The second part of Outlander season 7 marks the return of Claire, Jamie, and Young Ian to Scotland after spending years away. As the trio comes back to their homeland, the audiences get to see some characters that haven’t been featured for many seasons.
One of them is Janet "Jenny" Fraser Murray, the older sister of Jamie. Jenny returns to the story in Outlander season 7 episode 9; however, fans were surprised to see a new actress playing the role, instead of Laura Donnelly, who portrayed the character in the first three seasons.
This left everyone wondering why Jenny was recast in Outlander season 7. Donnelly became preoccupied with other acting projects after her last appearance on the Starz series in season 3 and was replaced by Kristin Atherton in season 7.
Why was Jenny recast in Outlander season 7?
Starz announced that Laura Donnelly will be replaced by Kristin Atherton after Outlander season 6 finished airing in 2022. While the official reason behind the actress’ departure was not revealed, her exit was understandable as she had not appeared on the show since 2017.
Donnelly joined the historical fantasy drama in its debut season as the Lallybroch family matriarch, Jenny. She is the older sister of Jamie, who is tough but caring. Jenny is married to Old Ian Murray and shares seven children with him, including Young Ian.
Jenny forms a friendship with Claire and appears in eight episodes of the show in the first three seasons. However, as Jamie and Claire move away from Scotland, Jenny goes out of the spotlight.
Since she was last seen in Outlander, Donnelly has grabbed several ambitious projects. She played Elsa Bloodstone in the Disney+ television special Werewolf by Night, Helen McConville in FX’s Say Nothing, and Zephyr Alexis Navine/Amalia True in HBO’s The Nevers.
The Northern Irish actress has also made a name for herself on Broadway, starring in productions like The Ferryman and The Hills of California. As she got busy with other work, she likely decided not to return as Jenny in Outlander.
Kristin Atherton plays Jenny in Outlander season 7
British actress Kristin Atherton steps into the shoes of Jenny for Outlander Season 7. In the ninth episode of the season, Jenny has an emotional reunion with her son Young Ian, her brother Jamie, and her sister-in-law Claire, as she welcomes them back to their home after years.
Atherton had a challenging role to play as she not only had to live up to the expectations set by Laura Donnelly but also portray two different versions of Jenny, one in her 20s and the other in her 50s.
However, the actress played both parts gracefully without imitating Donnelly and brought her fresh charm to the show. Talking about replacing Donnelly, Atherton revealed that she herself is a fan of the actress and is nervous about taking her legacy forward. She said in an interview with Decider:
“From the second I got this job, I was like, ‘There is no way you can step into Laura’s shoes. Like I’m a huge fan of hers, anyway. I’ve seen her on stage. She’s phenomenal. So it became obvious to me really quickly, don’t try [to be her]. Just do what you can do.”
Opening up about how the rest of the cast made her feel comfortable on the sets during her initial days of shooting, Atherton said:
“I met Sam [who plays Jamie]. He was like, ‘Hey, Sis!’ He gave me the biggest hug. It’s such a privilege and everyone has been so welcoming, I could not be more grateful.”
Before joining the Starz series, Atherton was seen in television shows like Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators, Doctors, Rocket's Island, and Waterloo Road.
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Outlander season 7, part 2, premiered on Starz on November 22, 2024, and airs new episodes on Fridays.
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