For the last eight years, Australian actor David Berry has played British Army officer and diplomat, Lord John Grey, on the beloved historical drama, Outlander.
Now, staring down the barrel of the show’s eighth-and-final season as the remaining episodes of its penultimate season currently air, David Berry is preparing to farewell the character he’s spent the better part of a decade inhabiting.
But despite existing in the Outlander universe since 2017, Berry still counts his first day on set as the most memorable, by far.
“It really was a baptism by fire,” says Berry, recalling the experience of jumping on a plane to Scotland less than a week after first auditioning for the role.
“I was beyond jet-lagged and not really knowing what I was saying, or who the character was yet, and I was expected to film my first scene in torrential Highlands rain.”
“The producers must’ve had a lot of insurance, because I could’ve killed Sam Heughan that day,” recalls Berry. “Sam was in handcuffs while tied to the back of the horse by a rope, with me out of my mind, somehow managing to deliver all of my lines.”
Berry wasn’t sure he’d make it through the scene, which involved Jamie Fraser [Sam Heughan], a set of handcuffs, and a horse (not a spicy as it sounds, sadly).
But miraculously, not only did everyone involved survive, but the chaotic events formed the basis for actors’ lifelong friendship.
“At the end of it, I remember looking at Sam and thinking, we got through that!”
“He gave me a big hug, and it was the start of an incredible journey.”
While fans of the show know well the scene of which Berry speaks, for those reading along at home who aren’t yet familiar with the screen adaptation of Diana Gabaldon’s revered novels, it was one of the narrative’s more crucial moments for the pair.
However, we promise to hold off on any spoilers here for the uninitiated, at least, not without proper warning.
On The Complexities Of Lord John Grey
The character of Lord John Grey is widely regarded as one of the more multifaceted in the Outlander universe. Unlike many of the show’s other protagonists, who operate under a comparatively binary moral compass, Grey navigates a nuanced web of obligations and personal beliefs – bound by duty, yet driven by a personal code – that doesn’t always align.
For actor David Berry, inhabiting such a deliciously complex character is where the real “joy” lies. So how does he manage to make moral ambiguity so captivating?
“You know, he has the benefit of a whole book series as well to give him that complex psychology,” Berry says in reference to Gabaldon’s Lord John series, but more on that, later.
“For me, one of the most fascinating things about Lord John, is that he can’t really operate within his own simple truth.
“He has to hide behind masks due to the given circumstances of his time, and because he can’t be his true self, we’re never quite sure what he’s thinking.”
“Lord John can’t express how he feels about Jamie, or how he feels as a gay man in the 1700s, which adds a lot of dimension and joy in playing the character on screen.”
On Needing “To Be Flawed”
As challenging as it is for the actor to inhabit the psyche of Lord John, Berry couldn’t imagine playing anyone else on the show.
“Sometimes it’s very hard for me to relate to Jamie and Claire, because to be human is to be flawed and to be complicated, and to have all these conflicting parts form your personality.
“I think I would really struggle to play Jamie Fraser,” admits Berry. “Not least because my Scottish accent would be terrible, but I just couldn’t be Mr. Hero. I need to be a flawed character.”
Although Berry might downplay Lord Grey as more imperfect than heroic, audiences and readers alike will know there’s a lot more to the character than Berry allows.
In fact, at just three episodes into the second part of Season 7, Lord Grey’s sense of loyalty has perhaps never been stronger – with the exception of that grief-stricken sex scene, of course.
On Making The Tough Decisions
So how does it feel to always have to put aside his character’s own interests for the sake of those around him?
“Look, I don’t know if I can swear?” he asks before continuing with encouragement. “With Lord John and his dealings with every character, it kind of seems like a F***, Marry, Kill situation, and sometimes all three at the same time,” jokes Berry.
“How can you possibly navigate that with any sense of integrity?” he asks, playfully.
After a gentle prompt, Berry agrees to answer his own question, offering up what feels like the only appropriate response* (*may contain spoilers), when a third addition is thrown into the mix; Brianna, Jamie and Claire’s adult daughter.
“Well, he’s already married Brianna. He’s f***ed Jamie Fraser (in his mind) many times, and he’s probably killed Claire (in his mind) for the same reason… so let’s go with that!”
Where To Catch Up On Outlander
As with the rest of the series, Outlander’s final season will be available to stream on BINGE, Foxtel ONE and Foxtel On Demand.
In the meantime, get your David Berry Lord Grey Outlander fix by streaming the last episodes of Season 7, Part 2, dropping weekly.
Stream Outlander now on BINGE with a 7-day free trial. Subscribe here.
Related articles:
- Here’s Everything You Need To Know About ‘Outlander’ Season 7 Part 2
- Everything We Know About ‘Outlander’ Season 8 (So Far)
- Will The ‘Outlander’ Prequel ‘Blood Of My Blood’ Be Enough To Fill The Impending Jamie Void?
- David Berry’s Warning For ‘Outlander’ Fans Has Us Shook
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