The television landscape is rarely as unforgiving or as rewarding as it has been for Scottish actor Jamie Roy. For years, the Outlander saga—a sweeping, multi-generational epic of time travel, Jacobite rebellion, and star-crossed romance—has captured the global imagination. Having concluded its storied eight-season run in 2026, the franchise has successfully transitioned into its highly anticipated prequel series, Outlander: Blood of My Blood. At the center of this new chapter stands Roy, a 6’1” powerhouse whose journey from a near-miss audition to becoming the face of the Fraser legacy is as compelling as the show itself.
As the series gears up for its second season, the focus has shifted from mere casting to the physical evolution of the character of Brian Fraser—the father of the original series’ iconic protagonist, Jamie Fraser. For Roy, the role has become a masterclass in method acting, requiring him to mirror the physical maturation of a man transitioning from a youthful, lean soldier into the robust patriarch familiar to fans of the original show.
The Serendipity of Success: A Chronology of Roy’s Rise
The narrative of Jamie Roy’s career is one defined by the mantra that timing is everything. Years prior to the development of the prequel, a younger Roy auditioned for a minor role in the original Outlander production. While that specific opportunity did not materialize, the rejection provided a hidden benefit: it placed him on the radar of casting directors who would later define the aesthetic of the entire franchise.
When the production team began the search for the actor to portray Brian Fraser, they weren’t just looking for someone with range; they were looking for a physical lineage. Producers noted an uncanny, almost hereditary resemblance between Roy and Sam Heughan, the actor who famously portrayed Jamie Fraser for over a decade. This visual continuity was the catalyst for Roy’s casting.
"It just turned out that all the stars had aligned for me," Roy reflects in an exclusive interview with Muscle & Fitness. The timing was poignant; Roy was officially cast just five days before his 30th birthday. This milestone served as a catalyst for a lifestyle overhaul, prompting him to move away from the social habits of his twenties and commit to a rigorous, disciplined physical transformation that would define his portrayal of Brian Fraser.
The Architecture of a Highlander: Season One to Season Two
In the inaugural season of Blood of My Blood, the audience was introduced to a younger, leaner Brian Fraser. The production required Roy to be in peak cardiovascular shape for intense, vulnerable scenes, including harrowing flogging sequences and intimate moments with his love interest, Ellen MacKenzie, portrayed by Harriet Slater.
However, as the narrative arc for Season 2 approaches, Roy recognized that the character’s physical appearance needed to reflect the passage of time and the weight of his responsibilities. "I wanted the look for the first season to be quite lean because he’s a young boy, essentially, in his 20s," Roy explains. "But as the seasons go on, I want to fill Brian out a little bit more, because we know what he looks like as a man, and he’s larger."
This transition from "lean" to "robust" required a fundamental shift in his training philosophy. Working alongside his coach, Giulio Palau of Ultimate Performance, Roy transitioned from a maintenance-based calorie deficit to a hyper-focused hypertrophy program designed to add significant muscle mass while maintaining the rugged, lean aesthetic expected of an 18th-century Highlander.
Overcoming Adversity: Resilience in Training
The path to building a "Highland physique" was not without its obstacles. Mid-transformation, Roy suffered a series of setbacks—a broken wrist followed by a thumb injury—that would have derailed most athletes. Rather than stepping away from his goals, Roy leveraged the injuries as an opportunity to focus on neglected areas of his physiology.
"The leg press became my favorite friend during that time," he says, noting how he maintained momentum by pivoting his workouts to focus on lower-body strength and core stability while his upper body healed. This adaptability, guided by Palau’s structured training blocks, ensured that when Roy was cleared for full movement, he was primed to accelerate his progress.
Palau’s methodology centered on clarity. Every training block had a specific objective, and the coach provided detailed justifications for why certain exercises were chosen. For Roy, who thrives on understanding the "why" behind the "what," this level of transparency was instrumental in keeping him motivated throughout the grueling filming schedule.
The Science of the "Highland Build": Workout Protocols
The transformation was fueled by a high-volume, low-repetition hypertrophy routine. Depending on the intensity of the production schedule, Roy committed to three to four sessions per week, meticulously split between upper and lower body focused days.
Performance-Driven Superset Strategy
The cornerstone of Roy’s success was the implementation of supersets—pairing exercises to maximize efficiency and time under tension. A typical workout structure might look like this:
- Weighted Pull-Ups: 6 sets of 3–6 reps, supersetted with Dumbbell Incline Press for 3–6 reps.
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Rows: 5–6 sets of 6–8 reps, supersetted with Barbell Bench Press for 5–6 sets of 6–8 reps.
This high-volume approach, focused on heavy weights and low rep ranges, allowed Roy to stimulate muscle growth while avoiding the extreme fatigue that might have compromised his performance on set. When he moved into higher rep ranges (8–12 reps), he maintained intensity by keeping a strict "reps in reserve" protocol, ensuring he was pushing to the brink of failure without crossing into total exhaustion.
Nutrition and Accountability: The 80/20 Rule
Physical transformation is as much about the kitchen as it is about the gym. To manage his body composition, Roy utilized weekly progress photos to provide objective data to his coach. This feedback loop allowed Palau to make real-time adjustments to Roy’s caloric intake.
As filming dates neared, Roy tapered his caloric surplus—which peaked at 3,000 calories—down to the 2,000-calorie range to ensure he remained lean while retaining the new muscle mass he had accrued. To maintain his sanity and long-term adherence, Roy adopted the 80/20 rule. By ensuring 80% of his intake was strictly focused on nutrient density and 20% allowed for flexibility, he prevented the burnout common in actor-focused "crash diets."
Implications: The Functional Advantage
The benefits of Roy’s transformation extend far beyond his appearance on screen. Season 2 of Blood of My Blood demands a higher level of physical agility and strength, with the script calling for complex close-combat choreography and swordplay.
"Coach Palau really emphasized the importance of really good technique, so full range of motion, and holding the stretch," Roy notes. This functional approach to strength training has paid dividends in his ability to execute fight scenes with the weight and gravitas of a veteran warrior. The added muscle mass acts as both a visual narrative device—showing the audience the aging process of Brian Fraser—and a practical asset for the physical rigors of 18th-century combat.
Legacy and the Future of the Saga
For a native of Greenock, Scotland, starring in a project that deeply honors his heritage is a point of immense professional and personal pride. Roy views the success of the Outlander universe as a testament to the universal nature of the storytelling.
"I think it’s because there’s something for everybody in there," Roy reflects. "Between Outlander and Blood of My Blood, there’s love, romance, war, sex, passion, betrayal."
As the series looks toward the potential of a third season, the cast remains focused on maintaining the high standard of production that fans have come to expect. For Jamie Roy, the transformation into Brian Fraser is more than just a role; it is a commitment to the craft of storytelling through the vessel of the human body. As the premiere of Season 2 approaches on September 18, 2026, on Starz, viewers will see the culmination of years of discipline, tactical training, and a deep-seated respect for the history of the Highlands.
Jamie Roy is no longer just an actor hoping for a break; he is the architect of a new generation of Fraser lore, proving that with the right guidance, unwavering focus, and a bit of "Highland grit," even the most ambitious physical transformations are possible.
