If you know and love the Outlander books, you know how important and “interesting” Geillis Duncan is to the 18th-century portion of the time travelling fantasy. If you’re new, suffice to say she is a prominent character, and is thought to be a witch. You’ll see. Today Starz announced that the part has gone to Lotte Verbeek, and wow does she look Scottish, even though she’s from the Netherlands.
Before we get to the details, however, we need to show you this. Production began last week on the Outlander, and to mark the occasion Starz released this photo of Outlander executive producer Ronald D. Moore (Helix, Battlestar Galactica), along with the quote, “Day One and the battle is joined. We fight to do justice to the material and the fans. We’ll return with our targes or on them.”
Syfy clearly missed an opportunity by not having Mr. Moore pose in a lab coat and say something appropriately techno-geeky when production began for Helix back at the end of July. Though the digital clapboard he tweeted was kinda cool.
But I digress. Back to Outlander. Here are the details about the casting, the part, and a reminder about the story and other castmembers:
LOTTE VERBEEK CAST AS GEILLIS DUNCAN IN STARZ & SONY PICTURES TV’S “OUTLANDER”
From “Battlestar Galactica” Executive Producer Ronald D. Moore
Beverly Hills, Calif., October 16, 2013 – Starz in association with Sony Pictures Television has announced today that Lotte Verbeek (“The Borgias,” Left) will play the role of Geillis Duncan in the original series “Outlander.” The series, adapted from Diana Gabaldon’s international best-selling books by Ronald D. Moore (“Battlestar Galactica,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation”), is currently filming on location in Scotland and is set to premiere on STARZ in 2014.
The “Outlander” series spans the genres of romance, science fiction, history, and adventure in one epic tale. It follows the story of Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743, where she is immediately thrown into an unknown world where her life is threatened. When she is forced to marry Jamie Fraser, a chivalrous and romantic young Scottish warrior, a passionate affair is ignited that tears Claire’s heart between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.
The enigmatic Geillis Duncan, wife of the procurator fiscal, is an integral part of the Outlander storyline. Commonly referred to as a witch, due to her advanced knowledge of herbs and plants, Geillis is a beautiful, dark presence in the village outside Castle Leoch. Many fear her, but come to her secretly when they need assistance with medical matters that most doctors of the time would shun. Geillis has mastered the art of manipulation and uses it to bend others, including her own husband, to her will. She and Claire share an immediate connection and Geillis becomes a friend to Claire in a time and place where she is seen as an outsider.
Verbeek has most recently been seen in Showtime’s “The Borgias” as the ravishing mistress of the Pope, Guilia Farnese, opposite Jeremy Irons. In 2009, she earned a European Academy Award Best Actress nomination, for her performance in Nothing Personal opposite Stephen Rea. In addition, she was also chosen as one of Europe’s Shooting Stars and won the Best Actress Award at the International Film Festivals of Locarno and Marrakech, and nominated for the National Dutch Film Award, Golden Calf, for Best Actress. She also won the Best Actress Award at the Monte Carlo TV Film Festival for her work in Italian mini-series “The Queens of Swing.” In 2007, she won her first leading role in a feature film, Left, in which she played five different characters. The film was awarded a Silver Melies in Sweden. She is currently working on the Fox 2000 Pictures studio feature film The Fault in our Stars as Lidewij, an assistant to a character played by Harrison Ford. She is a graduate of the Amsterdam Academy of Dramatic Arts, as well as the Amsterdam Academy of Jazz/Musical Theatre and Dance.
Verbeek joins previously announced cast members Caitriona Balfe (Claire Randall), Sam Heughan (Jamie Fraser), Tobias Menzies (Frank Randall/Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall), Graham McTavish (Dougal MacKenzie), Gary Lewis (Colum MacKenzie), Duncan Lacroix (Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser), Annette Badland (Mrs. FitzGibbons) and Stephen Walters (Angus Mhor).
Verbeek is represented by Sheila Wenzel of Innovative Artists.
Diana Gabaldon’s seven-book series has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide and has graced the New York Times best-sellers list six times. The eighth installment of the “Outlander” series is slated to be released in the spring of 2014.
The first two episodes of the series will be written by executive producer Ronald D. Moore and directed by John Dahl (“Dexter,” “Breaking Bad,” “Justified”). Ronald D. Moore and Jim Kohlberg are executive producers of “Outlander,” which is produced by Tall Ship Productions, Story Mining & Supply Company and Left Bank Pictures in association with Sony Pictures Television.
About Starz
Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks), global content distribution (Starz Distribution) and animated television and movie production (Starz Animation), www.starz.com.Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies. As of June 30, 2013, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 56.9 million subscribers, including 21.8 million at STARZ, and 35.1 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S. STARZ® and ENCORE®, along with Starz Networks’ third network MOVIEPLEX®, air more than 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television. Starz Distribution’s home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties. Starz Animation produces animated TV and movie content for studios, networks, distributors and audiences worldwide.
About Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television (http://www.sonypicturestelevision.com), a Sony Pictures Entertainment company, is one of the television industry’s leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, around the world and for a multitude of platforms. In addition to one of the industry’s largest libraries of award-winning feature films, television shows and formats, Sony Pictures Television (SPT) boasts a current program slate that includes top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. SPT has 18 wholly-owned or joint venture production companies in 15 countries outside the U.S. and also maintains offices in 32 countries. SPT’s worldwide television networks portfolio includes 124 channel feeds available in 159 countries, reaching more than 800 million households worldwide. SPT also creates original content for and manages SPE’s premium video website, Crackle. Additionally, SPT owns production company Embassy Row and is a part owner of cable channel Game Show Network (GSN), 3D channel 3net, premier horror/thriller website and VOD service FEARnet and national U.S media sales company ITN Networks, Inc. SPT advertiser sales is one of the premier national advertising sales companies and handles the commercial inventory in SPT’s syndicated series as well as in U.S. digital businesses including FEARnet, DrOz.com and PlayStation.
Outlander, starring Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Tobias Menzies, Graham McTavish, Lotte Verbeek, Gary Lewis, Duncan Lacroix, Annette Badland and Stephen Walters premieres in 2014 on Starz.
