Down-to-earth, full of energy but also extremely charismatic and talented. You wouldn’t think Joanne Thomson finds herself at her first big TV role, given her profound and touching performance as young widowed mother Amy McCallum on Outlander season 6, which premiered March 6 on STARZ and STARZPLAY.
We at Survived The Shows had the great pleasure of chatting to Joanne Thomson on the occasion of the premiere of Outlander Season 6 and discussing with her the development of her character Amy McCallum, her experience on set during the pandemic and which Outlander character she feels closest to.
After three years of downtime due to the pandemic, and almost quitting acting due to the difficulty of the craft, Joanne Thomson couldn’t have been happier and more excited when she landed the role of Amy McCallum in Outlander season 6, after three auditions over the years. And it shows in just the twinkle in her eye as she talks about these moments. The role has been a great challenge for her, being her biggest role to date.
“I’ve been in other shorter BBC/ITV productions, which were fantastic and one even won a BAFTA; so they were really good productions to be a part of, but [Outlander] is definitely the longest-running. You know, with an existing fanbase and things, so I was feeling a lot of pressure, and obviously during a pandemic…”
Joanne Thomson on joining the Outlander cast
On another note, we can say that Joanne is one of us, as she claims to be a huge Outlander fan!
The actress had already seen the TV series before joining, which led her to audition several times over the years. Although she hasn’t read the other books in Diana Gabaldon’s saga, Thomson reveals that she has read book six in Diana Gabaldon’s saga, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, and helped her understand the character and how to best portray her.
“Since it took a while before we got the scripts, it was nice to fill in by reading the book. You know, I didn’t want to go totally blind, and knowing that obviously there was a big fanbase for the books, I wanted to get a bit of an idea. Obviously the material couldn’t be the same because it’s two different mediums and the books are kind of like bibles. But it was nice to be able to explore the world around this character and see more… I also tried to learn Gaelic, which is very difficult – a lot of new things to immerse myself in this role.”
Joanne Thomson on approaching the role on Outlander Season 6
Amy McCallum’s character embodies the hope and willingness to start over that drives people to settle in Fraser’s Ridge.
In introducing Amy McCallum, a young widow, mother of two who comes to Fraser’s Ridge to start over, played touchingly and beautifully by Joanne Thomson, the actress explains how settling in a new place and changing lives brings all the new tenants, including Amy, a sense of hope and possibility with all that the place can bring.
“For Amy, all of that hope is dashed because her husband dies on the journey. She finds herself in this new place where she doesn’t know anyone, she has two children to look after and no one to help her.
I think a huge thread that runs through the whole series [about the condition of women at that time] is that you needed a husband. Not like today where they’re like dessert, but yeah, back then you really needed a man.
Obviously, as we saw in the first episode, Roger and Bree sort of take her under their wing and help her. In terms of what we’re going to see throughout the season, I don’t want to spoil too much. But you know, Bree is very busy inventing things because she’s a badass and she’s very good at it. So [Amy] will have Roger helping her with fixing the fireplace, wood work and some general help around the house.”
Joanne Thomson on her character Amy McCallum on Outlander
Asked if she sees anything of herself in Amy, Joanne is not ashamed to say that she finds herself very much like her character.
Also proudly Scottish, Joanne Thomson doesn’t deny that she fully understands her character and that general feeling of being homesick, she feels after moving to Fraser’s Ridge and on which she will also base her relationship with Roger (Richard Rankin).
“I’m obviously Scottish. I’ve got that real connection with my land and things like that, and I think that aspect of it was really easy for me to recreate because, you know, I lived in America on and off and I really missed home… even though I loved the sun.”
Joanne Thomson on what sees of herself in Amy McCallum
Of course, despite the affinity with the character, there were technical challenges in playing this character – even more so during the pandemic!
“They tell you not to work with children or animals, and my scenes included both children and animals – Caleb playing my son Aidan McCallum is really great, he was so good and it’s his very first job, in fact it was his first time acting. But I have to say, on that first day of filming for me, in that scene with Roger in the living room, it was all very complicated – you know, when I arrived on set with all the anti-covid security protocols, it was really hard trying to concentrate and block out all the noise elsewhere – and there was a moment where [Caleb, who plays Aidan] needed help and I was like ‘I don’t know how to help you, honey'”
Joanne Thomson on the biggest challenge in shooting Season 6
However, Thomson describes her experience on set with words full of love, explaining how everyone was extremely welcoming. From the minor actors, the production and even the leads like Sam and Caitriona.
