Outlander fans will no longer see the masterpieces of renowned production designer Jon Gary Steele in the Starz series. Lead stars Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe recalled the most unforgettable set designs of Steele and shared which of these are their favorites.
Steele officially bid goodbye to Outlander after five years of working in the series. The art director was the man behind the most breathtaking structures in show since it first aired in 2014.
Most of Steele's sets were destroyed after filming wrapped up but it remained in the memories of the cast members. In an interview with Deadline, Heughan (Jamie Fraser) and Balfe (Caitriona Balfe) shared their favorite set designs of Steele.
Heughan said his personal favorite was the Great Hall at Castle Leoch in Season 1. The Bloodshot actor confessed that it left a huge impact on him because of the evident effort and dedication that were put on every detail in the room -- from the chandeliers with stag's heads to the sawdust and the dirt on the ground.
Sam added Steele was an incredible loss in Outlander. He said Gary was a remarkable man to work with and his masterpieces made each scene more realistic to its time.
As for Balfe, she said there are too many set designs that were on top of her list but her favorite was Master Raymond's (Dominique Pinon) apothecary in France in Season 2. The Ford vs Ferrari actress said all of Steele's work helped the cast put themselves to the period that their characters are into because of the production designer's attention to the details.
Steele was one of Outlander production designers that received Outstanding Production Design nomination from the Emmys in 2016. Aside from his works in Outlander, Jon Gary Steele, also, did the production design for American History X, Burlesque, Cruel Intentions, and more.
In his interview with Gold Derby, Steele said working with the Outlander cast and crew was a dream job for him. He added the show gave him the opportunity to do period set designs for the very first time in his career. However, Steele believed that it's time for him to move on.
So far, Outlander hasn't announced a replacement for Steele. The production of Outlander Season 6 was originally set to start in May but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The cast and crew are expected to kick off filming in fall and the earliest Season 6 can premiere is in fall 2021.
