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Here's how the real ages of the 'Outlander' season 7 cast compare to their characters

Eve Crosbie   

Here's how the real ages of the 'Outlander' season 7 cast compare to their characters
"Outlander" season seven begins June 16.Starz
  • "Outlander" season seven takes place predominantly in 1776, more than 30 years after season one.
  • Jamie and Claire are supposed to be nearing 60 years old, but the actors are over a decade younger.

"Outlander" is returning to Starz for its much-anticipated seventh season on Friday.

Since it began in 2014, the romance drama has been roughly adapting one book per season. However, since season six was shortened because of the coronavirus pandemic, season seven actually covers some events from Diana Gabaldon's sixth "Outlander" installment, "A Breath of Snow and Ashes," as well as the events of the seventh, "An Echo in the Bone."

Both the end of the sixth book and the majority of the seventh book cover the year 1776 (although there is more time travel involved, bringing some of the characters back into a 20th-century timeline).

If you're a little confused about how old Jamie, Claire, and the rest of the show's characters are supposed to be, keep reading as we reveal their ages — as well as how the ages of the actors portraying them compare.

Jamie Fraser, who is both a father and a grandfather by season seven, is supposed to be in his mid-50s.

Jamie Fraser, who is both a father and a grandfather by season seven, is supposed to be in his mid-50s.
Jamie Fraser in "Outlander" season seven.      Starz

James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser —as audiences learned his full name is during his wedding to Claire in season one — was born in May 1721, at his family's ancestral home of Lallybroch.

As season seven is taking place in 1776, that makes him 55 years old.

Sam Heughan is actually a decade younger than his character at 43.

Sam Heughan is actually a decade younger than his character at 43.
Sam Heughan in June 2023.      Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival

There have been some attempts to age up Heughan, who began playing Jamie when he was 34 years old, including fading his character's distinctive red hair and having him wear eyeglasses in some scenes.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in 2017, when Jamie began sporting the new accessory, he said: "It's not something in the books but I thought it would be a nice surprise. It's a weakness of Jamie's. He doesn't have many."

Claire Fraser is supposed to be on the cusp of 60.

Claire Fraser is supposed to be on the cusp of 60.
Claire Fraser in "Outlander" season seven.      Starz

Claire Fraser was born in October 1918, nearly 150 years after the events of "Outlander" season seven.

But as viewers know, after accidentally falling through the stones at Craigh na Dun in the spring of 1945, she was transported back 202 years to 1743. She once went back through the stones to her own time period but ultimately decided to return to the past to be with Jamie.

As she was around 26 when she first went through the stones, that makes her on the cusp of 60 in the year 1776.

Like Heughan, Caitríona Balfe is 43, making her significantly younger than her character.

Like Heughan, Caitríona Balfe is 43, making her significantly younger than her character.
Caitríona Balfe in March 2023.      Swan Gallet/WWD via Getty Images

Balfe is over 15 years younger than the character she is supposed to be portraying. Like Heughan, there have been attempts to make her look older, such as giving her gray hair.

Jamie and Claire's daughter, Brianna MacKenzie, is around 29 years old.

Jamie and Claire
Brianna MacKenzie in "Outlander" season seven.      Starz

Although Brianna is Jamie and Claire's daughter, she was born in 1948, after Claire returned to her own timeline, and was raised to believe that her father was Claire's first husband.

However, she decided to time-travel back to the 18th century in 1971, when she was 22, to be with her mom after Claire made her second trip back. That means that during the events of the current season, Brianna is around 29 years old.

Sophie Skelton is the same age as her character.

Sophie Skelton is the same age as her character.
Sophie Skelton in 2022.      Euan Cherry/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA

Skelton, who made her debut in the season two finale of "Outlander," actually matches up perfectly with her character age-wise. Born in 1994, she turned 29 on March 7.

Roger MacKenzie, Brianna's husband, is almost a decade older than his wife. He is said to be 37 or 38.

Roger MacKenzie, Brianna
Roger MacKenzie in "Outlander" season seven.      Starz

Roger's life changed forever when Claire and her daughter Brianna turned up on his doorstep inquiring about a group of Highlanders during the Jacobite Rising. While his exact birth date is unknown, author Diana Gabaldon once confirmed that he is eight years older than Brianna, meaning he was born in 1940.

He went through the stones the same year as Brianna and likewise ended up in 1769, 102 years in the past. This puts his current age at 37 or 38.

Richard Rankin is 40 in real life.

Richard Rankin is 40 in real life.
Richard Rankin in June 2023.      Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival

Like his on-screen wife, Rankin is pretty close in age to his character, having turned 40 in January.

