Outlander’s Silvia Presente Explains Why William May Be a ‘Flicker of Hope’ for a Jaded Jane
You can’t blame Outlander‘s Jane for having a healthy dose of cynicism: A decade in a brothel likely would erode anyone’s trust in humanity. But as the beauty formerly known as Arabella shows us in this week’s episode, she does feel like she can put her faith in William (their bumbling first interaction notwithstanding).
The casual dropping of a Latin phrase, the ignorance of how to use money, the clearheaded account of how she committed premeditated murder: Everything Jane does in Episode 14 (full recap here) made us want to talk to Outlander newcomer Silvia Presente (The Outlaws, BBC One’s Doctors). Read on for her thoughts on why Jane has hitched her cart to Jamie’s out-of-sorts son.
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TVLINE | I am super into the way that Jane doesn’t put up with any of William’s bulls–t. After the episode where they meet, and things go so badly the first time, why do you think she even lets him have another shot? Obviously she doesn’t have a lot of agency there, but she is very kind, helping him work through things. Why do you think that is?
Initially, when she meets William, she thinks he’s just a bit na?ve, a bit ignorant. He’s not unlike any of the other clients she’s ever had before. But the second time that they meet, his vulnerability and honesty, and just allowing her to have a night of uninterrupted sleep, flags something to her that she’s not seen in anyone before. It’s something she’s not used to, and I think it reminds her that there is still hope for mankind, as morbid as that is. [Laughs] I think he is the start of, potentially, a flicker of hope for Jane.
TVLINE | After Jane kills Capt. Harkness, she grabs her sister, Fanny, and runs right to William. My original question was, “Why is he the best option?” But then I was thinking: Is there any other option?
That’s a great question. She can be impulsive at times, and at that moment, she’s driven by her love for Fanny. I think everything she ever does is with Fanny in mind, and keeping her alive and safe. And so, when she really needs to, the first person she thinks of is William, because he’s less likely to be someone to judge her harshly, or criticize her for the things that she’s done, because she’s aware they’ve exchanged a really vulnerable moment.
But you’re right: There really isn’t any other option. She doesn’t have anything, really. Even her sense of identity is skewed during the show. She’s grasping at straws.
TVLINE | I’m interested in how William pushes her away in the tent, saying that she doesn’t actually want to be there, and she replies that he doesn’t know what she wants. That seems like it would be a hard line to figure out, as an actress: When is Jane doing something out of obligation, when is she doing it out of attraction, when is she doing it because — as she says — she’s been in the business since she was 10 and might not even know a different way to relate to men? So tell me all your thoughts on that totally unfocused question.
[Laughs] Well, this might be an unfocused answer…
TVLINE | Good!
Well, I think for a lot of people, — for myself as well, especially — I’m not always certain on decisions that I make, or why I do things that I do. That was actually something really lovely about Arabella: She sometimes makes impulsive decisions without really thinking them through, or just takes a chance and hopes for the best. There’s so many great things about her, but I think she’s good at reading people, and William opens up the second time they meet, and says, “No, I don’t want to get intimate with you. I’d like to, but I won’t, as a matter of honor.”
That’s something that carries over into the next episode, when he doesn’t want that from her in exchange for giving her his protection. But I think a part of her knows that he might want to just as much as she might want to, and I think they’re both sort of “umm”-ing and “err”-ing about whether or not they should or shouldn’t. She makes the decision to, but at the same time, I think you’re right: She is hardwired, in a sense, to think that the only way she can contribute to things is with the skills that she’s learned. That’s a really sad thought, actually, that she doesn’t have much else that she can offer.
TVLINE | It also occurs to me that they’re both babies. I don’t know how old Jane is — did you get any guidance on how old to play her?
Not in terms of how to act, but that’s a great question. I think she’s in her late teens. She’s either late teenage or early 20s, but yeah, they’re both young. They’re still figuring themselves out, as well as what they want.
TVLINE | Everyone’s a hot mess at that age!
Everyone. Everyone in the world.
Do you have thoughts about Jane, William, Fanny or anything else Outlander-related? Hit the comments, and let us know!
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