Sam Heughan | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Heughan in 2014 | |
| Born | Sam Roland Heughan (1980-04-30)30 April 1980 (age 44) |
| Alma mater | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2001–present |
Sam Roland Heughan (/ˈhjuːən/; born 30 April 1980) is a Scottish actor, producer, author, and entrepreneur. He is best known for his starring role asJamie Fraser in theStarz drama seriesOutlander (2014–present) for which he has won thePeople's Choice Award for Favorite Cable Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actor and theSaturn Award for Best Actor on Television, and received a nomination for theCritics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series.
Heughan has also starred in films such as the spy comedyThe Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) and the superhero action filmBloodshot (2020). He was nominated for theLaurence Olivier Award for Most Promising Performer for his performance inOutlying Islands performed at theRoyal Court Theatre Upstairs.[1][2]
Heughan and hisOutlander co-starGraham McTavish co-wroteClanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other[3] which reached number one on theNew York Times' Best Seller List for hardcover nonfiction, and combined print and e-book nonfiction in November 2020.[4] The same year Heughan launched his own whisky brand, The Sassenach (named after hisOutlander character's nickname for his wife, Claire[5]), winning consecutive double golds in the 2020 and 2021San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Sam Roland Heughan was born on 30 April 1980 inBalmaclellan. His parents had been part of ahippie community in London calledGandalf's Garden which was heavily influenced by the works ofJ. R. R. Tolkien, inspiring them to name Heughan and his older brother after characters fromThe Lord of the Rings.[6] Sam's mother Chrissie Heughan, an artist and artisan papermaker, struggled to raise the two brothers after their father left when they were both young.[7]
Aged five, Heughan moved from Balmaclellan to nearbyNew Galloway where he attended Kells Primary School. During this time he lived in converted stables in the grounds ofKenmure Castle.[8] Moving toEdinburgh at age twelve he attendedJames Gillespie's High School for a year and then the EdinburghRudolf Steiner School until the end of the sixth year.[9] He joined the Lyceum Youth theatre in 1998[10][11] and in 1999 was awarded a place at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD, now theRoyal Conservatoire of Scotland) inGlasgow, graduating in 2003.[8][12]
While enrolled at RSAMD Heughan performed in numerous plays includingThe Twits atCitizens Theatre, an adaptation ofFyodor Dostoevsky'sCrime and Punishment, Anton Chekhov'sThe Seagull,Aeschylus'sGreek tragedyPrometheus Bound, andShakespeare'sRomeo and Juliet.[13][14][15] In 2002, shortly before graduating, Heughan was one of four students chosen to represent RSAMD at the BBC Carleton Hobbs radio talent competition.[16][17] His alma mater, the RCS, awarded him an honorarydoctorate at the class of 2022 graduation ceremony.[18]
While still a student at RSAMD Heughan took extended leave of his studies to focus onOutlying Islands, a play by Scottish playwrightDavid Greig. The play premiered at theTraverse Theatre in Edinburgh before moving to theRoyal Court Theatre in London.[1] Heughan was nominated for aLaurence Olivier Award for Most Promising Performer for his performance.[2]
In 2004, Heughan appeared in his first professional television role in the miniseriesIsland at War, a WWII drama about the German occupation of the Channel Islands.[19] The following year he appeared in several episodes of the Scottish soap operaRiver City and portrayed adulterous husband Pony William inDavid Harrower's playKnives in Hens at theTron Theatre in Glasgow.[20][21][22] Between 2006 and 2009 Heughan appeared in a number of made-for-television films and miniseries including BBC and PBS's collaborative miniseriesThe Wild West (2006), Channel 4's docudrama,A Very British Sex Scandal (2007), andBBC Four'sBreaking the Mould (2009).[23][24][25][26][27] During that time he also made appearances in a number of television series, including an episode of ITV'sMidsomer Murders, ITV's crime dramaRebus, and two episodes of BBC's political dramaParty Animals.[28][29][30] Between 2007 and 2009 Heughan made appearances in several live productions, includingNoël Coward'sThe Vortex at theRoyal Exchange Theatre,Shakespeare'sHamlet at theCitizens Theatre, Iain F. MacLeod'sThe Pearlfishers at the Traverse Theatre, Shakespeare'sRomeo and Juliet at theDundee Repertory Theatre,Macbeth at theRoyal Lyceum Theatre, andNicholas de Jongh'sPlague Over England at theDuchess Theatre.[31][32][33][34][35]
