girl. DB: “The first episode I was in!” (ep 303, All Debts Paid) SC: “Episode one! Cunnilingus in the first 13 seconds!” They call it “downtown Frank!” 😱
Next Panel – Saturday Afternoon: CD, SS, LL
Q: Lauren, how did you prepare for the face plant (ep 511, Journeycake)? It looked so realistic! LL: At first a stunt woman was assigned to do the face plant, but Lauren decided she wanted to do it. The brick floor was replaced with a padded surface that only looked like a brick floor. She fell from a kneeling position. The first time hurt despite the padding. Then the stunt woman suggested Lauren let her shoulder take the impact, and that did the trick!
Yep, that was Lauren! 👍🏻
Q: Will we see Loughaire again?LL: Would love to work with Nell (Hudson) again. She only worked with her in one episode (ep 308, First Wife). No one knew if she will be back. Book readers know! Wink, wink. 🤞🏻
Q: Where will the S6 premier be held? Dead silence. No one would say. SS: Can you go to London? Wink, Wink, Wink!
Q: Do you like to do your own stunts? CD: He does his own stunts and uses his wooden hand as a weapon. He did a movie about free diving. He says it was terrifying just to stay alive. They were breathing through a straw and he suffered lots of panic attacks. Cesar learned to dive for the show, and he was scared! The untitled thriller will be shown on Netflix-France. LL and SS: Both want to Tom Cruise it.
Q: New projects other than Outlander? LL: Plays a detective in Karen Pririe, a series out this fall. She takes on a cold case of a murdered bar maid (ITV). CD: SAS Rogue Heroes where Peaky Blinders meets “something” (unintelligible) – on steroids! SS: A film with Diane Keaton is next – a ballet movie.
Q: Does your family watch your Outlander performances? SS: Yes, her family does watch, but not her friends. CD: His friends are disappointed in his choices. He asks Lauren to watch his performance and tell him how he did, “I’m too scared!” He doesn’t like to watch himself after doing his roles. SS: Richard does the same thing –“You just watch them for us.” LL: Friends don’t watch the show. Her 90 y. o. grandpa read the books but said “There are things I have to pass over.” (He has since passed) SS: Sophie was staying at her brother’s house and the neighbors showed films (including Outlander) outside on a huge garden wall. Her sister-in-law told Sophie to distract her brother not to look out the window – they were showing her sex scene with Richard.
Q: Favorite and least favorite set: LL: Hated Wilmington because it was wet and cold. Loved South Africa! CD: Loved their wedding scene (ep 311, Uncharted).
Cesar also shared that when he and Richard rode into Brownsville, the “mud movers” had made the road muddy. They were supposed to get off their horses as if heading to kick ass but were slipping all over the place.So instead of manly marching down the street, they had to take baby steps so as not to slip. In Cesar’s lilting French accent, “ It was so hard to be cool walking down the street because we were slipping in the mud.” He demonstrated that, and it was hilarious. Also, Richard fell getting off his horse!
Q: Have you taken anything from the set? LL: I have the wedding ring. She also wants a pot or crockery from their new cabin (!) in S6. CD: Hard to take anything. The crew is on it! SS: “I almost took the pearls!”
Q: How was it to work at night on episode 512, Never My Love? CD: It was like a dance. Very cold in the forest. And, you would never be in a forest at night. Super intense. High stakes.
Q: Do they send assessment emails after filming? SS: Yes, we get emails about what we can and cannot say. Publicists are clear about our talking points.
They all seemed pretty weary, which is why Steven might have quipped:
SC: Are you sick of us yet? Safe to say, “you can go fuck yourselves!” SS: “You guys rock.” RR: “What happens in Seattle……” DL: “Absolutely amazing. Duncan is going to have a long, very intimate adventure in the fog,” (very foggy out). SS: “Thanks to all of you!” RR: “Thanks!”
Q: How has your life changed during COVID? RR: More drinking home alone. Gonzo (his dog) drank with me. SC: Raised more money for “Cash for Kids” and “masturbating!” What??? LL: Long evening walks to clear my head. CD: Play Station, drinking alone, and more gym work. DB: Getting to know his 5 y. o. better. They threw a lot of tantrums together.