“It’s hard not to feel too much pressure on you because… to be honest, even the main characters in the series, I think for a lot of them – Sam or even Caitriona – this is the most famous project they’ve been involved in. In the end, I think they all manage to put themselves in each other’s shoes and that explains why they are so welcoming and loving on set!”
Joanne Thomson on her experience on set
At the same time, however, the pressure was enormous, partly because of the scale of the project, but mainly because of the pandemic. Not to mention the weather conditions that Scotland is so well known for.
“[The Outlander crew] is without doubt the hardest working crew in the world, they did a great job. As for the rest of it, having sticks shoved up your nose at 4am in your trailer, and things like that, because we had to get tested every day … but the production did a really great job. They also built a lab at the studios to keep everyone as safe as possible, and there was so much work and reasoning behind it and it actually paid off because it all worked out pretty smoothly.”
Joanne Thomson on how challenging it was filming during the pandemic
Joanne recalls with a smile one of the first scenes they filmed, which we see within the first episode ‘Echoes’, where everyone rushes outside the big house to witness Richard Brown arrive with his Security Committee.
“We were all crammed into this tiny space as we were coming out of those stairs and everyone was like ‘Oh my God’, then we weren’t even masked. It was like being in a club when you can’t move without bumping into people you’ve just met – It was definitely all surreal, but we were grateful to be able to work obviously. I had friends who worked in the theatre whose shows were constantly being cancelled, or when I went back to the theatre myself, you know. It was so nice and I felt so lucky to be doing something that was going to last.”
Joanne Thomson
Socialising on set when you’re constantly wearing masks is harder than it sounds, Joanne Thomson explains, but everyone was very nice and welcoming on set anyway.
“Everyone has been extremely welcoming, and Sam and Caitriona are the loveliest people on this planet. I don’t know how they can sustain such a smile despite everything – and you know there are characters with actors who come and go and they’re always so nice. I got on really well with Alex [Vlahos, who plays Allan Christie]. Also with Caitlin, who plays Lizzie, who, with the arrival of the warm weather, invited me out for a week picnic, which was really nice […]. And also with Jessica, Jessica Reynolds, who plays Malva – she’s very lovely, and she happened to go to the same drama school that I had gone to for a foundation degree, so we had that in common, and we both love film.”
Joanne Thomson talking about with which of the cast members she grew a stronger friendship on Outlander
Richard Rankin was also a great co-star, with whom the actress shared many great scenes… and laughs.
“Richard Rankin is a kid, a joker, for sure, but that’s why we love him, isn’t it?”
Joanne Thomson on sharing the scene with Richard Rankin
Joanne tells us how she and Richard initially only did a script reading together via Zoom; so, there wasn’t much of a way to get to know each other and create a basis for a relationship. Not to mention that when they shot their first scene together, the one where Roger comforts little Aidan on the stairs of the big house and offers to help them build a cabin in the first episode of Outlander 6, the two were practically strangers. However, however, also coming from the same country, Joanne and Richard have created quite a rapport, both on stage and off.
“I remember when we had to shoot a bit of a tricky scene with Richard – I won’t spoil anything – where he had to do this speech in a room full of people, but because of Covid they added people in post-production; so it was basically just me there and he did a really good job because he had to pretend to look all these people in the eye and stuff. I went up to him afterwards, because we hadn’t had any other scenes together, and I said ‘You killed it.
I know there are some people who don’t need that kind of support and he’s one of them, but I mean who doesn’t like to hear that you did a good job? Then later we had another scene together and of course that also broke the ice between us. Also, Richard has a similar banter to me, so yes, let’s say we get along pretty well.”
Joanne Thomson on sharing the scene with Richard Rankin
If we had to talk about a scene that was more fun to shoot and a scene that made it more difficult for you to step into the role of Amy McCallum…
There’s no doubt that when you bring up the most fun scenes to shoot, as Joanne also confirms, it’s always scenes with animals (“or with Richard Rankin”). At the same time, she teases about a very fun scene later on in the season with Amy and Roger somehow reminiscing about their home back in Scotland.
“I think the show has done a really good job in that, even like in the first season with Lallybroch and things like that, you can get that real sense of home and [what you feel] when you get away from home.”