In 2009, Heughan landed a recurring role asScott Nielson, NurseCherry Malone's boyfriend and a secret drug dealer in theBBC soap operaDoctors.[36] He was nominated for aBritish Soap Award, in the category Villain of the Year, for his twenty-one episode stint on the series.[37] The following year, Heughan starred as thetitle character in the direct-to-video featureYoung Alexander the Great, which was filmed in Egypt and explored the life of the teenager who would become Alexander the Great.[38] He went on to star in BBC's television filmFirst Light, the story ofRAF pilotGeoffrey Wellum's experiences flying aSpitfire in theBattle of Britain, as documented in hisWWII memoir of the same name.[39][40] From there he featured in PBS's BAFTA-winning mini-seriesAny Human Heart, the story of author Logan Mountstuart's life in the context of historical events surrounding him, based upon William Boyd'snovel of the same name.[41][42] Heughan returned to theatre later that year in dramatistPhyllis Nagy's adaptation ofPatricia Highsmith's novelThe Talented Mr. Ripley at theRoyal & Derngate.[43] Throughout that same year, Heughan portrayedHugh Tennent, founder ofTennent's Lager, in a series of comical commercials, which won a number of accolades at the Scottish Advertising Awards.[44]
Hallmark Channel's original filmA Princess for Christmas starred Heughan as Prince Ashton in 2011, a role which saw him appear oppositeRoger Moore and secure a nomination for Most Inspiring Performance in Television at the 20th Annual Grace Awards.[45][46] That same year, he featured inSteve Waters' sold-out playAmphibians, a dual story of Olympic swimmers Max and Elsa, at theBridewell Theatre.[47] For the next two years he starred asBatman in the touring stage showBatman Live.[45][48] During this time he made the news for his assistance in a real-life citizen's arrest.[49] In 2012, he performed the title role in Shakespeare'sKing John at the Òran Mór Theatre.[34]
In 2013, Heughan was cast asJamie Fraser in theStarz time-travel drama seriesOutlander.[45] He was the first cast member officially announced, to great praise by the author of the series,Diana Gabaldon, who said, "That man is a Scot to the bone and Jamie Fraser to the heart. Having seen Sam Heughan not just act, but be Jamie, I feel immensely grateful to the production team for their painstaking attention to the soul of the story and characters."[50] He's played the co-lead role for all seven seasons of the series, and will continue for the eighth and last season, scheduled to film in 2024.[51][52] He and his co-star,Caitriona Balfe, assumed the additional role of producers on the series in 2019.[53]
Turning to independent films in 2014, Heughan appeared in the psychological thrillerEmulsion, the story of a man haunted by the disappearance of his wife.[54] He also starred in the comedyHeart of Lightness, in which Heughan appeared with two of his futureOutlander co-stars:Laura Donnelly, who plays Jamie's sisterJenny Murray, andRosie Day, who played Mary Hawkins in the second season.[55][56][57][58] He went on to play the lead role of Jacob in the 2016 independent filmWhen the Starlight Ends, which premiered at the Other Venice Film Festival.[59][60]
In 2018, Heughan co-starred asMI6 agent Sebastian Henshaw in the action comedy filmThe Spy Who Dumped Me, oppositeMila Kunis andKate McKinnon, which he filmed during anOutlander filming hiatus.[61] That same year, in his first voice-acting project, Heughan appeared in theWarner Bros. Interactive Entertainment video gameLego DC Super-Villains as theMirror Master. In May of that year, Heughan was a guest onBBC Two Scotland's specialThe Adventure Show, alongside Cameron McNeish, in an episode titled "Take A Hike" that focused on Scotland's passion for walking.[62][63] It was also announced that Heughan would portray Corporal Jimmy Dalton inBloodshot, an adaptation of thebest-selling comic book from theValiant universe, oppositeVin Diesel andMichael Sheen.[64]Bloodshot premiered in March 2020.[65] In November 2018, Heughan was cast as Tom Buckingham, the lead role inSAS: Red Notice, a film based on the novel of the same name byAndy McNab.[66][67][68]
In 2019, it was announced that Heughan would playPaul Newman inTo Olivia, a biopic aboutPatricia Neal andRoald Dahl starringKeeley Hawes andHugh Bonneville.[69][70]To Olivia premiered on February 19, 2021, in the United Kingdom, viaSky Cinema.[71] In 2020, Heughan was cast as Henry in the Regency-era romantic comedyMr. Malcom's List, based on a book of the same name by Suzanne Allain.[72] Heughan was also cast alongsidePriyanka Chopra Jonas andCeline Dion in the romantic dramaLove Again, a remake of the German filmSMS Fur Dich.[73]
