Sam Heughan (‘Outlander’) backstage at the first-of-its-kind ‘Hublander: A Visit to the Highlands’ fan convention [Exclusive Video Interview]

Rob Licuria
·3 min read
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“Outlander” fans were out in force last weekend, congregating down under in Sydney and Melbourne for Hublander: A Visit to the Highlands, a first-of-its-kind convention for the TV blockbuster, featuring an hour-long Q&A with star Sam Heughan and hilarious hour-long chats with co-stars Duncan Lacroix, John Bell and Charles Vandervaart.

Gold Derby attended the event and was the only media outlet with exclusive one-on-one access to the show’s leading man backstage. “Good to see you guys, in person and not on Zoom! It’s just amazing, we’re having the best time,” Heughan declared. “It’s great to see all the fans down under and it’s so nice to see the fans come from all over.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.

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For the event’s first official day in Sydney, the Sir John Clancy Auditorium was transformed into the Scottish Highlands for an immersive meet-and-greet experience, delighting super-fans with opportunities to pose for photos and interact with the beloved stars of the show. Feedback from Hublander has been overwhelmingly positive, with enthusiastic attendees reveling in their shared love for the global pop culture phenomenon.

SEE Sam Heughan Interview: Season 6

The fantasy romance saga’s two-part, 16-episode seventh season is based on “An Echo in the Bone” and “Written in My Own Blood,” the seventh and eighth installments in acclaimed author Diana Gabaldon’s series of fantasy novels. TV’s favorite lovebirds Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Heughan) are back, as is Young Ian (Bell) and William (Vandervaart), Roger (Richard Rankin) and Brianna (Sophie Skelton), both of whom travelling forward in time by the end of the first half of the season (a.k.a. “Season 7A). The season also boasts the return of fan favorites Jenny (with Kristin Atherton replacing Laura Donnelly in the role), Geillis Duncan (Lotte Verbeek), Brian Fraser (Andrew Whipp), Dougal MacKenzie (Graham McTavish), Ian Murray (Steven Cree), Joan MacKimmie (Layla Burns) and Laoghaire Fraser (Nell Hudson). In addition to the show’s returning cast, several new actors joined the show, like Loria Obianyo as Mercy Woodcock, Rod Hallett as Benedict Arnold and Chris Fulton as Rob Cameron.

Season 7A aired June 16 to August 11 last year after more than a year-long drought. That means “Outlander” is once again eligible for Emmy consideration for Best Drama Series and across the board in key acting, writing, directing and creative arts categories. The second half of the season (7B) is slated to premiere later this year, with the show’s final season, it’s eighth, currently in production.

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