Outlander Is Finally Casting Brianna — and Why the Timing Is Verra Interesting 

We have a feeling there’s about to be a run on red hair dye in Hollywood.

 has issued a casting call for Brianna, which TVLine has exclusively obtained. And if you don’t want to be spoiled about what’s ahead on the Starz series, get yerself outta this wee post now.

, on which Season 2 is based — involves a huge time jump and introduces Claire and Jamie’s ginger-haired, statuesque 20-year-old daughter Brianna… whose last name happens to be Randall.

Scenes (*If Your Boss Isn’t Looking)

The official character description describes Brianna as a young 20-something American who’s “strong-minded, intelligent beyond her years with an effortless charm and sparkling sense of humor (traits inherited from both her mother and father. She also has a scholastic mindset, with a healthy dose of American strength, having been born and bred in Boston under the watchful eye of professor and historian Frank Randall.”

The part also calls for tall (5’8″ and over) actresses who can play Brianna as “earthy and grounded and not girly” but “with the inexperience and vulnerability” that accompanies being a rather young woman. Hair color isn’t an issue; the notice explains that the series will dye if necessary.

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Here’s the biggest potential diversion from the books: Brianna, who’s sometimes called Bree, is introduced at the start of the second novel in 1960s-era Scotland. But the casting notice states that “Brianna has secretly followed her mother back in time to find the father she never met and the family she never knew” — which 

, confirmed that the casting process is underway. “Fans of the books will know that [Brianna] first appears in the second book, 

, which corresponds to the season we are currently filming, but continues on to have several major storylines as noted in the casting search,” Sony said in a statement.

With all of that in mind, who do you think should play Brianna? And can the casting of Roger be far behind? Do you have thoughts on the (possible) timeline condensing? Sound off in the comments!

Don’t understand how they will pull that one off.

So glad they are finally casting Brianna!!! That is a weird twist though with it already saying she follows Claire back. But does explain why she wasn’t casted yet for season 2 since the first half is the Paris story. So maybe the 2nd half starts in the 60s and showing Claire and Brianna go back to find Jamie together. Guess we’ll know more if/when Roger is casted too. The show has been following the books very closely so would be interesting if they do change things, but I still think they’re just moving the order of what happens in book 2 so it’s more from Claire’s timeline of events.

I think it should be me. I look younger than I am and already have red hair although I may be a slight too heavy.

Hmmm. Spoiler heavy post here…Perhaps the writers have figured out a way to weave Brianna into the action earlier in the series since she is largely absent in Book 3. Would take some major detours from the books (not to mention how Roger fits in), but can see why they are considering it.

and right in the beginning of the article she wrote this “And if you don’t want to be spoiled about what’s ahead on the Starz series, get yerself outta this wee post now.”

Depends on how they are introducing the Paris story. Because we book readers know how we learn the story from Claire – she’s relating it to . . . . Maybe we won’t see much of Bree in this second season. But if they already cast her, they can have a few scenes that fall in line with the structure of the books.

Amber or Jane Levy. I’m just tired of waiting. But, the 6 footers that have been suggested like the girl from Downtown Abbey are not arrestingly beautiful.

An actress who played Holly this past season on the hit show Power, would be worth an interview. She is tall and has the light blueish eyes and red hair. Her build is like “Claire’s”, sorry I can’t remember her name just now!

I think Molly Quinn would be great, too bad she is only 5’5″.

Ok is an American actress is cast as Brianna as she was brought up in Boston but the actor for Roger better be Scottish or I will not be a happy bunny

I thought when Gaia Weiss joined the cast she would be Brianna – she’s actually pretty perfect for the role, but apparently she’s playing someone else.

As for the storyline, I think that they put that line in about Bree following Claire back in time as a heads-up for any actresses applying that they will be required to do “period” work. Not every actor is able (or willing) to play older time periods. Some do better at it than others. Also, as a woman, the costumes are very different. There’s the obvious corset but there are also layers and layers of clothes that can be quite heavy. I think I read somewhere that Claire’s wedding dress was more than 40 pounds!

SPOILER: I think that they won’t send Bree back until Season 3 or 4 because there is a whole storyline with Roger in the 1960’s that develops their relationship to the point that he’s willing to follow her into the past.

Debra Ann Woll (true blood and daredevil) is close to what’s in my head. Could Bonnie Wright pull it off?

I think Bonnie Wright would be a great choice. If you put her pics up against Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan, she does look like a mix of them both.

Debra Ann Woll would be great too – and she is American and TALL. She’s 30 though – too old maybe?

We all expected a diversion from the book but I hope they give time to the finding of ‘the Grave’ & Brianna’s strong reaction to the news of her birth. I realise they do not have time to show all the build up to the reunion but that was a pivotal & moving part of the story.