SAS: Red Notice, a British action thriller based on the novel of the same name byAndy McNab, was released in 2021. The film premiered in United Kingdom on March 12, 2021, viaSky Cinema.Rotten Tomatoes described the film as a "thoroughly mediocre action thriller."[74]
Heughen wrapped up filming of the romantic dramaLove Again, in early 2021, in which he stars alongsidePriyanka Chopra andCeline Dion. The film is an English-language remake of the 2016 German filmSMS für Dich, itself based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Sofie Cramer. It was released theatrically on May 12, 2023, bySony Pictures Releasing.[75]
In addition to acting, Heughan served as the first Global Brand Ambassador for the English clothing labelBarbour beginning in 2016.[76] He released several collections since his initial autumn/winter line in 2017, all of which he co-designed.[77][78][79]
In November 2020, Heughan published a travelogue titledClanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other[3] withOutlander co-starGraham McTavish. The book became a bestseller, reaching No. 1 on theNew York Times' Best Seller Lists for hardcover nonfiction and for combined print and e-book nonfiction and #1 on thePublishers Weekly Bestseller List for hardcover nonfiction, among other lists.[80][4]Clanlands serves as a companion toMen in Kilts: A Roadtrip With Sam and Graham, an eight-part television series conceived by and starring Heughan and McTavish that premiered on the Starz channel in February 2021.[81][82]
Also in 2020, Heughan launched his own whisky brand, The Sassenach, through the Great Glen Company, which he founded. The Sassenach is available in the UK and select US states and earned a double gold medal at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.[5]
Heughan is fairly open about his political views. In response to a fan suggesting actors should stay out of politics in 2017, he replied "Sorry I disagree. EVERYONE is entitled to an opinion. That's what makes it a democracy."[83] Heughan was a vocal supporter ofScottish independence from the United Kingdom during the2014 independence referendum, going on record as saying, "I was a no and thought independence wasn't a good idea initially, but then I did a 180 and towards the end became quite vocal in the Yes campaign. I thought that ultimately it was a move towards more democracy for the people of Scotland."[84][85][86] In 2021, he insisted his support for independence was not "anti-British" but rather out of a love for and belief in Scotland; he called it a "great opportunity".[87]
Heughan credits much of his early success to his participation in youth theatre and, in August 2014, became a patron for Youth Theatre Arts Scotland. Of his position as patron, he has said, "I think that what I'd like to instill is that if you join the youth theatre, it's a gateway into greater career prospects."[88] He supports the charitable organisation's mission 'to transform lives through youth theatre by providing inspiring participatory opportunities for young people in Scotland.'[89]
In 2015, Heughan started the organisation My Peak Challenge, a training, nutrition, and support programme that provides participants with a sense of community as they work towards personal goals, while concurrently raising money for charity.[90] The foundation has partnered with Leukemia Lymphoma Research, Bear Strength Clothing and Fight Camp Glasgow to raise funds for cancer research.[91] In 2019, Heughan teamed up withOmaze, raffling off a date to the 2019 MPC Gala, which raised $2,892,080 for Bloodwise UK.[92][93][94]
In September 2016, Heughan partook in theGreat North Run to raise funds forBloodwise, which he has supported since 2011, and became president of Scotland Bloodwise.[95][96][97][98] In 2018, he ran both the Stirling and EMF Edinburgh Marathons in the space of a month to raise money for Cahonas Scotland and their Testicular Cancer Education and Awareness Programme.[99] He raised £38,224 for the charity.[100]
In light of the2023 Israel–Hamas war, Heughan was one of over two thousand to sign an Artists for Palestine letter calling for a ceasefire and accusing Western governments of "not only tolerating war crimes but aiding and abetting them".[101][102] He later apologised for signing this letter in a statement on X and withdrew his support, stating "I believed it was a simple call for peace – it wasn't."[103][104]
Heughan lives inEast Dunbartonshire, Scotland.[105]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Small Moments[106] | Boyfriend | Short film |
| 2010 | Young Alexander the Great | Alexander | |
| 2011 | A Princess for Christmas | Ashton Prince of Castlebury | |
