{"id":1977167,"date":"2025-08-24T10:46:46","date_gmt":"2025-08-24T10:46:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=1977167"},"modified":"2025-08-24T10:46:46","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T10:46:46","slug":"blood-of-my-blood-recast-the-late-brian-mccardie-after-episode-4s-dedication-the-showrunner-shared-what-wont-be-the-same","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/blood-of-my-blood-recast-the-late-brian-mccardie-after-episode-4s-dedication-the-showrunner-shared-what-wont-be-the-same\/","title":{"rendered":"Blood Of My Blood Recast The Late Brian McCardie After Episode 4\u2019s Dedication? The Showrunner Shared What \u2018Won\u2019t be The Same\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><i>When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.<\/i><\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Credit: STARZ Media<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><strong>Spoilers ahead for Episode 4 of <\/strong><em><strong>Outlander: Blood of My Blood<\/strong><\/em><strong>, called \u201cA Soldier\u2019s Heart\u201d and available streaming now on the Starz app and with a <\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/subscribing-hulu-price-included-everything-203141919.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Hulu subscription;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\"><u><strong>Hulu subscription<\/strong><\/u><\/a><strong> including the Starz add-on.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Outlander: Blood of My Blood<\/em> leaned back more into the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/articles\/outlanders-time-travel-got-more-140200746.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:complicated time travel;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\"><u>complicated time travel<\/u><\/a> in the latest episode of the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cinemablend.com\/television\/2025-tv-premiere-date-schedule-upcoming-new-returning-shows\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:2025 TV schedule;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><u>2025 TV schedule<\/u><\/a>, with Henry flashing back to his life with Julia in 20th century London when she was pregnant with Claire. Not all was well with them, however, as Henry was struggling with post-traumatic stress from his time in World War I. All in all, \u201cA Soldier\u2019s Heart\u201d felt more like an early episode of <em>Outlander<\/em> than any other <em>Blood of My Blood<\/em> episode to date, but the dedication card at the very end is a sign that changes are on the way.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Actor Brian McCardie passed away while filming Season 1, and the showrunner has since shared how the series is handling his passing.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">The Tribute To Brian McCardie<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Brian McCardie had been <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/outlander-blood-blood-know-prequel-210441345.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:cast in Outlander: Blood of My Blood;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\"><u>cast in <\/u><u><em>Outlander: Blood of My Blood<\/em><\/u><\/a> as Laird Isaac Grant, the leader who recruited Henry to be his bladier but had a ruthless streak that meant the time traveler was never going to be safe in the household. The actor passed away at the age of 59 due to an aortic dissection in 2024, which his sister disclosed on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SarahMcCardie\/status\/1790820947034816940\/photo\/1\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:X;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><u>X<\/u><\/a> meant that he endured \u201cshort pain and a sudden death.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I\u2019d expected <em>Blood of My Blood<\/em> to honor him in some way when the show premiered, but I now understand why Episode 4 was the right time. Here\u2019s the card that aired right before the credits began to roll:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Tribute to Brian McCardie at the end of Outlander: Blood of My Blood Season 1x04\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/JR7L3laJI4SkMhSPRHRfYg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/cinemablend_388\/0a64b0de0db6e1c374bd45dc42ef799c\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Credit: Starz<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">This followed the more immediate tribute shared by executive producer Maril Davis in the wake of his death on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/C6ZY0XXPxB4\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Instagram;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><u>Instagram<\/u><\/a>, which she fittingly posted on behalf of both <em>Outlander<\/em> and <em>Blood of My Blood<\/em>, as he\u2019d appeared in the original show as well. She wrote:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"mb-4 border-l-2 pl-5 italic text-tertiary\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">On behalf of the Blood of My Blood and Outlander family, we are devastated by the news of Brian McCardie\u2019s sudden passing. Brian was beloved on our set for his warmth, kindness and wonderful sense of humor. He will be missed and our hearts go out to his family and everyone who knew him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Clearly, the ruthlessness and arrogance that viewers have seen in his performance as Laird Isaac Grant weren\u2019t true to life, as Brian McCardie was \u201cbeloved\u201d by the <em>Blood of My Blood<\/em> family for \u201cwarmth,\u201d \u201ckindness,\u201d and &#8220;humor.