Tim Downie – Outlander

By starrymag | March 15, 2020

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) What are the recent projects are currently working on or have coming out?

A) My sitcom “The Jewish Enquirer” is streaming now on Amazon Prime UK. Hopefully, it will come Stateside very, very soon. I play the lead Paul Green. “Back” with David Mitchell and Robert Webb will be out later this year on Channel 4 and I’ve just started a very secret video game project that is soon to be announced!

 

Q) What can you tease us on the new season of “Outlander?”

A) More of everything! More adventure, more romance, more Tryon! It has everything that has made this series so popular and then it’s ramped it up to eleven. It marries together the truly epic grand stories of the time as well as the personal, private stories of a family trying to survive and in this ever-changing world we find ourselves in it can make it even more timely and pertinent than ever before.

 

Q) How was Governor Tryon originally described to you?

A) Simply as the Governor of North Carolina and someone not to be trusted. But there are so many factors that build a character. The rest comes from (of course) the original material that Diana [Gabaldon] has created, the script, the direction and what you bring to the party, all your research and choices that you hope will only go to embellish and enrich the character.

 

Q) What kind of research went into portraying this real historical figure?

A) I did a lot of reading about that period, as it’s a fascinating one. One of enormous social and economic change, not that dissimilar to now actually. Great wealth and great poverty sitting side by side. Class played a great part in it as well. Coming from the upper classes Tryon would have been brought up as thinking himself better and superior to most others around him. Couple that with now the power to rule and you have a very potent mix.

 

Q) I really enjoy the intricate costumes of the series that capture each character so well. How does your character’s outfit help you transform into the Governor and play into his identity?

A) The costumes are simply incredible and made by hand for the character, so you are getting a bespoke suit perfectly fitted for you and that makes a huge difference. It’s exquisite tailoring, so the jackets hold you up and give you a sense of grandeur. All the subtle layers of cloth pulling you in the right places can’t help but add to the performance.

 

Q) No villain sees themselves as a bad person. They see it as being motivated towards a greater good. Do you see your character as a villain or more that he has well intentions that have run amuck?

A) No, I don’t think Tryon sees himself as a bad person but more of a commander and to some extent a businessman. In this season Tryon is very much a man on a mission. In this moment in American history the tide is starting to turn for the British in the New World, and where there is disaster for some there is opportunity for others so here now is a chance for him to make great strides in his own career. Ambition when it goes unchecked can be deadly for those around, and here we have a man who commands an area of land far greater than the country he left behind.

 

Q) What have been some of your favorite scenes or episodes to film this season of “Outlander?”

A) There have been many and for many different reasons. My first will always stand out as it was my first. The time we did a scene in a haunted room and every time Sam said the word Jacobite a book would fly off a shelf, it did it three times so it became more than just a coincidence. There are some scenes in this series as well that I am very proud of and a can’t wait for you all to see.

 

Q) With such an intense character, how did you shake off a long day of filming?

A) I’m a big reader so reading helps; something that transports you to someplace else is a great relief. Kids help as well. There is nothing that is more of a grounder than coming home and your daughter telling you they have drawn a dragon on their sister’s face with felt tip pens or them grabbing your hand and wanting you to see the Lego castle they’ve made. That certainly puts things in their right perspective.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. What kind of fan feedback have you been receiving to your time on the show?

A) I have been tremendously lucky. They have been really gracious and open and incredibly welcoming and considering I’m the bad guy that’s amazing. I have been the recipient of many brilliant gifts as well. A breakfast beret being a real favorite but also things like handmade blankets, gloves, socks and even a rather brilliant set of mugs from a fan’s daughter who works for the FBI!

 

Q) Is there anything else about your time working on “Outlander” that you’d like to be sure we share with our readers?

A) I know people say this all the time, but it is genuinely such an incredibly lovely set to work on. The actors and crew are so warm and welcoming that you feel like you are one of the team as soon as you arrive. It’s a great testimony to Sam [Heughan] and Cait [Balfe] as they certainly lead from the front and create a working environment where you feel everyone wants you to be the best they can be.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of you and your work?

A) I think thank you to begin with. Thank you for letting me tell the stories I enjoy telling and hopefully you all like seeing.