My hopes are high for the casting department to choose a strong and believable Brianna. They’ve done so well with just about every other character so far. I’m just worried about some of the U.S. actresses I’ve seen being suggested for this major role.

Whatever happens story-wise I also have to have faith in Ron & the writers not to stray too far from the core material.

I’ m really looking forward to Season 2 as all the bits they have allowed us to see so far look amazing.

So fingers crossed & everything else I can manage!!!

I’d be fine with Debrah Ann Woll or Karen Gillan.

I’m now reading book 8, totally in love with this serie and don’t whant finish it! 😔

Love you all and send kisses from Paraguay, South America

So if they are going to deviate from the books, does that mean I don’t have to read the rest of them? Because I think I’m the only person on the planet that didn’t enjoy the first book even a little bit. I did enjoy the show, and I’d planned to read book 2 before the 2nd season starts. But the second book has been lying on my end table for over a year and I can’t make myself pick it up.

Wow. I am surprised. What didn’t you like about it? Was it too detailed? I know the show wasn’t able to include everything that was in the books. Did you watch the show and then not like the differences?

That is just so interesting. I’ve not heard of anyone who didn’t like the book. In fact, most like the book and hate the changes made for the show.

No, I read the book, hated it, then watched the show and enjoyed it. I’ve met a few others that didn’t like the books, but I know I’m in the minority. I think I would have enjoyed it more if they had more of the back and forth between the two worlds…present and past. It just wasn’t my cup of tea.

You must continue to read. In the 2nd book it explains a lot .. Don’t sell yourself short girl lol

– KAREN GILLAN!!! (Unless she’s off filming Guardians in the Galaxy 2… but even still!)

Naw, she is hot but she can’t act for toffee . This should be for real Thespians.

Just because they put that description in the casting notice doesn’t mean that the character will do that in the second season. You’re trying to connect dots that aren’t there to connect.

Rose Leslie – she is just too short at 5’6″ and Brianna’s height is so integral to her character.

So excited to see Briana being cast! She has such a powerful role in the story. I am looking forward to (hopefully) seeing the scene between her and Jamie, where they face off, nose to nose, arguing in Gaelic! Of course, if it follows the order of the books, that will be a few seasons down the road.

I’m also keeping my eyes peeled for the casting of dynamic, handsome, enigmatic Roger. I have a feeling he will steal my heart when I see him, although Jamie will still hold onto quite a chunk of it. ;)

Best of luck to the casting agent! I’m sure you will do an excellent job, as usual.

The casting for the Outlander characters has been great. I have the greatest confidence that they will not disappoint with a strong striking Bree. The change in time for when she meets her father is still twenty years later, so I don’t think it makes that much difference for the story.

It is her strength of character that matters – her father’s daughter, and everyone can see him in her.

I think that they are trying to give a heads up that whoever gets the part will have to commit for a few years. Also it sounds like a hint that they are already planning on more seasons even though Stars hasn’t committed to more than two.

Sharon Belle as Brianna! 6’2″ and looks like Cait!

If I were the writers, I wouldn’t bring Brianna in until the last episode of season 2. I would set it like this:

–Episode 12 would be what happens with Dougal at the house, Jamie and Claire saying goodbye, and ends with Claire closing her eyes as she passes thru the stones

–Episode 13 would follow Jamie to the battlefield after leaving the stones; there would be a big fight and then he falls down injured (and presumably dead). The ending of the episode and season would be Claire opening her eyes after the stones…you think she’s waking up in 1940’s, but really she’s opening her eyes to talk to Brianna in 1960’s. Then she tells Brianna “and now you know…” or something like that.

–Season 3 could then be reset back to where voyager starts

Personally, I like the idea of Brianna following Claire. It would be really neat if Brianna was there when Jamie and Claire reunite and to meet her father sooner. It would give it a different dimension, for sure, but also more conflict between Jamie and Claire as parents and lovers who are newly discovering each other. It would also mean that Claire isn’t torn between leaving Brianna and being with Jamie. Maybe its Roger who carries on research about the stones and the past, and he comes back to warn them about the fire, then. Maybe Roger just has a crush on Brianna and nothing major develops until after goes back. It would be a way to have romantic tension in season 4.

How about Sophie Turner from games of thrones!

I’ve thought about this and am going to go out on a limb. I think Gaia Weiss was cast as Brianna, her casting was inadvertently published, and they want to cover it up because the announcement of Brianna and Roger will be a big deal. So, how do they cover it up? They issue a casting call for Brianna when we know good and well that such a call was issued long ago and they’ve been “looking” for her. There is just no way RDM would pass up Gaia Weiss, who is just perfect for the role at 23 years of age and 5’11” tall. HELLO!!!

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