John Bell almost ready to give up on acting before Outlander

As a die-hard Outlander fan with years of invested emotions, it’s been nothing short of exhilarating to witness John Bell’s transformation into Young Ian. His performance has become an integral part of the series, and I can’t envision anyone else embodying the character now.


John Bell instantly won ours over as soon as he donned the role of Young Ian during Outlander Season 3, and it’s hard to envision anyone else playing that part at this point.

For quite some time now, we’ve seen both the characters and the actors mature. As spectators of the show, it has been not only captivating but also heartwarming to be part of their growth journey. Remarkably, this development almost didn’t take place.

If Bell hadn’t secured his current role, it’s possible we wouldn’t be seeing him on our screens today. The Irish Times reports that he confided in Flip Your Wig that he was on the verge of leaving acting before getting this part.

John Bell has been acting since he was eight

If you’re familiar with the TV show “Doctor Who”, you might recognize Bell in one of his early performances. He portrayed an enthusiastic boy eager to visit a supposedly perfect planet, referred to as Utopia. However, the Doctor and Martha soon discover that Utopia was not all it seemed, leaving a touch of melancholy in its depiction.

Bell revealed that he started acting when he was eight years old. Despite securing several notable roles during his youth, there came a time when he needed to switch from being a child actor to an adult one. Not everyone can successfully navigate this transition. Unfortunately, the roles Bell desired were not coming his way, leaving him with a tough decision to make.

Was he persistent with his actions, or did he choose a different route? Around the age of 16 or 17, he began considering university as an option, which might have been the route he chose, if not for a particular role that came along instead.

But there was a moment in my career when I was about 16,17, when you’re trying to make that transition from a child to an adult actor, that I wasn’t getting any work.

Outlander came just in the nick of time

Bell had almost embarked on his university journey when “Outlander” unexpectedly approached him. He recounted being given an opportunity to try out for the part, and eventually securing it. Frankly, we’re not astonished since we can hardly envision anyone else embodying this role as perfectly as Bell does now.

I was ready to go to university and do something else so Outlander came about two, three weeks before I was supposed to start university and I got the audition and I got it.

As the final episodes of “Outlander” approach, Bell’s character development within this series promises to pave the way for his future endeavors. Notably, he has secured a part in an upcoming production titled “The Man in the Box“, alongside Hero Fiennes Tiffin, who gained recognition through the film “After“.

Thank you, Outlander!

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2024-08-29 15:37