Liam Neeson Was Once Considered For Outlander's Jamie (Good Luck Unseeing That)
The fan-favorite novels could have been made into a movie, not a series, with Liam Neeson in the lead.
Even though Starz's time-traveling series Outlander has been a bit of a drag in recent seasons, it is still considered one of the best shows of the 2010s, and the lead performances by Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan are simply too majestic to look away from. However, you may be surprised to learn that author Diana Gabaldon was planning an adaptation of her novel series with a completely different actor in mind for the role of Jamie.
The first book of the Outlander series became an instant hit after it was published in 1991, and Hollywood certainly took notice and courted the author for a possible adaptation.
Though nothing came out of the original plan to adapt Outlander into a movie, the project was in the early stages of production for some time, with some of the actors being approached.
Since Jamie is a proud Scotsman, it was no surprise that the producers decided to cast an actor from the northern parts of the UK to play him. Two iconic actors were approached — Sean Connery and Liam Neeson. And since the ex-James Bond actor was far too old to play a warrior lover, Neeson was considered the most suitable candidate for the lead role.
Of course, with Liam Neeson in the lead and adapted as a movie rather than a show, Outlander would have been a completely different affair than the Starz series. Besides, there's no guarantee that the movie would have been good, especially since the book series' old-time fans claim that Neeson was totally unfit for the role of Jamie.
According to the fans, he would likely fail to portray the character accurately, as his age, build, and mannerisms were not appropriate for the role.
'Liam Neeson playing a middle aged "virgin." I adore him but can't see it. Sam Heughan is perfect in the role. Boyish good looks and the build of an Adonis,' one fan commented on this.
So it looks like Outlander fans are perfectly fine with the movie not becoming a reality, and it's definitely a good thing the fan-favorite books were eventually adapted by Starz for the small screen.
The seventh season of Starz's Outlander will be released on Friday, June 16, 2023.
Source: Reddit.