Lord John Grey, the man who has raised Jamie's son, is in his late 40s during the season's events.

Lord John Grey, the man who has raised Jamie
Lord John Grey in "Outlander" season seven.      Starz

Things are a lot less complicated for the characters who do not have the talent to time travel, such as Lord John, the English aristocrat whom Jamie first befriends when he is serving time at Ardsmuir prison.

While his birth date is not in the books, Gabaldon revealed it as June 14, 1729, making Lord John between 46 and 47.

The actor who plays him, David Berry, is actually 39 in real life.

The actor who plays him, David Berry, is actually 39 in real life.
David Berry in June 2023.      Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival

The Canadian-born actor joined the cast of the show in season three and is almost a decade younger than his character.

William Ransom, the son Jamie secretly fathered, is 18 years old.

William Ransom, the son Jamie secretly fathered, is 18 years old.
William Ransom in "Outlander" season seven.      Starz

William Ransom is legally the son and heir of the Earl of Ellesmere and his wife Geneva Dunsany (Hannah James), but was secretly fathered by Jamie after Geneva blackmailed Jamie to take her virginity before her wedding night.

Following both of his parents' deaths, William was raised by his mother's sister, Isobel Dunsany (Tanya Reynolds), and her husband, Lord John Grey.

As he was born in January 1758, that makes him 18 years old when he signs up to be a red coat and fight for the British Army during the American Revolutionary War.

Season seven newcomer Charles Vandervaart is four years older than his character at 22.

Season seven newcomer Charles Vandervaart is four years older than his character at 22.
Charles Vandervaart in June 2023.      Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival

The actor, whose previous credits include "The Murdoch Mysteries" and "The Craft: Legacy," celebrated his birthday last September.

Ian Murray, Jamie and Claire's nephew, is between 23 and 24.

Ian Murray, Jamie and Claire
Ian Murray in "Outlander" season seven.      Starz

The character — often referred to as Young Ian, to avoid confusion with his father, also named Ian Murray — is in his early 20s during the events of season seven.

He's also known by the name given to him by the Mohawk Nation, Okwaho'kenha, which translates to Wolf's Brother.

He's played by John Bell, who is just a couple of years older than him at 25.

He
John Bell in 2023.      Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival

Bell, who joined the cast in season three, will be turning 26 in October.

Rachel Hunter is a Quaker character who is introduced in season seven and is supposed to be around 16.

Rachel Hunter is a Quaker character who is introduced in season seven and is supposed to be around 16.
Rachel Hunter in "Outlander" season seven.      Starz

It's revealed in the ninth book in the series, "Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone," that Rachel was born around 1760, making her just 16 years old in 1776. However, the writers may have aged Rachel up a little from the books.

The actor playing her, Izzy Meikle-Small, is over a decade older at 27.

The actor playing her, Izzy Meikle-Small, is over a decade older at 27.
Izzy Meikle-Small in June 2023.      Theo Wargo/Getty Images for STARZ

Meikle-Small, who played the younger versions of Carey Mulligan's character in "Never Let Me Go" and Charlize Theron's character in "Snow White and the Huntsman," was born in 1996 and turned 27 this year.

Denzell Hunter, Rachel's brother, is 26.

Denzell Hunter, Rachel
Denzell Hunter in "Outlander" season seven.      Starz

Denzell was born 10 years before his sister, in 1750, according to the books.

Because of his decision to serve as an army surgeon with the American rebels during the Revolutionary War, he and his sister have been disowned by their community.

Joey Phillips celebrated his 31st birthday in early June.

Joey Phillips celebrated his 31st birthday in early June.
Joey Phillips in June 2023.      Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival

That makes the actor five years older than the character he's portraying.

The age of Tom Christie isn't actually known, but we place him somewhere around 65.

The age of Tom Christie isn
Tom Christie in "Outlander" season seven.      Starz

We never learn Tom's real age in the books or the series, after he moves to Fraser's Ridge with his son Allan (Alexander Vlahos) and daughter Malva (Jessica Reynolds).

However, given what we know about his past, including the fact that he supported the Stuarts during the Jacobite Rising of 1745 and was imprisoned at Ardsmuir at the same time as Jamie, we estimate that he is in his mid-60s during the events of season seven.

He's played by 58-year-old actor Mark Lewis Jones.

He
Mark Lewis Jones in February 2023.      John Phillips/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA

Jones, who's appeared in a number of TV shows and movies over the years including "The Crown," Chernobyl," and "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," will celebrate his 59th birthday in August.


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