The reason why David Berry (almost) turned down Outlander season 3 role

David Berry is set to make his debut on Outlander season 3 episode 3 tonight, and his role is certainly one many fans know about already. Lord John Grey is iconic within the Diana Gabaldon source material, so much so that he has his own stories, and his relationship with Jamie Fraser is one for the ages.

So why would Berry originally want to turn down that role? Well, let’s just say that it didn’t have to do with his appreciation for the story; instead, it was tied more to the fact that his wife Kristina was expecting a baby. You want to make sure that the timing is right anytime that you take a job, especially since family always comes first. It has to, since nothing else in the world matters.

What’s so interesting about Berry’s story is what eventually caused him to take on the role was his family — to be specific, someone in his family who was a fan of the series. In a new spotlight in the Australian version of the Telegraph, he made some of his thoughts clear:

“I was going to say no … but what really sealed it for me to make the decision is my mother-in-law … She was like ‘just do it’ and (I think) that’s because she’s a huge super fan of Outlander. But that blessing made it more comfortable for both of us to think I could go.”

The great news is that right when he returned from filming, his son Alexander was born:

“The day I landed I went straight to the hospital because my wife was in labour … and he was born that night. His timing was impeccable.”

Overall, everything worked out as it should for Berry. His career is on the rise, he’s got a great part on an outstanding series, and there’s a chance that he could be working on this show for many years to come (and he got to be there for the birth of his son!). We’ll of course pound the drum on a Lord John spin-off at some point down the road, though there’s no real reason to rush it along. Continue to make the current show great, and if there are opportunities that present themselves then add them to the mix? Right now Outlander is experiencing a commercial and cultural high; its ratings are better than ever, and there is a chance for another record to be set with Sunday’s episode. For the premiere, the series had to deal with Hurricane Irma; last week, it had different competition in the Emmys. Tonight, the only thing that Outlander really needs to worry about is the NFL, which clearly has enough drama of its own to deal with at the moment.

Excited to see David Berry?

Have you had a chance to see some of his previous work? Feel free to share some of your expectations in the comments! Meanwhile, head over to the link here in the event you want to see an Outlander season 3 episode 3 sneak peek. Take a look at our Facebook page here at CarterMatt to get even more TV updates. (Photo: Starz.)