Sam Heughan became the perfect leading man in Outlander, but despite the series’ critical acclaim, he’ll never consider himself a heartthrob.
The Scottish actor acquired a legion of admirers as Jamie Fraser in the historical drama, who frequently relished the raunchier scenes between the dashing Highland rebel and his wife Claire (played by Caitrona Balfe), who is a time traveller from the twentieth century.
Now he’s in Channel 4’s The Couple Next Door, a dark physiological thriller that Sam describes as’sexy.’
He plays Danny, a traffic officer who is in an open relationship with his wife Becka (Jessica De Gouw). When Evie (Eleanor Tomlinson) and Pete (Alfred Enoch) move into their suburban neighbor’s house and their lives get linked, things become tricky.
Despite his back catalogue of work Sam said: ‘I don’t consider myself a heartthrob.
‘I know that there’s an aspect of that to the shows that I’ve been in but I don’t really think about it.’
Many of Sam’s followers would certainly disagree, with some claiming that his recent (topless) holiday images had managed to ‘break the internet.’
Luckily, his WiFi had recovered from the photographs, and he could join us on a Zoom chat, when he said: ‘I guess when you post photos of yourself on the beach, essentially, now it’s called a thirst trap.
‘I shall continue to thirst trap until Gen Z thinks it’s uncool,’ he joked.
The 43-year-old isn’t afraid to perform work that includes sex scenes, and he’s delighted to demonstrate a new sort of connection on-screen in his current TV project.
‘It’s very important that we do show open relationships in our modern age as people are now more open to different lifestyles,’ he stated.
‘We were very careful and discussed what the parameters were of this fictional relationship so it felt authentic. These are some complex relationships that human beings have, so it’s not black and white. It’s certainly great to have a show that discusses it.’
With the assistance of intimacy consultant Vanessa Coffey, Sam felt at ease while filming the sex sequences.
‘When I started out, the industry was very different. I brought in an intimacy coordinator to Outlander in the last couple of years and actually brought her to this show too.
‘The cast adored working with her. She gives you more tools to work with but also just makes it very clear for everyone and makes everyone feel safe.
‘It was a challenge for me and Eleanor because we have both done those kinds of scenes in our prospective shows.’
What the audience does not see is just as crucial to the performer as what they do see.
‘The imagination of the audience is much more interesting than showing everything,’ he remarked.
‘No one really wants to see anything gratuitous these days, but attraction is also a huge part of his relationships. We were very careful about what we did and didn’t show. It really ups the pressure and excitement. Certainly, it’s very tantalising for characters and hopefully, the audience will enjoy it.’
Sam is undergoing a ‘transformation’ as he prepares to film the last season of Outlander, for which he also serves as an executive producer.
‘It’s been a decade of my life, probably longer, and it’s been incredible. It’s changed my life. It’s given me opportunities like this,’ he gratefully declared.
Rather than fearing the change, Sam is ‘excited’ to pursue other opportunities.
‘It will be bittersweet,’ he quickly added.
‘It’s cool to play new characters but it’ll be sad to leave the show.’
His co-star Eleanor had a similar experience when she quit Poldark after four years in 2019, and they’ve had several chats about how to deal with the change.
‘Eleanor and I talked about it a lot as we both had a similar trajectory.
‘It’s just nice to see that she’s having such a successful career and that she’s really branched out into doing other projects, but also she’s not feeling the pressure of having to secure other work or to to live up to expectations.
‘She’s really challenging herself. That’s something that I kind of take on board. I’m going to take my time choosing the next project and hopefully, it’ll be something completely different.’
Could taking over as James Bond from Daniel Craig be an option?
‘It’s a great character, and I’d certainly love to see another Scottish Bond,’ he diplomatically responded.
‘I auditioned for it many years ago. I’d love to have another opportunity. I’m not sure I fit in the suit right now. I would probably have to slim down a bit but yeah, I mean, who knows? It’s a great franchise for sure. I love it.’
Of course, that would mean even more fame, which Sam can’t bear the thought of.
‘Being famous is like being spied on. I can’t imagine what it’s like for actually very famous people.
‘I do sometimes feel the boundary is not crossed, but it’s blurred. I didn’t get into the job to put my private life in public but I guess it’s part of the business.’
Another downside of fame is being expected to comment on world situations. He recently ‘inadvertently signed’ a letter condemning Israel for its attacks on Palestine, which accused the British Government of ‘not only tolerating war crimes but aiding and abetting them.’
He then stated that it was an error and did not reflect his opinions.
‘I inadvertently signed something that does not reflect my beliefs. I believed it was a simple call for peace. It wasn’t,’ he wrote on Twitter.
— Sam Heughan (@SamHeughan) October 19, 2023
‘I condemn violence in any form. I stand against terrorism and evil and am heartbroken and appalled by the recent horrific actions by Hamas. It’s haunting to the core, my heart goes out to all affected.
‘I don’t know nearly enough and [I am] trying to educate myself on the conflicts in the Middle East. I feel helpless and wish I could help in some way. I pray for compassion, for all the innocent people affected. Peace and love to you all.’
When asked if he feels pressure to comment on politics, Sam answered: ‘It’s hard, isn’t it? It’s certainly hard with politics as you are always going upset someone. Actors have an opinion as we are human beings as well but I think in this day and age, it’s difficult to to please everyone. Maybe actors should stay out of politics.’
The Couple Next Door is a six-part series that starts on Channel 4 on November 27 at 9pm. You can stream all episodes from that date.