Maril Davis Reveals What She Really Thought About Caitríona Balfe & Sam Heughan’s Chemistry Test & How She’d Like Outlander to End

One of the reasons Outlander ever became a television show is because of executive producer Maril Davis. After reading the first book, Davis was hooked. Now almost 10 years and 7 seasons later, the books have taken on a life of their own with Sam Heughan and Caitríona Balfe as Jamie and Claire Fraser. Davis sat down with us exclusively to tell us what made her want to get this show made, what Caitríona Balfe said that made her the only choice for Claire, and her first reaction to Sam Heughan and Balfe’s chemistry test. Plus, she goes down memory lane and tells us the real story behind some iconic scene stills from earlier seasons, including one action scene that took Balfe and Heughan by surprise. She also addresses the fact that the television series will end before Diana Gabaldon’s book series does which worries many fans who feel it won’t be given a proper ending. However, could this open up the possibility of an Outlandermovie down the line? Watch the video chat to find out.

We showed Davis a series of photos from the series to see what she could tell us about them, and what memories they sparked. The first was a photo of Balfe and Heughan on a horse. It’s no secret that Balfe and Heughan are known for their chemistry. Davis reveals she told showrunner Ron Moore this about Jamie and Claire when they were casting, “If we don’t get these two right, this series is not going to work.” Thankfully, they got them very right, and the series is now in its seventh season. Davis shares that there was one line they absolutely detested hearing in auditions, until Caitríona Balfe walked through the door. “We’d seen so many actresses do it, no one could get it. Until Caitríona, when we were saw her audition 3 weeks before filming, and I was like, ‘Oh that line did not grate on me anymore, because, that’s our Claire.”

Davis also opens up about Balfe and Heughan’s chemistry test. “I was like ‘Ding, ding, ding.’” She continues, “As soon as I saw Caitríona and Sam together, I was like, ‘We’ve got our winners.’

When Davis was shown the picture of Jamie and Claire at the stones before they were separated for 20 years, she says they didn’t know how Jamie and Claire would get to the stones to say goodbye. It turned out Balfe and Heughan ended up almost dancing towards the stones. Saddest slow dance ever. But Davis remembers how special that scene was for all of them.

In season 1, Jamie and Claire get into a fight in episode 9, “The Reckoning.” Davis says, “That was the first time I recognized we had a hit on our hands. It was that iconic scene that they (Balfe and Heughan) nailed. For the final photo, Davis told us what exactly was happening when Claire is looking like she’s being attacked by a lot of water, aka rain. “Matt Roberts, our showrunner, filmed that scene. They were like, ‘Oh we’re going to absolutely drench Caitríona and Sam but they didn’t know it was coming. So that reaction shot was not acting!”

With Outlander due to end in its eighth and final season, but Gabaldon is still about to write the tenth and final book, how will the show make sure to do the ending everyone will be happy with. Davis reveals that Gabaldon has always thought of the show and book series separately. Sometimes Gabaldon will ask them not to do things, and also is supportive when they stray from the books a little. But how do you do a television ending when the author hasn’t written the book ending. “We want to be respectful of her. We are in a tricky position, to try and end something before the books have ended.” Davis reveals they have told Gabaldon about what they are planning, “I am nervous about it, but I feel confident that we’ll do something that’s right for us and satisfying, but also is concert with what Diana’s doing.”

Davis, like Heughan, and unlike Balfe, knows about Gabaldon’s ending that she showed Heughan early on. And what does she think Balfe’s reaction might be, Davis laughs and says, “I think the ending that I have read- it’s fairly ambiguous, it’s not totally clear. So I don’t know if she (Balfe) will—I want to talk Sam about this and we will do our little sidebar together, but it’s not entirely clear.” She also confesses, “It doesn’t wrap up in the way that I think she’s going to wrap it up… I think how she ends it will be slightly different.” So nobody really knows but Gabaldon herself. And maybe not even her, since she’s still writing her very, very, very large final book.

As for whether they would be up for an Outlander movie like Downton Abbey, Davis doesn’t even let us finish the question, before answering, “I would! I would totally be up for it.” Consider this our official nomination for Maril Davis to be President of everything. “It just depends if Caitríona and Sam want to do it, if Starz and Sony want to do it, but down the line, absolutely! Unless we kill people off.” Ma’am. Outlander fans will riot in the streets. Nobody wants that. Watch the exclusive video to find out a little snippet of something Davis “heard on set” that she released just to us! And watch Davis give us some intel on the red carpet about how she wants Outlander and Jamie and Claire’s story to end. Let’s just say, Hawaii, beach, drinks, and never gonna happen. Check out what Balfe and Heughan had to say about the new season. Outlander returns June 16^th on Starz.

Before you go, check out the all-time best ‘Outlander’ episodes you need to watch.