Joanne Thomson
If Joanne could pick another Outlander character that she’d like to play, whether it’s more fun to play or just more akin to her, it would be…
Instinctively, the first choice for Joanne would definitely be a character who rides horses, as she loves horses. But at the same time some French character, “because the costumes in season 2 were so good”. Lizzie would be another character that would be a lot of fun to play this season, “because she’s going to get into some pretty tricky business [laughs]”, but also Ian, mainly for Rollo, but also “in general for genuinely being so cool” and his bows and arrows. She would also love to play Claire Fraser. However, round and round, the real choice falls on the one and only Jenny Fraser, Jamie’s sister.
“I’d love to play that character, she’s such a badass. Laura Donnelly, definitely. I mean, I wouldn’t even be comparable but she’s such a great character. I just love her.”
Joanne Thomson on the character she would love the most to play on Outlander
Taking a step back to her past acting experiences, we asked Joanne Thomson which role she feels most fond of and which one has challenged her the most
How can you not love playing a real suffragette? Joanne fondly remembers her participation in the BBC miniseries Suffragettes with Lucy Worsley (2018) as Mary Leigh. A character inspired by a suffragette who actually existed in history.
“Thinking back to all the women who worked on this project – there was mostly a female crew – it was a real joy to play a character who really existed in history, because [Mary Leigh] was the first woman who was force fed, so it really meant a lot. I actually remember auditioning on the 100th anniversary of the first women getting the vote, and I was mostly dressed up as a suffragette for the audition. I was walking around London like [imitates suffragettes]. Yeah, it was a really good role.”
Joanne Thomson on the role that’s was most challenging
Looking back on the role that has challenged her the most as an actress, Joanne doesn’t have to go back that far.
The actress recently starred in a play at the Royal Exchange in Manchester called The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart by David Greig. It’s an extremely physical show, full-on, and a giant challenge. However, Thomson tells how acting in theatre during the pandemic was her biggest challenge to date.
“It was so difficult – you know, anxiety level and giving my best at the same time. Every week there was something in store, like people testing positive, having to rejig the show. It was really hard and the cast and crew put together an incredible amazingly well. […] It felt like everything was falling apart, but we made it to the end and I’m very proud of that! It really was a challenge!”
Joanne Thomson on doing theatre during the pandemic
Throwing back to where her passion for acting came from, Joanne Thomson always wanted to be an actress. But started acting due to a lack of self-esteem following bullying.
It all started when she was a child, says Thomson, and was heavily bullied by a teacher, which made her lose her self-esteem completely. When someone advised her mother that it would be helpful for her to take acting classes so she could regain her confidence, that was the turning point.
“I had also been dancing. Like ballet, jazz, tap, since I was like three, so I can say I was already a performer, but that was my first acting class. Then again, for most of high school I was bullied heavily, but acting was honestly my lifeline. It was a bit of an escape.”
Joanne Thomson
What advice does Joanne give to those who want to pursue an acting career?
Staying realistic, but still giving useful advice, Joanne stresses that anyone who wants to become an actor should be prepared for the dual nature of an acting career.
“If you’re looking for fame or the like,” explains the actress. “that’s a completely different thing. But if you want to be an actor, there’s a part that’s completely devoted to learning your lines, going on auditions, recording auditions, cancelling plans and travelling all over a country in a constant attempt to prove to people you don’t know that you can do your job. In my case, sometimes I’ve gone on for months, but people I know have gone on for years.
If thinking about this destroys your confidence, then going through it will probably do worse. But if there’s anything else that you’re interested in, explore that. I’m not saying definitely do that, but it’s a very tough career. Unless one becomes immediately famous, even I sincerely wouldn’t want to be hyper famous. But that’s the reality of the job.
So, you have to genuinely love this job and this craft. Because sometimes you spend so little time acting actually, that’s the worst part of this career. Watch plays, films… There’s so much stuff online. Especially now that it’s getting a little bit international and schools are also teaching on Zoom and things. So really take advantage of those things if you can, and explore all sorts of scholarship options or find an option that’s right for you anyway.
It took me four years to get into drama school, four tries to audition for the single characters that then led me to this job, so it’s definitely a long game. Definitely a marathon. But if that’s what you want to do, give it a bloody go, because it’s great, I’m not going to lie”
Joanne Thomson
Watch the full interview with Outlander newbie Joanne Thomson in the video above!
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Chiara
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