DOMINIQUE PINON JOINS "OUTLANDER" CAST FOR SEASON TWO

Starz, in association with Sony Pictures Television, has announced today that they have cast Dominique Piñon as Master Raymond in "Outlander." The second season is currently in production in Scotland and will debut on Starz in 2016. The global hit series has been adapted for the screen by Ronald D. Moore from the best-selling book series by Diana Gabaldon. The series has sold over 26 million copies, with all eight novels appearing on the New York Times best-sellers list.

"Outlander" is the story of a married combat nurse Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe) from 1945 who gets transported back into the year 1743, and is forced to marry Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan), a young Scottish warrior. Season two of "Outlander" begins as Claire and Jamie arrive in France, hell-bent on infiltrating the Jacobite rebellion led by Prince Charles Stuart, and stopping the battle of Culloden. With the help of his cousin Jared (Robert Cavanah), a local wine merchant, Jamie and Claire are thrown into the lavish world of French society, where intrigue and parties are abundant, but political gain proves far less fruitful. Altering the course of history presents challenges that begin to weigh on the very fabric of their relationship. However, armed with the knowledge of what lies ahead, Claire and Jamie must race to prevent a doomed Highland uprising, and the extinction of Scottish life as they know it.

A small kindly apothecary, Master Raymond is a mysterious healer with a great deal of knowledge regarding secret matters, both political and occult. Though generally viewed with suspicion by his contemporaries, Master Raymond forms a special bond with Claire.

Born in France, Piñon is renowned for his work with French auteurs and frequent collaborators Marc Caro and Jean Pierre Jeunet. With Caro and Jeunet, Piñon made the post-apocalyptic dark comedy Delicatessen (1991), to be followed by The City of Lost Children (1995). He then made Alien: Resurrection (1997), Amelie (2001), A Very Long Engagement (2004), Micmacs (2009), and The Young and Prodigious TS Spivet (2013) with Jeunet. Early on in his career, Piñon appeared in Jean-Jacques Beineix's Diva (1981) and Daniel Vigne's The Return of Martin Guerre (1982), for which he received a Cesar nomination for most promising actor, and later starred in Claude Lelouch's acclaimed Roman de Gare (2007). Piñon's recent feature work includes prominent roles in Israel Horowitz's English-language My Old Lady, Jean-Michel Ribes' Breves de Comptoir, Guillaume Lubrano's Reality Check and R Prygunov's Downshifter. Piñon is also a prolific presence in the theatre, wining the Moliere for best actor in 2004. His recent stage work includes roles in Christophe Lidon's "La Tempte" and Laurent Frechuret's adaptation of "Richard III."

The critically acclaimed 16-episode first season of "Outlander" finished its run in May and has been lauded as "a nearly perfect season" (Wall Street Journal) and "the most fearless show on TV" (Zap2It), with critics and fans alike calling the series Emmy-worthy, noting "the acting and writing were all around stunning" (E!).

"Outlander" is produced by Tall Ship Productions, Story Mining & Supply Company and Left Bank Pictures in association with Sony Pictures Television. Ronald D. Moore, Maril Davis, Jim Kohlberg and Andy Harries serve as executive producers. Additionally, Ira Steven Behr, Anne Kenney and Toni Graphia serve as writer/executive producers and Matthew B. Roberts serves as writer/co-executive producer.