Q: What is your favbody of work? RR: Black Watch; Philomont SC: Cabaret in 2007, West End in London, and The Little Princess DL: “One man underneath the Lintel.” Seen by five people! (Duncan might have meant “Underneath the Lintel?”) LL: Karen Pririe! CD: His first film at 13 y. o. “My favorite show I’ve ever acted in was my first because my mom was so proud of me.” DB: His fav is the one yet to come. He loves the freshness.
Just two questions and then it was over! And, just like that, they bid us farewell! 👋🏻
An hour or so later, I hopped into my trusty Subaru, and headed for Oregon. It was a beautiful day and Mt. Hood looked spectacular!
Welcome to Anatomy Lesson #63, The Measles, or as Herr Mueller would say, the “measle.” This topic is timely as measles has raised its ugly head in recent outbreaks around the world. As usual, this lesson combines Outlander book quotes, TV series images and science. I hope you find it interesting and useful!
Outlander episode 405, Savages, begins with a sweet harlequin doll removed from a shelf and wrapped in a checkered cloth. Gerhart Mueller and son Tommy are in Cross Creek, purchasing a gift for an expected grandchild. Remember the doll as we will return to it later in the lesson.
Meanwhile, at the Mueller cabin near Fraser’s Ridge, Dr. Claire has delivered a new baby girl, Klara. Grandmother, Rosewitha, and widowed mother, Petronella softly croon:
Thy Mother shakes the little trees,
There Falls down one little dream.
Sleep, baby, sleep!
As always, Outlander books provide for our lessons, this time, measles. <G>
Days after delivery, Pastor Gottfried appears at Fraser’s cabin with terrible news. In Drums of Autumn book, Lord John Grey is already a guest at Fraser’s cabin, has measles and serves as interpreter:
“Do you know a family named Mueller?”
“Yes,” I said, immediate alarm flaring at the name. “I delivered a child to Petronella Mueller, three weeks ago.”
“Ah.” Grey licked dry lips and glanced at the ground; he didn’t want to tell me.
“The—the child is dead, I am afraid. So is the mother.”
“Oh, no.” I sank down on the bench by the door, swept by a feeling of absolute denial. “No. They can’t be.”
“He says it was Masern; I think that would be what we call the measle.”
Slightly different sequence, but in Starz episode 406, Blood of My Blood, Lord John and son William arrive on Jamie’s doorstep for an unexpected visit. Surprise!
Claire is less than happy but tables those insecurities after Lord John falls ill. She hastily summons her best doctoring skills for her imagined rival.
Did you pass through Cross Creek on your journey? Yes, he did.
Open your mouth. He does.
Feels his jawline. Ow, that is tender.
Palpates his neck. Yep, swollen lymph nodes.
Orders Jamie to take his biological son, William, on a prolonged camping trip.
Buh bye, boys!
Open, says me!
Swollen lymph nodes in the neck!
Jamie is instructed to whisk William away because Claire has correctly deduced that LJG has contracted measles and is highly contagious!
Her diagnosis is correct and soon she is caring for a very ill, Lord John.
fever ✔︎
dry cough ✔︎
red, watery eyes ✔︎
headache ✔︎
rash ✔︎
Fever
Cough
Blood-shot eyes
Headache
Rash
All of this nursing causes Claire to muse (Drums of Autumn):
Nursing is hard work, and all of a sudden I was bloody tired of it.
Nevertheless, Claire honorably attends to Lord John throughout the course of the disease. As he leaves Fraser’s Ridge with Willie, she admonishes him to get plenty of rest and to eat squash, carrots and liver. He rewards her with a look of amused disbelief. Whaaat? Why? Read on.
OK, that is a quick review of the two episodes. Now for the science. Yay!
Cause: Measles is a disease of humans (no known animal reservoir) caused by the measles virus. Measles is also known as morbilii, rubeola, English measles or red measles. Sometimes, measles is confused with rubella, the German measles, or with roseola, but these are different diseases caused by different viruses. What’s with all the R’s???
The measle virus is a tiny innocuous-looking entity belonging to the Paramyxovirus family. Image A shows an electron micrograph of a measles virus. Understand, the colors are not natural, these are computer-generated.
