Outlander's Lord John Grey: 8 Possibilities for the Series-Crucial Role 

seems interminable, doesn’t it? And because we’re the impatient sort, we decided to keep busy by playing armchair casting director for an upcoming crucial role in the time-travel historical drama.

Spoiler alert: If you’re at all worried about spoilers — both about the Starz series and the Diana Gabaldon novels on which it’s based — you should bail out of this post right now. Cool?

Now we’re not talking about Claire and Jamie’s daughter Brianna, who (like the recently cast Roger) will show up sometime in Season 2. We’re looking even farther ahead and throwing together some ideas for the best person to play the grown-up Lord John Grey.

cast Oscar Kennedy as the teen version of John; young Master Grey will appear in Season 2 when he accidentally comes across Claire and Jamie Fraser and mistakenly believes she’s been taken prisoner by the Scot. That interaction is the first, but certainly not the last, time that John and the Frasers cross paths.

 No, seriously: If you haven’t read the books and don’t want to know what’s ahead, leave now.

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, the third book in the series (which likely will correspond to the not-yet-confirmed third season of the drama), as the governor of Ardsmuir Prison where Jamie is an inmate. The two strike up an improbable friendship in spite of the fact that Grey is a closeted gay man with feelings for Frasier, who does not return them.

, Grey is described as 26, blonde and “fine boned” with “a fair-complexioned face and girlish lashes that made him look still younger than his years.” Later, he is characterized as genteel, educated and intuitive, with a soldier’s body and a discreet manner.

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If the Starz series stays as true to the books as it has so far, Lord John will be around for a long time to come — so getting the right person in the part is key. And while it’s very possible that the show will continue its tradition of casting relative unknowns, we thought we’d pull together this list of actors we wouldn’t mind seeing in the role.

You’ll notice that all of the actors are older than 26, and many are not blonde. To the first criticism, we say: Sam Heughan is in his mid-30s, though Jamie is in his 20s at the start of the series. And to the second, we have two words: hair dye.

Click through the gallery below to see who we’d cast as Lord John Grey — you’ll see familiar faces from

Sons of Anarchy, Sleepy Hollow, Downton Abbey, Homeland

Very good choices. I could see several as LJG. Fox is the closest in my imagination but I suspect an unknown in the role.

I’m with you on this – Lawrence Fox (or his younger brother Jack for someone lesser known) come awfully close to the Lord John built up in my imagination.

Some very nice suggestions. Loved Oliver Jackson-Cohen in World Without End. Hunnam, Kwanten, or Stevens are all wonderful.

I’m almost sure theyre not going to go with anyone with much name recognition. And there’s no way they’ll cast someone as masculine as Sam.

I also think its more important to hope the show finally gives a positive and equal representation of homosexuality, than the casting. It wont matter who they get if the character isnt done well.

Man, it’s really hard to cast this series, as the books cover the span of 35 years. Jamie starts as 22 years old kid and he is 57 or 58 in the last book while Claire is in her early 60. They have a grown up daughter and horde of grandchildren, who age almost ten years in the span of 3 books. And then there is Lord John who starts as 16 years old and is probably 50 in the last book. It’s awfully tricky to cast the show in believable manner.

Hunnam and Kwanten are terrible choices. Dan Stevens would make a great Lord John.

Dan Stevens is exactly who I envision. Loved him as Matthew Crawley and would love him as John Grey.

I agree. Good in costume, can fight with a sword, has done army scenes, blond, fine-boned and under 6 foot so not too talk. Can do the accent. Perfect!

Initially I was thinking Jamie Campbell Bower but I’m loving the idea of Dan Stevens.

We all LOVED Dan Stevens in Downton Abbey. Yes, he broke all of our hearts but we can forgive him if he joins the Outlander cast. He has the looks, physique, extremely talented in all genres of acting. After having a chance to spread his wings and experiment with Broadway, movies and indie films, I bet he would love the chance to settle into a long term character while at the same time, having the ability to work on other interests during hiatus.

Hm given he’s the lead in Disney’s beauty and the beast, he might be wanting to move into working in Hollywood on movies permanently

Didn’t he decide to leave Downtown Abbey precisely *because* he didn’t want to settle into a long term character? I really don’t see him taking on another television series role, especially one with such long term needs.

How about Mitch Hewer from Skins(w/c he played a gay character)? He’s blonde and 26 and British

I like Tom Felton,Rupert Friend and Dan Stevens.Adult John will have to last a long time and maybe have some aging done on him in the end.

Either Dan Stevens or Tom Felton would be a good lord John Grey.

Charlie Hunnam or Ryan Kwanten . Would be awesome .

First choice for me is.. 1) Jamie bower, 2) Tom felton and 3) Ryan k (from true blood) but I reallllllly hope bower goes in for the role he’d be perfect!

NO to Rupert Friend, not that he won’t be great, he will be back on Homeland.

There are some really good possibilities but what about Jamie Campbell Bower?

Dan Stevenson or Rueprt, but Starz usually pulls them out of left field. I trust their choice, but love to fantasize as do the rest of the Outlander fandom

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