| 2014 | Heart of Lightness | Lyngstrand | |
| Emulsion | Ronny Maze | ||
| 2016 | When the Starlight Ends | Jacob | |
| 2018 | The Spy Who Dumped Me | Sebastian Henshaw | |
| 2020 | Bloodshot | Jimmy Dalton | |
| 2021 | To Olivia | Paul Newman | |
| SAS: Red Notice | Tom Buckingham | ||
| 2023 | Love Again | Rob Burns |
| Year | Title | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Island at War | Philip Dorr | 5 episodes |
| 2005 | River City | Andrew Murray | 4 episodes |
| 2006 | The Wild West | John Tunstall | Episode: "Billy the Kid" |
| 2007 | Midsomer Murders | Ian King | Episode: "King's Crystal" |
| Party Animals | Adrian Chapple | 2 episodes | |
| A Very British Sex Scandal | Edward McNally | Television film | |
| Rebus | Peter Carr | Episode: "Knots and Crosses" | |
| 2009 | Breaking the Mould: The Story of Penicillin | Dr. Charles Fletcher | Television film |
| Doctors | Scott Nielson | 21 episodes | |
| 2010 | First Light | Geoffrey 'Boy' Wellum | Television film |
| Any Human Heart | Lieutenant McStay | Episode: "#1.2" | |
| 2011 | A Princess for Christmas | Prince Ashton of Castlebury | Television film |
| 2014–present | Outlander | Jamie Fraser | Lead role and producer[107] |
| 2018 | The Adventure Show | Himself | Episode: "Take A Hike"[108] |
| 2021–present | Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham | Himself[109] | Also producer |
| 2022 | Suspect | Ryan | |
| 2023–present | The Couple Next Door | Danny | Lead role |
| Year | Title | Role | Theatre |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | The Twits[13][14] | Bird | Citizens Theatre, Glasgow |
| 2002 | Outlying Islands | John | Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Upstairs,London |
| 2005 | Knives in Hens[36][110] | Pony William | TAG Theatre Company,Glasgow |
| 2007 | The Vortex[111] | Tom Veryan | Royal Exchange Theatre,Manchester |
| Hamlet[111] | Guildenstern /Fortinbras | Citizens Theatre, Glasgow | |
| The Pearlfisher[111] | Roderick / Eddie the Gaffer | Traverse Theatre,Edinburgh | |
| 2008 | Romeo and Juliet[111] | Paris | Dundee Repertory Theatre |
| Macbeth[111] | Malcolm / Murderer | Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh | |
| 2009 | Plague Over England[111] | Gregory | Duchess Theatre,West End |
| 2010 | The Talented Mr. Ripley[43] | Richard Greenleaf | Royal & Derngate,Northampton |
| 2011 | Amphibians[47] | Max | Bridewell Theatre, London |
| 2011–12 | Batman Live[111] | Batman | Touring show |
| 2012 | King John[34] | King John | Òran Mór Theatre,Glasgow |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Lego DC Super-Villains | Mirror Master (voice) |
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Outlying Islands | Laurence Olivier Awards | Laurence Olivier Award for Most Promising Performer[2] | Nominated |
| 2010 | Doctors | The British Soap Awards | Villain of the Year[37] | Nominated |
| 2011 | A Princess For Christmas | Grace Awards | Most Inspiring Performance in Television[46] | Nominated |
| 2014 | Outlander | TV Guide Awards | Favourite Duo (shared withCaitriona Balfe)[112] | Won |
| 2015 | The Anglophile Channel Awards | Favorite British Artist of the Year[113] | Won | |
| Best Actor in a Television Series[113] | Won | |||
| Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actor on Television[114] | Nominated | ||
| EWwy Awards | Best Actor in a Drama Series[115] | Won | ||
| 2016 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite Cable Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actor[116] | Nominated | |
| The Anglophile Channel Awards | Favorite British Artist of the Year[117] | Won | ||
| Best Actor in a Television Series[117] | Won | |||
| Saturn Awards | Best Actor on Television[118] | Nominated | ||
| BAFTA Scotland | Best Actor Television[119] | Nominated | ||
| Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Actor in a Drama Series[120] | Nominated | ||
| Satellite Awards | Best Ensemble (Television)[121] | Nominated | ||
| 2017 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actor[122] | Won | |
| Saturn Awards | Best Actor on a Television Series[123] | Nominated | ||
| 2018 | Saturn Awards | Best Actor on a Television Series[124][125] | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Saturn Awards | Best Actor on a Television Series[126] | Won | |
| 2021 | Critics' Choice Super Awards | Best Actor in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Series[127] | Nominated | |
| Saturn Awards | Best Actor on a Television Series[128][129] | Nominated | ||
| 2022 | Saturn Awards | Best Actor in a Network or Cable Television Series[130] | Nominated |
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