Outlander has officially found its William Ransom. The critically-acclaimed Starz historical drama has cast Canadian actor Charles Vandervaart, known for his roles in series including Netflix’s Lost In Space and the 2020 supernatural horror film The Craft: Legacy, as Jamie Fraser’s son in Outlander Season 7. The cable network announced the casting on Thursday.
Vandervaart will take on the role of William, the ninth Earl of Ellesmere, a highly anticipated character from the book series who is the secret son of Jamie Fraser and Geneva Dunsany, whose estate Jamie worked on as part of his continuing sentence following his role in the Scottish uprising. William does not know the truth of his parentage. Raised by his stepfather, Lord John Grey, William arrives in Wilmington “full of patriotic zeal and enthusiasm to join the British Army and help put an end to the escalating tensions in the American Colonies,” per Starz. William is described as “a courteous aristocrat” on the outside, “but simmering under the surface is a Highlander’s fire.”
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“We are happy to welcome Charles to the Fraser family for season seven of Outlander, joining the cast with the other talented actors that bring our stories to life,” Matthew B. Roberts, showrunner, writer and executive producer, said in a press release. “Scotland will again be our production home as the Frasers and MacKenzies try to make a home against the backdrop of the Revolutionary War. This season promises more adventure, time travel and emotional peril than any season before”
Executive producer Maril Davis added, “the character of William Ransom is a wonderful role, and one fans have been eager to see. Finding someone with the talent and physicality to play Jamie’s son was a daunting task, but Charles’ charisma was evident during the audition process and we are excited to see what he will bring to William’s multi layered journey.”
Prior to joining Outlander, Vandervaart had an illustrious career, which began at a young age on stage with the prestigious SoulPepper Theatre Company. He portrayed John Brackenreid in CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries, as well as Robbie Hobbie in Hulu’s Holly Hobbie. He also voices Sid the Pirate in the animated children’s series Paw Patrol. He will join Outlander in the series’ upcoming seventh season, which was greenlit back in March 2021. He will star alongside a returning cast that includes Heughan, Balfe, Sophie Skelton, Richard Rankin, and John Bell. Production on the new batch of episodes began in Scotland last month. Outlander Season 7 does not yet have a premiere date.
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