Image A
Exposure: Measles is a highly contagious disease contracted by contact with an infected person. Virus particles become airborne in droplets from coughs and sneezes or via contact with saliva or nasal secretions. The next victim breathes in the droplets or touches the secretions then unwittingly transfers to nose or mouth.
Measles is so infectious, 90% of people who share the same living space (and are not immune) will become infected! (psst…not sure how Willie escapes the measles after sharing a bed with his father at Fraser’s cabin, but he does)
Once inside a new host, the measles virus binds to and infects cells lining the respiratory tract. The virus hijacks these cells to make new viruses which then seed lungs, blood stream and other sites such as GI tract and brain.
Symptoms: Symptoms typically last 7-10 days and appear in two phases:
Phase 1: symptoms appear 7–14 days after exposure. Lord John exhibits all but the runny nose! Sniff.
Phase 2: symptoms appear 2-5 days after phase 1. Lord John exhibits both.
Koplik’s spots (2-3 days after phase 1)
flat, red rash (3-5 days after phase 1)
A few comments about the last two symptoms.
Koplik Spots: Koplik’s spots are small white bumps scattered on the oral lining opposite 1st and 2nd molars (Image B). These are pathognomonic (specific) for measles. They may also appear on the roof of mouth, explaining why Claire peers directly into Lord John’s oral cavity in ep 406 (see image above).
In Drums of Autumn, Herself includes Koplik spots in Claire’s diagnosis:
I wrung out a cloth wetted with elderflower water, and wiped Grey’s face and neck. There was no rash yet on his face, but when I made him open his mouth, the small whitish Koplik’s spots on the lining were clear enough. “Yes, you have got the measles,” I said. “How long have you been feeling ill?”
Note: In the episode, this symptom is wrongly timed because Claire sees Koplik spots early on. However, these spots don’t appear until 2-3 days after phase 1 symptoms. Because of the latency, they are often missed by practitioner or parent. But, no biggie. Say, ahhhhh!
Image B
Rash: 3-5 days after phase 1 symptoms, a flat, red rash appears on the face and then spreads to the rest of the body. Understand that victims are infective for at least four days before and four days after the rash – not just during the rash. Ergo, we must hope that Jamie and Willie spent at least 8-10 days foraging in the woods!
Image C is an archival photo of the typical measles rash. This puir little lad is covered with measles rash and feels poorly.
After Care: Generally, after care is the same for other communicable diseases: rest, hydration, etc. However, Claire admonished Lord John about his diet, remember? Here’s why.
Vitamin A therapy is recommended to reduce the risk of blindness from the measles, although it neither prevents nor cures the disease. Liver (yuk!), squash and carrots are high in Vitamin A or Provitamin A which is why Claire recommends them to Lord John. However, Vitamin A is only present in animal-sourced foods, such as liver. Provitamin A is high in squash and carrots but our genetics determine whether we can convert this compound into usable Vitamin A. Some can and some cannot, so supplements may be employed. Complicated!
Image C
Fomites: Fomites are inanimate objects or materials that transmit disease. After ep 405 aired, some fans blamed the doll for carrying measles to the Mueller household. Nope. The measles virus can survive on inanimate surfaces for a maximum of 2 hours. Cross Creek is miles from Fraser territory, so the chance the virus survived on the surface of the doll is basically, zero.
I pointed this out to a FaceBook group which was hell-bent on blaming the doll for infecting the Mueller family. One fan responded that Outlander was a fantasy so, if she wanted the doll to be the carrier, then it could be. I agree with her, Outlander is fiction … but, measles is not!
The most likely source is Tommy Mueller. Why? Because both his parents had contracted measles years before and have lasting immunity (with few exceptions). Tommy was probably exposed in Cross Creek and unwittingly brought the virus to Petronella and baby Klara. Remember, a person is infectious some four days before the rash appears. Make sense? Yay!
Measles Complications: Just so you know, in addition to typical symptoms noted above, measles may cause more serious problems, including:
diarrhea
middle ear infection
pneumonia
seizures
blindness
inflammation of the brain (encephalitis)
death
Passive Immunity: Mothers who are immune to the measles virus pass antibodies against the virus to their offspring while still in the womb.Such antibodies usually confer newborn infants some immunity against measles, but these antibodies are gradually lost over the course of the first nine months of life.
