‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood’ Aftershow: Stars Talk Filming Labor Scene & Defend Henry’s Actions (VIDEO)

[Warning: The below and video above contain MAJOR spoilers for Outlander: Blood of My Blood, Season 1 Episode 6, “Birthright.”]

Julia (Hermione Corfield) and Henry (Jeremy Irvine), the 20^th century soulmate couple who became separated when they fell through time in this Outlander prequel, coped with immense suffering in the sixth episode. We spoke with the Outlander: Blood of My Blood actors, who portray the parents of Claire (Caitriona Balfe), the original series’ heroine, about Julia’s harrowing labor and Henry’s grief-stricken break with reality after being told falsely that Julia had died. (Watch the video above for the full, in-depth interview as part of our Outlander: Blood of My Blood Aftershow.)

At Castle Leathers, Julia went into labor with her and Henry’s child. To save the baby’s life, she had told everyone that the father was Lord Lovat (Tony Curran), but those attending the birth tried to push her to admit that wasn’t true. “She’s guarding this baby with her life and she’s willing to do anything to do that,” Corfield told us. Of shooting the scene, she said, “It was physically very tiring. We were in the same room for about three or four days and we had the fire on and the candles and when you’re all in one space, the oxygen just goes out the room and it gets hot and you are continuously using your voice in a certain way. I was like, guys, I can’t actually stand up anymore. So yeah, it was physically and mentally quite demanding.”

So, does Julia believe the baby will be the next king of Scotland, which is what Lovat’s seer foretold? “Part of her wants to believe all of the things that the seer says,” Corfield said. “But also I think some of it, I don’t think she believes that her son will fulfill that prophecy. It’s an interesting combination. I think she believes some things and doesn’t believe others.”

Related

'Outlander: Blood of My Blood' Stars on Brian & Ellen's Steamy Beltane Adventure

At the Grant estate, Henry, who had been searching for his wife, was lied to that a woman fitting Julia’s description had died in childbirth. Turns out, the person who brought the awful news had been paid off by cruel and jealous Mr. Bug (Terence Rae). Irvine revealed that he knew he had to push his performance to the extreme. “We need to sympathize with Henry. We don’t want the audience to hate him when he goes and does what he does. So, we need to really see how broken he is,” the actor said of Henry’s decision to sleep with a sex worker, Seema (Lauren McQueen.) “He’s in this living in a psychotic fantasy at that point and goes to the brothel. In his mind, he goes back to a safe place, a place when there was love and there was hope. And he goes back to the safest, most hopeful filled memory in his past. And that’s this moment at the end of the war when he comes back to see Julia and they make love and that in his maned brain becomes Seema and becomes the brothel. It all gets very twisted up for him.”

More from this section

+6

Aboard Norwegian Aqua: Big Shows, Bold Thrills, and a Fresh Take On Cruising

Movies and TV shows casting across the US

Taylor Swift’s 'Showgirl' era sparks major sales for brands

There was a bright light in the episode. After the traumatic labor, Julia was attended to by her increasingly close friend and ally, Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy), who also suffers the cruelty dispensed to inhabitants of Leathers. Julia kindly lit a birthday candle for him. Roy told us, “It was one of my favorite, favorite scenes to film the whole first season because that episode, especially those two characters, have been through so much. It totally changed from the start of the episode to the end of the episode. I think as actors, Hermione and I, we both really enjoyed filming that because there was a real baby there. This show was the first time I’ve ever worked with a baby. When they’re there, you forget you’re acting honestly because you have to take care of this baby. It’s grounding.”

Watch the full aftershow above for much more.

Outlander: Blood of My Blood, Season 1, Fridays, 8/7c, Starz 

More Headlines:

• ‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood’ Aftershow: Stars Talk Filming Labor Scene & Defend Henry’s Actions (VIDEO)
• What Happened to ‘Deadliest Catch’s Nick Mavar? His Death & More
• ‘Big Brother’: Mickey Lee Spills on Morgan & Vince’s ‘Intimate’ Relationship & How It Tore Their Alliance Apart
• ‘My Life with the Walter Boys’: How Well Does the Main Trio Know the Family? (VIDEO)
• ‘Ludwig’ Season 2 Begins Filming: When Does It Premiere in the US?