Meet All the New Characters Joining the Final Season of “Outlander”

The final season of the time travel romance premiered on March 6 on Starz

NEED TO KNOW

• The eighth and final season of Outlander premiered on March 6
• The latest episodes feature returning stars Sam Heughan and Caitríona Balfe, along with new cast members
• Carla Woodcock, Kieran Bew and more join the season 8 ensemble

Outlander is coming to an end, but not before introducing a few new characters.

The closing chapter of the centuries-spanning love story between Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) and Claire Fraser (Caitríona Balfe) began on March 6, when Outlander returned for season 8, the final installment in the hit Starz series.

The time traveling TV show is based on the book series of the same name by Diana Gabaldon, and the new season adapts Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone (2021), the ninth title in the franchise of novels.

In November 2024, Gabaldon confirmed that season 8 will also include "little pieces" of the tenth and last book in the series, A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out, which has yet to be released, per The Direct.

On the subject of the final season, Heughan told PEOPLE that when it comes to the series' beloved characters, "Everyone does get their fair moment."

So, with the premiere of Outlander season 8, here are the new characters Jamie and Claire and the rest of the Fraser family will face as they take one last trip through time.

01 of 04

Carla Woodcock as Amaranthus Grey

Carla Woodcock joins the Outlander cast as Amaranthus Grey, who is related to Lord John Grey (David Berry) through marriage.

Amaranthus grows close to William Ransom (Charles Vandervaart), who was raised by John Grey but is, in fact, the secret son of Jamie, as revealed in season 7.

Amaranthus is the widow of Williams' cousin, Benjamin (Alex Bhat). She and her child are living with John.

02 of 04

Kieran Bew as Captain Charles Cunningham

Kieran Bew plays Captain Charles Cunningham, a retired British soldier and new antagonist for season 8.

“We always have to have a good villain, and what I love about Cunningham is, in the very typical Outlander way, he’s got so many levels to him that he doesn’t always feel like a villain,” showrunner Matthew B. Roberts told TV Insider in February 2026.

03 of 04

Frances Tomelty as Elspeth Cunningham

Frances Tomelty plays Elspeth Cunningham, the mother of Captain Charles Cunningham.

Tomelty has appeared in various British TV series since the 1970s. In recent years, she has played roles in All Creatures Great & Small, Call the Midwife, The Nevers and more.

04 of 04

Turlough Convery as Benjamin Cleveland

Turlough Convery portrays Benjamin Cleveland.

Benjamin is an abrasive man who tells Jamie that he is organizing an army to fight the Tories.

Jamie and his family are preparing for battle, but as Heughan revealed to PEOPLE in January 2026, even the cast doesn't know how the series concludes.

"We don't really know how it ends," he said. "We kind of know, but we shall see in the edit ourselves."

The actor added that for the final season, viewers can expect, "Reconciliation … war and eternity."

Read the full article here