Which brings us to the topic of vaccines!
Vaccination: This is a loaded topic, but must be addressed. Please don’t run away, anatomy students!
For 150 years, between 1855 and 2005, measles likely killed about 200 million people, worldwide. Vaccination saw a 75% decrease in deaths from measles between 2000 and 2013 alone, with about 85% of children worldwide being currently vaccinated
In 1968, Maurice Hilleman, a US microbiologist, developed an effective vaccination against measles, part of the MMR regime still administered today (Image D). A moment to honor this prolific scientist who developed 40 vaccines of which 8 are still currently used. Thank you, Maurice!
In the Pacific Northwest, where I live, 76 new cases of measles have been verified in the first two months of 2019, most occurring among unvaccinated children under the age of 10.
Although a different disease, an Oregon child recently contracted tetanus, the first case in over 30 years! His hospital stay (at my university) was 57 days, cost almost $1,000,000 and required 100 nurses and doctors for his care. They turned for advice to other parts of the world because none had ever seen the disease!
Have you guessed? The boy was unvaccinated. And, amazingly, his parents refused to vaccinate him even after his ordeal (tetanus does not confer lasting immunity to its victims). Let us not forget that the poor child was extremely ill with involuntary contractions of his spinal muscles and other issues.
One reason my area of the US has been hit hard by measles is Washington and Oregon allow parents to opt out of vaccines based on undefined personal beliefs. The outbreak is causing a review of this policy perhaps to allow minors to make their own decisions about vaccination or to end non-medical exemptions all together (New Scientist, 23 Feb., 2019).
Why are folks shunning vaccinations for their children? Well, some are afraid to do something they may regret. Some believe vaccines are the way a nefarious government could do harm. Some don’t want to line the pockets of big Pharm (less than 2% of their earnings coming from vaccines). Still others believe the disproved theory that vaccines cause autism.
Image D
Herd immunity: Understand that in order to prevent an outbreak, a certain percent of the population must be immunized. This is known as herd immunity. For measles, this is 90% of people. Remember, there are always members of any community, such as the immunosuppressed, who cannot receive vaccinations. Thus, it is crucial that healthy members of a community be vaccinated.
If you are unsure about vaccines, perhaps this TEDX talk will help. At the very least, it might give you food for thought.
All in all, ignorance serves humankind rather poorly, in my view.
Gerhart is a perfect example: the man thought measles was a curse brought on by savages so he exacted his revenge upon their healer, Adawehi (Nayawenne). Here from Drums of Autumn:
“They are dead,” he said. “Mein Mädchen. Mein Kind.” Tears welled suddenly in the bloodshot eyes, and ran slowly down the weather-beaten grooves of his face. The misery in his eyes was so acute that I reached out and took his huge, work-scarred old hand in mine.
…Her name meant. “It may be; it will happen.” Now it had, and all that was left me for consolation was her words: “She says you must not be troubled; sickness is sent from the gods. It won’t be your fault.”
Conclusion: Measles is a dreadful, highly contagious disease which has significance for individuals, their families and greater communities. It is not a new disease. For perspective, consider its description by the Persian physician Rhazes in the 10th century – he deemed measles “more to be dreaded than smallpox.”
OK, enough about heaviness. On a happier note, let’s close this lesson with serious kudos to the makeup artist (Ann McEwan?) who created Lord John Grey’s “measles.”The special effects were terrific and convincing.Armed with spray and sponge, she managed to produce a red rash typical for measles!
BTW, the application was done on David Berry’s birthday so he had birthday cake and rash. Brash!
Lord John, you be a handsome dude, measles or no!!!
For the OV/OA event, masks were optional, but all attendees were required to present a negative COVID test within 48 hours of registration. We both passed our tests and wore masks, throughout!
Greetings, all Outlander fans! I just returned from a three-day event (January 21-23), at Doubletree by Hilton Seattle Airport Hotel. Buckle up! This is a looong post!
Open, says me!
Fever
Cough
Blood-shot eyes
Headache
Rash
