Lucifer star Tom Ellis auditioned to play Frank/Black Jack Randall
Could you see Tom Ellis take on the roles of Frank and Black Jack on Outlander? It could have happened!
It’s very hard to think that anyone other than Tobias Menzies could have played Frank/Black Jack Randall. The duality he brought to the role was amazing. Even though it was the same actor, it was like one person played Frank and another played Black Jack. He absolutely nailed this role!
Now imagine someone else who could have possibly taken on the role. A certain devil, perhaps? Lucifer star Tom Ellis recently interviewed Sam Heughan for Square Mile where he told his old friend he actually auditioned to play Frank/Black Jack.
According to Square Mile, Sam and Tom have been friends since studying drama at the Royal Scottish Academy. As the two were discussing Outlander, Tom let him in on “a little secret.”
Here’s what Tom said in the interview:
"Tom: I’m going to let you into a little secret. I auditioned for Outlander, not for Jamie Fraser but for Tobias Menzies’ part, Black Jack Randall. I remember reading the script thinking, ‘this is really good.’Sam: Firstly, dude, I’m not sure how I’d have felt having you, I don’t know, assault me shall we say.Tom: Exactly. That sort of thing would have been quite tricky."
Imagine Tom Ellis on Outlander
Those scenes at the end of Outlander Season 1 were very intense for Sam to shoot. It was a challenging acting experience mentally. It certainly would have been even more difficult if the actor playing Black Jack was Sam’s friend! Even though actors are really good at getting into character and separating themselves from that, I have no doubt it would have been an extra challenge if it was an old friend playing opposite you.
In the interview, Sam goes on to say, “It’s a great part. Tobias, of course, does an amazing job but that would have been so different.”
It certainly would have been different! I have no doubt that Tom would have done amazing in this role. Lucifer is one of my favorite shows and Tom is so talented. Each actor portrays, interprets, and approaches a character differently. No one actor will present a character the same way. Which isn’t a bad thing, that’s what makes each person unique. But we all love Tobias. He was just perfect for this role!
It may not have been in the cards for Tom to play Frank/Black Jack, but with Lucifer now coming to an end maybe there’s a chance to get Tom on Outlander for another role. As an Outlander and Lucifer fan, plus knowing that Sam and Tom are friends, this is something I definitely want to see!
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What do you think about Tom Ellis playing Frank/Black Jack? Do you want to see Tom on Outlander? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!