Your Honor, Outlaw King, Secret Invasion and The Bombing of Pan Am 103 actor Tony Curran says his character Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat on the Outlander prequel, Blood of My Blood, is such a terrible person that even his real-life loved ones complain to him about his behavior.
"He's a dastardly individual and an uncompromising old fox who will do anything. All means necessary," Curran told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.
"He's a complex, rich, dark, bad, bad individual," he said. "I keep getting messages from my wife and my friends. They're like, 'God, you're just despicable.' I'm like: 'Oh, thanks a lot. I appreciate that.'
"I guess there has to be a bad guy. Maybe he's just misunderstood. Maybe that's it. He's a lot of fun to play. People hate him or love to hate him. I'm OK with that. I guess, in some ways, I'm doing my job," he laughed.
Set primarily in 18th-century Scotland, the Starz prequel follows the parents and grandparents of beloved Outlander lovers Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) and Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe).
Lord Lovat is the father of Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy) and grandfather of Jamie.
"He just wants his son to continue his legacy, although, sadly, he is my bastard," Curran said about the tumultuous dynamic between Lovat and Brian.
"He's always disappointed in Brian because he seems to try, but he doesn't seem to achieve and be where Lord Lovat thinks he should be in his life and his capability, all that following in Simon Fraser's big foot steps," he added. "If he can use Brian to get what he wants, where he wants, he'll use him and he'll be upset with him and chide him and chastise him when he's not doing what he wants."
Lovat is especially displeased when Brian falls in love with Ellen (Harriet Slater), a member of the neighboring clan MacKenzie.
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"I don't like the MacKenzies," Curran said.
"They're my nemeses. They're Scottish, but they may as well be English for all I care," he added. "Red Jacob MacKenzie (Peter Mullan) passed away. I don't think Lord Lovat shed a tear over over that. Although I love Peter Mullan."
Curran said his wife frequently encourages him to be nicer Brian.
"I'm playing a character. It's not me," he emphasized.
"But I get it. He is such a sweet character. He's got such compassion. He's a strong, young character," Curran added. "A lot of scenes that we've had are me constantly not building him up, but tearing him down and it's such an intricate journey for [Brian], as well, to find the strength, to find his bravery, to find the desire to actually stand up to his father."
The show also co-stars Hermione Corfield and Jeremy Irvine.