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The Oprah Magazine

50+ Things You Never Knew About the Making of 'Outlander'

The Oprah Magazine

April 18, 2021 at 11:14 AM

50+ Things You Never Knew About the Making of 'Outlander'

While shooting season four, Sam Heughan decided to run two marathons in four weeks.

Heughan was once a stable boy, well kinda.

Author Diana Gabaldon didn't ever plan to publish "Outlander."

Filming for season four took place in Scotland, not North Carolina.

In real life, Caitriona Balfe is actually Irish, too.

Tourism to Scotland actually grew by 67 percent after the series premiered.

Gabaldon was inspired to write 'Outlander' by an episode of 'Doctor Who.'

'Outlander' was originally going to be a movie.

The 'Outlander' costume department is *massive.*

Claire's main 18th century outfit has 12 multiples.

Every single costume is hand-dyed and aged.

Dresbach is married to the show's executive producer Ronald D. Moore.

Casting was a long process.

Heughan eventually landed the role after a Skype interview.

But, Gabaldon wasn't initially convinced.

The casting of Claire took much longer than anticipated.

The props are incredibly realistic looking.

But, 'Outlander' doesn't use prop food.

The actors go commando under their kilts.

Gabaldon made a cameo in an episode.

The silicone scars that cover Jamie's back are so fragile, that they require special care during filming.

Heughan is also the actor who needs to stay in makeup the longest.

Balfe and Tobias Menzies (Frank) wrote love letters to each other in character before filming sex scenes.

Although Gabaldon's story was set in Scotland, scouting the location wasn't an easy process.

Every female cast member wears a corset.

The season 3 Boston set was made from Claire and Jamie's home in Paris.

Although the lead character is a female, men make up 50 percent of the 'Outlander' U.S. audience.

Shooting a historical show in the 21st century means the crew is constantly tweaking their set.

Heughan is naturally blonde, but he dyes his hair red every two episodes.

Gabaldon's favorite scene from season 1 was Jamie's rape.

The crew tries to make the lighting as authentic as possible.

Although season 1 premiered in 2014, Gabaldon first published the series in 1991.

While much of the plot has stayed the same, Gabaldon has struggled with certain scenes being cut.

The show's sex scenes take a different approach than most TV shows, with women taking the lead.

Then-U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron requested the series' U.K. premiere be delayed.

The show films in real, historical sites.

And if you ever find yourself in Scotland, there are 'Outlander'-specific tours to visit the sites.

To remain as authentic as possible, the show hired a Gaelic dialect coach.

'Outlander' has some serious mega-fans.

Balfe says Claire has helped her become a stronger person.

Although their on-screen chemistry is undeniable, Heughan and Balfe are not a real-life couple.

Menzies says the rape scene required trust between him and Heughan.

Balfe is very involved with charity World Child Cancer.

When Black Jack nailed Jamie's hand into the table, the crew used a prosthetic hand.

Going full-frontal nude wasn't a problem for Menzies.

'Outlander' is constantly compared to 'Game of Thrones.'

But an important difference between the two is female empowerment.

Heughan and Rosie Day (Mary Hawkins) starred in a Norwegian movie called 'Heart of Lightness.'

Laura Donnelly (Jenny) was also in the film.

Playing a pregnant character in an authentic period costume wasn't particularly comfortable for Donnelly.

Mary's rape scene was filmed with caution.

Heughan pulled a muscle when he tackled Romain Berrux (Fergus) in season 2.

The show's historian Tony Pollard makes sure the weapons are historically accurate.

Everything from the epic costumes to the (more epic) sex scenes.

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