\u201d I don\u2019t think I\u2019m the only <em>Blood of My Blood<\/em> fan to say that the apparently lovely actor did a fantastic job playing somebody so unlikable within the <em>Outlander<\/em> world.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">What Does The Future Hold For Isaac Grant?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The <em>Blood of My Blood<\/em> producers obviously didn\u2019t recast Laird Isaac Grant and reshoot in the wake of the actor&#8217;s death, and I suspect that \u201cA Soldier\u2019s Heart\u201d was the last episode that we\u2019ll see Brian McCardie in due to the timing of the tribute. That wasn\u2019t guaranteed in the months leading up to the premiere, however, until showrunner Matthew B. Roberts clarified their approach to the character following McCardie\u2019s passing. He told <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/outlander-blood-of-my-blood-will-not-recast-late-brian-mccardie-exclusive-11744890#:~:text=Though%20he%20hadn't%20wrapped,Isaac%20Grant%20other%20than%20him.\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:EW;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><u>EW<\/u><\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"mb-4 border-l-2 pl-5 italic text-tertiary\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">We lost Brian McCardie. He&#8217;s Isaac Grant and no one could ever be Isaac Grant other than him. We had planned story for him going forward. If there is going to be season 2, we would&#8217;ve planned story for him because he&#8217;s just such a powerful character.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The new drama hadn\u2019t yet been renewed for Season 2 when Roberts addressed McCardie\u2019s passing, although <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/articles\/outlander-blood-blood-already-renewed-163000829.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Starz would confirm the renewal;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\"><u>Starz would confirm the renewal<\/u><\/a> months before the premiere. Roberts went on to say that the actor \u201cjust brought the level up\u201d in every scene that he was in, leaving anybody watching on set wanting to \u201csee more of him.\u201d The showrunner and producers then made the decision about how to handle the character after the death of the actor, with Roberts saying:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"mb-4 border-l-2 pl-5 italic text-tertiary\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">It was a tragedy. But the one thing we wanted to do after we took a beat to grieve was decide that we want to preserve his work. We don&#8217;t want to recast and reshoot. We want to preserve that.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Not recasting Brian McCardie honors the actor, but also created some challenges for the writers. As of the end of Episode 4, it still seemed that Isaac Grant had a large role in Henry\u2019s story. It\u2019s entirely possible that I\u2019m wrong and this wasn\u2019t the final episode he completed prior to his death, but the story had to change. Roberts explained:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"mb-4 border-l-2 pl-5 italic text-tertiary\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">We had to figure out a way to go down the road that we wanted to go down, but it was going to be a parallel road. It wasn&#8217;t going to be the same road. So, we created a whole new character to take on some of that storyline. But it won&#8217;t be the same storyline that we were planning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Viewers will just have to keep tuning in to new episodes of <em>Outlander: Blood of My Blood<\/em> on Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on Starz to see how this storyline will unfold, or stream episodes via the Starz app. Diana Gabaldon, the author of the <em>Outlander<\/em> saga, is <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/articles\/outlander-blood-blood-boss-reveals-035856541.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:reportedly \u201con board 100%\u201d with the spinoff;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\"><u>reportedly \u201con board 100%\u201d with the spinoff<\/u><\/a>, but Isaac Grant wasn\u2019t a key character in her books like Colum, Dougal, Murtagh, and others whose younger versions are appearing in <em>Blood of My Blood<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: STARZ Media Spoilers ahead for Episode 4 of Outlander: Blood of My Blood, called \u201cA Soldier\u2019s Heart\u201d and available streaming now on the Starz app and with a Hulu subscription including the Starz add-on. Outlander: Blood of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1977168,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[353463,353464,335276,353465,335448],"class_list":["post-1977167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-brian-mccardie","tag-isaac-grant","tag-outlander","tag-soldiers-heart","tag-starz"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Blood-Of-My-Blood-Recast-The-Late-Brian-McCardie-After.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1977167","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1977167"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1977167\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1977168"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1977167"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1977167"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1977167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}