Mary McNab, You Lucky Wee Crab

When I first met the Outlander TV series, and got a load of Jamie Fraser, I joked with my mother about how long the casting line would be for the role of Mary McNab. This morning I was thinking about recent Q&A’s with questions about Mr. Willoughby, Ping An, Geneva, and I thought, WHAT ABOUT MARY MCNAB?? I did some poking around, and it seems there IS a Mary McNab! (and though still not formally announced, this is not new news to some) 

It appears that half English, half Scottish Emma Campbell-Jones will play the role. (For my interview with Emma, GO HERE).

Photo: Ric Bacon

Emma grew up in Edinburgh, London, New Zealand and Florida, and she trained at the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama in London. Her father is British former F1 racing driver, John Campbell-Jones.

Photo: Facebook, F1 driver John Campbell-Jones

Emma’s CV includes lots of television work, including Dr. Who, a running theme for Outlander (as most of you know). Diana’s inspiration for the character of Jamie came from Frazer Hines’ portrayal of a Scottish character named Jamie on Dr. Who.

Photo: Emma on Dr Who                                                          Photo: Sam, Diana, and Frazer Hines

John Bell, who plays Young Ian in Season 3, made his television debut on Dr. Who – CLICK HERE for more on John Bell.

Here is a video interview with Emma about Dr. Who, by Flicks And The City 

Also on Emma’s list of works is Royal Wives at War, a BBC/PBS period piece for television.

There’s a crossover with BBC One Doctors, which both Sam and Emma played on, but apparently without overlap. Sam played Scott Neilson in 2009, and Emma played four different roles, in 2008, ’10, ’11, and ’16. 

Photo: Sam as Scott Neilson on Doctors, with his costar Sophie Abelsohn

Emma has also appeared in EastEnders, where our Mrs. Fitz, Annette Badland played evil Aunt Babe. 

SPOILER ALERT**** non-Book readers proceed with caution

Those of us who’ve read the books know that since Mary McNab and Geneva Dunsany have both been cast, we’ll be seeing Jamie in some extra-Clairital sex scenes. So, we can expect some steam in the first half of Season 3 as well as post print shop. 

A warm welcome to Emma Campbell-Jones, can’t wait to see your Mary McNab. (I think Mary deserves a little Jamie after a life with that creep Ronald!) 

I’ll end with this quote I found on Outlander Wiki… can’t wait for S3

“I ken weel enough what ye’re thinkin’. For I saw your lady, and I know how it was between the two of ye. I never had that, not wi’ either of the two men I wed. But I know the look of a true love, and it’s not in my mind to make ye feel ye’ve betrayed it.”