Right in time for the Film Festival Locarno the Production Notes for ‘Outlander‘ have been released. Here the Sophia-relevant parts:

Director Howard McCain
„We really did attract a great cast,” affirmed McCain, „all of whom are in it for the right reasons. From Jim Caviezel and John Hurt to Sophia Myles, Jack Huston and Ron Perlman, they all liked the script, not because it was a monster movie, not because it was a genre movie, but because of the underlying story.”

„Sophia Myles was ideal for Freya because she brought a sense of grit and edge and she inhabited this historical world well. I had seen TRISTAN AND ISOLDE and loved Sophia’s performance,” said McCain.

Sophia Myles
„It’s curious how I seem to get offered a lot of royalty!” said Myles, who has played a princess several times previously, including TRISTAN AND ISOLDE. „But Freya’s different. She gets her hands dirty. She gets to fight the Moorwen, which delighted me when I read that in the script. She’s more masculine than any other character I’ve played, and that I get to deck Jim with a roundhouse is impressive, but then again, I’m surrounded by so much testosterone in this film. The boys are great. Jack has become my best friend, Jim has been great, showing me up all the time with his push-ups, and then there is John Hurt. Just to be in the same room with him is a privilege.”

About her director, Myles said, „Howard has been fantastic. We instantly connected. He sees the vision and he knows what he wants. It’s been a mud bath at times, but the harder it is on the day, the better it looks on the screen, so I was prepared to put up with all the muck.” Myles said that when she read the script, she never envisioned Freya as a blonde, her own color, and had always harbored a wish to be a redhead, if only for a brief while. She convinced McCain to try it out and it worked beautifully with the personality of the character.

Co-Star Jack Huston
Huston thoroughly enjoyed the cast of OUTLANDER. „Ron Perlman is just the epitome of cool. Sophia is a sweetheart, and Jim is a great actor with an amazing intensity which is perfect for the character.

Sophia’s costumes
It was Freya’s dresses which truly showcased Hanson’s talents. Using Fortuny „Delphos” pleating and laundering fabrics so they appeared hand-loomed, the gowns for this Viking princess are deceptively simple. For the emerald gown Freya wore in Shield Hall, Hanson reversed the cloth, and suddenly the smooth gold flecks had a whimsical unevenness to them. The gown Freya wore for the funeral scene is the most elaborate: a garnet-colored fabric with a heavily embroidered ceremonial cloak is complimented by a fur piece over one shoulder. The belting, buckles and footwear, while not necessarily period correct, contribute to the primitive sophistication.

Read the full Production Notes here. Oh, and I’ve replaced that new still of Freya and Kainan kissing with an even better HQ version. Enjoy!

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