Outlander fans were in for a treat at New York Comic Con when a panel for the Golden Globe-nominated series revealed behind-the-scenes secrets to an incredibly excited audience. Actor Sam Heughan was joined on the Empire Stage at Manhattan’s Javits Center by Outlander writer Diana Gabaldon and executive producer Maril Davis, while other members of the cast – including Catriona Balfe, John Bell, Lauren Lyle, and César Domboy – called into the panel from overseas. Luckily, the virtual connection didn’t dampen the high spirits in the lively auditorium as the cast and creative team discussed the upcoming sixth season of the historical fantasy drama and played a teaser trailer for the thrilled crowd.

From itchy wigs and bad weather to fake whiskey and beyond, here are some of the edited highlights from the Outlander conversation at New York Comic Con 2021…

What is one word you’d use to describe season six of Outlander?

Diana Gabaldon: Fabulous! It’s one of my favorite seasons, right after season one.

Maril Davis: I’d say traumatic.

Diana Gabaldon: And that’s why it’s my favorite.

Sam Heughan: I was going to say intense, but that’s quite similar. Instead, I’ll say extended. Even though the season is fewer episodes, it feels like there’s more.

Caitriona Balfe: I’m going to say unraveled for a lot of characters.

John Bell: Cathartic.

 

The teaser trailer shows a particularly snowy Fraser’s Ridge. Can you talk about how the wintery Scottish weather affected the shooting of season six and the decision to lean into it creatively?

Maril Davis: I feel like people get so tired of us talking about the weather, but it has almost become like a character in the show. Every year is tough, but this year was particularly difficult. Scotland is a hard mistress, as they say. This year we were hit by so much horrible weather that we had to move some scenes inside at the last minute. Outlander is a show that wants to be outside. It wants to take advantage of the landscape and the beauty that is Scotland, which plays for North Carolina. I think this year was particularly tough for so many reasons: weather, Covid… We have a short season because we got hit really hard this year.

 

How did the show adapt to Covid during filming?

Sam Heughan: We had a Covid testing station at our facility to make sure everyone was safe, and I think we did the best we could in the face of pretty difficult circumstances. Obviously, no one likes to wear masks – but everyone did. I’m really proud of how we did this season. We had no Covid on set. We did a really good job, and a huge thank you to our production crew for doing that. And to the actors for hanging in there. It was challenging for sure.

 

In season six, the Christie family arrives in Fraser’s Ridge. What does that mean for Jamie [played by Sam Heughan] and Claire [Caitriona Balfe]?

Sam Heughan: Without giving away too much, this family arrives at Fraser’s Ridge and they are initially integrated into the new community. But very soon we start to see a lot of the history between Tom Christie [played by Mark Lewis Jones] and Jamie get under the skin of everyone. And it starts to disintegrate or decay, what Claire and Jamie have built at Fraser’s Ridge.

 

When we last saw Jamie, he had killed a lot of men to avenge Claire. How has that affected the community on Fraser’s Ridge?

Sam Heughan: Jamie and Claire have spent a lot of time building this community, but I think this is the season where we see that disintegrate. Jamie went to save Claire, but I think she hasn’t gotten over that trauma, and I think Jamie’s very aware of it. He’s keeping an eye on her. I think the cracks are starting to show, not only for Jamie and Claire but for the rest of the inhabitants of Fraser’s Ridge. The war is coming and Jamie’s really having to tread a fine line between his loyalties. He knows he’s on the wrong side, the British. And at some point, he knows he is going to have to switch sides. It’s even harder for him this season because he’s being pulled in both directions.

 

How would you describe Claire at the start of season six?

Caitriona Balfe: We see Claire a little bit destabilized, maybe, and I think that bleeds into every aspect of her life. As Sam said, Jamie is very aware of it. He’s watching her. I think everybody is much more aware of what’s going on with Claire than she is until it becomes too much, and she has to deal with it.

 

What’s your favorite episode of season six?

Maril Davis: There’s a journey of trauma for many of the characters [in season six]. We have a lot of interesting and amazing episodes this year that it’s hard for me to pick my favorite. It starts off with a bang, and it just continues. There’s something for everyone this season. It’s really intense and really packed. We filmed eight episodes, but it seems like 20.

On a more lighthearted note… Who complains the most about the itchy wigs on the set of Outlander?

Diana Gabaldon: Everybody does. Especially in midge season.

Caitriona Balfe: When the midges get underneath your wig, it’s hell.

Sam Heughan: It’s awful.

 

Is real whiskey consumed on set during the drinking scenes in the show?

Sam Heughan: No, we would never do that.

Lauren Lyle: No, no. We can’t.

Sam Heughan: This cast never drinks. Never! [Laughs]

Lauren Lyle: [Smiling broadly] Well, I’ll just say that that drinking scene in season five is extremely authentic.

 

Does that mean it’s real whiskey?

Caitriona Balfe: It’s usually just water with the dye in it. And it’s not so bad. The red wine is usually grape juice. If you’re drinking red wine for the full scene, you end up with purple lips and purple teeth. It’s really not good.