Outlander’s Izzy Meikle-Small Thinks Young Ian and Rachel Have the Most Modern-Day Love Story of All

When it comes to marriages on Outlander, modern-day elements shine through. It helps that multiple characters are from the future.

However, when it comes to Young Ian Murray and Rachel Hunter, the idea of modern elements wasn’t a thing at first. It’s only been as Outlander Season 8 has progressed that it’s really come up.

Izzy Meikle-Small and John Bell chatted with TV Fanatic about their characters, the journey to meet Wahionhaweh, a.k.a. Emily, and the shocking request at the end of Outlander Season 8 Episode 6.

TV Fanatic: What was it like to bring Ian, Rachel, and Emily all together?

John Bell: It’s like a Real Housewives reunion!

Izzy Meikle-Small: It was great. We love Morgan [Holmstrom], and it was so fun to have her over. 

I got to meet her during Outlander Season 7. She and John were doing a scene, and John introduced us. I wasn’t sure if we’d ever actually get to do a scene together, so that was really fun. I loved working with her.

I think John loved having his two wives together.

Two gorgeous wives!

JB: They are two gorgeous wives. Emotionally and intellectually, my wives are fighting over me.

Well, not really. I think Rachel was ready to leave him. They both nearly left him.

It’s such a human story for Rachel, with the second wife worrying about the first. And it happens so much on Outlander, like for Jamie with husbands! Izzy, what was going through Rachel’s mind as she was dealing with all these emotions?

IMS: Emily has always taken up a certain amount of space in her mind. During Season 7, when they sit on the log, and he tells her about his first wife, I think she’s quite shocked.

She didn’t see that coming, and she hasn’t had any previous experience with men, except for William, and that was quite one-sided.

I think the idea of being in love with somebody else, assuming they’re dead, and they’re actually still alive — they’re kind of divorced, and it’s such a modern idea — it’s something she’s probably not experienced.

She can’t understand how somebody could move on from someone in that way, and her biggest fear is that Ian is still in love with Emily. 

When it comes to the fore in this episode, she’s really, really hurt, and really struggling with this feeling of jealousy, which she’s never experienced before.

She feels all consumed, and she feels such guilt about that.

She’s juggling a lot and trying to put all of that aside to be there for her husband with something that is deeply traumatic for him.

I think she puts herself to the side so much that she ends up monitoring herself a bit. As you say, it’s a very human story.

I think the writers did a really great job of making very modern, real emotions fit into this historical backdrop.

And on the topic of jealousy, it’s one of the seven deadly sins, which is another thing for Rachel.

IMS: 100%, yeah! She’s sinning 24/7 right now, all consumed by sin, and there’s nothing to do about it.

John, Ian gets this moment in this episode of Outlander, when he and Emily look at each other, and they’re like strangers. There’s this clear gap between them. What’s that like for Ian?

JB: It makes me think of the Hawaiian way of thinking: I love you. I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you.

I think that’s sort of what goes between them in that moment.

There’s so much that I think Ian would have changed before meeting Rachel, but this final episode for them as a couple, as this combination of their journey, gets them to a place where, despite everything he’s going through — with his son, his baby, with Rachel by his side — he can finally accept it and realize that he’s made the most of it.

He’s where he’s supposed to be now.

It’s a beautiful array of emotions that flicker between the two of them.

Again, it feels like what Izzy was saying was quite modern. It’s that moment of seeing your ex at the bus stop a year or two later and realizing that you’re different people, but they still hold that space, that little candle, for a second.

I think he’s incredibly touched by Emily’s entrusting of their son to him, and that means more to him than anything.

They always say there are three loves in life. Emily is the first, to help Ian grow up. Rachel is that true love. He’s changed for both of these women, but he’s changed the most for Rachel, pushing aside some of his Highlander aspects.

JB: Yeah, I think, as well, this was the biggest moment for the testing of their relationship. Will this work?

Relationships wobble, but if you’re able to bring them back stronger, then you’re stronger for that wobble. With Emily, when Ian was younger, and he was away from home, the wobbles became too much.

I have full faith in Ian and Rachel. If they’ve come through this stronger, then you’ll see them on a very united front from now on.

How did you all approach the scene as Emily is requesting that Ian and Rachel take her son? Did you rehearse that, or have any ideas who you wanted to portray that?

IMS: With most scenes, you come in with your own ideas, and then the director has his own ideas about how he wants to block it, and you work together to come ot a point that makes sense.

I think for John and Mogan’s characters, there was a lot of subtext between the two of them that had to be navigated. Then Rachel starts hanging in the background, and she gets brought in.

The way it was blocked at the end, with the three of us all facing each other in a triangle, was fitting for the emotional triangle that was happening at the time.

It was important for Rachel and Emily to meet because it’s that classic thing of being more scared of someone until you’ve met them. 

I think Emily felt like a much bigger threat as a person in Rachel’s head than she did when she met her and realized she’s just a woman scared for her child.

That completely deconstructs everything Rachel has been feeling, and she’s a woman of faith, so she’s never going to say no to helping protect a child, but I think she sees how important it is to Young Ian.

Having them all be able to see each other and be in that kind of blocking was the right call.

JB: Yeah, and I would like to add that they gave us the whole day for that scene, so it felt like we could take the time with it.

We could find the breath in it, the moments of silence, and the spirit moving you, which we were so pleased with.

It was really lovely because, sometimes, the nature of working on a set can make you feel rushed to get scenes done.

This was also a combination of Ian’s journey, so thank you to the producers and the ADs who gave us that whole day!

I’m running out of time, but I’m so glad Baby Hunter got his name!

I know it’s from the book, but I loved that moment of recognizing that Emily has been moved by the spirit, because that name means so much.

IMS: Yeah, Rachel can’t believe it. If she’s been having any doubts in her religion, she knows that this is God’s plan, because there is no way Emily could have said that.

Emily is either magical or being led by the spirit.

That’s exactly how Rachel feels. It was meant to be, and it gives her real courage in that moment.

JB: And my middle name is Hunter, so there are so many layers.

My mom was reading the books, and when she got to that part, she said it was like she had a fictional grandson.

It was right for all characters and actors!

This is where we turn to you — and we hope you don’t think we’re needy!
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