Outlander cast and showrunner talk Maria Doyle Kennedy as Aunt Jocasta

By Alexandria Ingham | Jun 9, 2018

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 24: Musician Kieran Kennedy (L) and wife actress Maria Doyle Kennedy attend the 6th annual "Oscar Wilde: Honoring the Irish in Film" pre-Academy Awards party at the Ebell Club of Los Angeles on February 24, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images) /

One of the biggest casting decisions for Outlander Season 4 was getting Maria Doyle Kennedy on as Aunt Jocasta. Now the cast and showrunner talk about bringing this prolific actress into the series.

We knew Outlander Season 4 would have to pull out the stops for the casting of one specific character. It would be time to meet Jamie’s Aunt Jocasta, the last living MacKenzie who has been through heartbreak during her life. It was exciting to hear that Maria Doyle Kennedy would take on the role.

Now showrunner Ron D. Moore and co-stars Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan have discussed Maria coming to the series and all three are excited for fans to see her. The casting in Outlander has always been a strong point. The actors routinely capture the heart of the characters and that’s exactly what Maria has managed to do.

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Sam shares how there are moments that Jocasta will remind you of Dougal and Colum, which is something fans have noted from the novels. While she looks and sounds like Ellen MacKenzie Fraser (Jamie’s mom), she is her brothers’ sister deep down and that can cause some tension. Moore also shared that there are times fans will recognize some of Gary Lewis and Graham McTavish’s mannerisms throughout the series.

Caution: Spoilers in this next section. If you don’t want to know, jump straight to the video–although there are some similar types of spoilers for those who haven’t read “Drums of Autumn.”

For those who haven’t read the books, Jocasta is Jamie’s maternal aunt. She left Scotland for the Colonies, where she has certainly made a life for herself. This is who Jamie will turn to when he realizes where they have landed after that shipwreck in Outlander Season 3. Don’t expect it all to be smooth sailing, but Jocasta is an important woman and it’s exciting to see Maria in the role.

Catch the whole interview with the co-stars and showrunner below.

Next: 6 highly anticipated moments in Outlander Season 4

Are you excited about Maria Doyle Kennedy playing Aunt Jocasta in Outlander Season 4? What would you like to see in her performance to remind you she’s a MacKenzie? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Follow Claire and Jamie on Twitter for more sneaks into Outlander Season 4.

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