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Outlander Season 4 casting: Who is Billy Boyd?

By Alexandria Ingham

HOLLYWOOD, CA - MARCH 08: Actors Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan arrive at the opening Night Of "Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth" At The Pantages Theatre at the Pantages Theatre on March 8, 2013 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CA - MARCH 08: Actors Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan arrive at the opening Night Of "Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth" At The Pantages Theatre at the Pantages Theatre on March 8, 2013 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) /
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Billy Boyd was one of five names mentioned in May 22’s Outlander Season 4 casting announcement. Who is he and what has he done in the past?

Entertainment Weekly announced that five actors were joining Outlander Season 4. Billy Boyd was the first on the list, and he will play Gerald Forbes in the season. To get an idea of what he’ll be like in our time-traveling love story, it’s worth looking over his past work.

Boyd is a Scottish actor with plenty of experience on camera. You’ve likely seen him on your TV and movie screens before. Here’s a snippet of just who he is.

He’s worked in the same world as a former Outlander star

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It’s a shame Boyd wasn’t part of the first two seasons of the series in a sense. The Glaswegian actor was Pippin in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The trilogy was set in the same world as the prequel movies, The Hobbit, which starred Graham McTavish.

Our new cast member has plenty of experience in big-budget movies and that is important for something the size of Outlander. While it may be a cable TV series, it’s one of the most expensive productions on TV. In fact, it can cost more to do 13 episodes of Outlander than doing 22 episodes of the likes of Grey’s Anatomy and Chicago Fire.

He’s done a mixture of work

Boyd has tried his hand at almost everything and done an excellent job in all. This is a man who is versatile, which means he’s a good choice for a role in the likes of Outlander. He has done short movies, voice work, stage work, and guest star spots in TV episodes. This isn’t someone who will be a problem on set and that means smooth sailing work.

Plus, we can be confident that he’ll slip into his role. Boyd will have spent time understanding his character to bring fans the best version based on the books, script, and interpretation.

He’s worked behind the camera

And while he’s done all this work in front of the camera, he also has credits for behind the scenes. He’s worked both in the music and as an executive producer. What does this mean for us? Well, he knows what it takes to run a series–the effort, timing, and need for being consistent. That experience will just help improve his performances.

He’s worked in theater

This also isn’t a man who has only worked on TV or film. Like many other Outlander actors, he’s a stage actor. Theater performances require much more than TV shows, as the audience can always look at you. There’s little reprieve and you have to show signs of emotions subtly and react much more to the conversations happening around you. He’ll be able to bring that to the series.

Next: Outlander Season 5 prep work started

What have you seen Billy Boyd in before? What do you think about him joining the cast of Outlander Season 4? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Like Claire and Jamie on Facebook for a look at more of the new cast members for Outlander Season 4.

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