Starz took Emmy voters back in time during its recent panel discussion for the hit fantasy series “Outlander,” hosted by Page Six TV’s Bevy Smith and Elizabeth Wagmeister. Stars Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Sophie Skelton and Richard Rankin were in attendance, as were executive producer Maril Davis, writer/executive producer Toni Graphia and production designer Jon Gary Steele. Watch the full 36 minute Q&A above.
Based on a book series by Diana Gabaldon, “Outlander” centers on a combat nurse (Balfe) who’s transported from 1945 England to 18th century Scotland, where she falls in love with a handsome young warrior (Heughan). From the beginning, the series has been a big hit with the books’ die-hard fans, which managed to surprise even the stars.
“Obviously, the books that Diana Gabaldon wrote and this world that she created were incredibly popular,” said Balfe, but she admitted that “with the process of any adaptation, you’re never really sure how it’s going to go. So we were sent off to Scotland and worked in a bit of a bubble for a year before the show came out, and it was so incredible how welcoming everybody was to the show.”
With the fifth season set to premiere this fall and a sixth season already green-lit, “Outlander” has proven its staying power with fans. “Time really does fly,” Heughan observed about the time-travel romance. But luckily for the actor, “every day is a busy day and a good day, and each episode is different, each season is different.” So he’s ready to see what the future holds for the period adventure.
SEE Starz presents an innovative FYC one-stop shop for Emmy voters
The panel was part of an all-day media event for Starz, which took place at the Century City Mall in Los Angeles on June 2. Emmy voters were given the opportunity to listen to the casts and crews of the network’s various programs discuss their work and then tour interactive displays from those shows in the shopping center’s open-air plaza. In addition to “Outlander,” Starz highlighted the achievements of “American Gods,” “Vida,” “The Spanish Princess,” “America to Me,” “Now Apocalypse” and “Power.”
“Outlander” has been nominated at the Emmys in below-the-line categories in years past, snagging bids for its score (2015), production design (2016), and costumes (2016 and 2018). Can it break through above the line this year? Balfe has earned four consecutive nominations at the Golden Globes as Best TV Drama Actress (2016-2019), so she’s a strong contender. The show also competed at the Globes for Best Drama Series in its first season.
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