Jamie Roy has officially won over Sam Heughan.
In the new Outlander prequel series Blood of My Blood, Roy plays Brian Fraser — the father of Heughan’s iconic character Jamie Fraser. Alongside Harriet Slater, he brings to life the love story of Jamie’s parents in 18th-century Scotland. Meanwhile, Hermione Corfield and Jeremy Irvine portray Claire’s parents during World War I, exploring another side of the beloved saga.
For Roy, stepping into such a beloved franchise was daunting. That’s why having Heughan’s support meant the world.
“Sam has been nothing but supportive since the very beginning,” Roy says.
One piece of advice from Heughan has stayed with him:
“I’ll always remember his advice,” Roy shares. “[He told] me just to appreciate every moment, even on the tough days, because it goes past so quickly.”
Heughan even attended the show’s Los Angeles premiere on July 28 — a gesture Roy truly appreciated.
“It meant a lot to me how much he enjoyed it,” he admits.
Interestingly, Roy was once in the running for a different role in Outlander.
“Looking back, I believe that everything happens for a reason. We have this saying in Scotland: what’s for you won’t go by you. And I really believe that is the case,” he says.
“I’m very glad it happened this way, for the obvious reason that the role of Brian Fraser is significantly bigger than militia man number one.”
He hopes his journey serves as encouragement for other actors:
“It serves as an inspiring story to other actors who may feel like they send their additions out into the ether and never hear anything back. Because you never know what is happening behind closed doors.”
On set, Roy says the experience was nothing but welcoming.
“Since the very beginning, I’ve had nothing but lots of love and support, not only from fans but also the showrunners Matt and Maril,” he says.
That environment, he adds, allowed him to explore Brian Fraser organically as the season progressed.
Roy also praises his co-star Harriet Slater, noting their instant on-screen chemistry.
“When I first met Harriet, I knew that we would get along,” he says.
“That friendship that started on the day of our chemistry test has only grown deeper as we’ve gotten to know [each other] and work together more.”
With Heughan’s blessing, strong fan support, and a genuine connection with his co-star, Roy’s journey into the Outlander universe seems to be off to a powerful start.