Sam Heughan Admits He Was ‘Naive’ About ‘Outlander’ Fandom at First
Outlander star Sam Heughan admitted he was not familiar with the series by author Diana Gabaldon before he auditioned for the role of Jamie. Gabaldon also wasn’t convinced about Heughan and criticized him during the audition process, which she later apologized for. Interestingly, although Heughan and Jamie are both Scottish, this is where the similarity ends.
During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Heughan explained: “I hadn’t heard of [the book]. Obviously, when I found out that it was a book, I went out and bought the book. I had to audition over a weekend, and they sent me a few pages to learn.”
The 42-year-old continued to say, “But, I went and read the specific scenes and got a rough idea of who this guy was. And, obviously, when I got recalled and went in for screen tests, I managed to actually read the book. Having all that source material, there is really helpful.”
In the interview, Heughan explains that after knowing the character’s background, he felt he would be perfect for the role. Both he and Jamie were born and brought up in the countryside. Heughan spent much of his childhood running around with a pretend sword, so acting in Outlander was a dream come true.
Did ‘Outlander’ star Sam Heughan learn Gaelic for the role of Jamie?
Outlander‘s production team ensured there was as much Gaelic as possible in the scenes to make it authentic yet understandable. Heughan’s character, Jamie, is fluent in Gaelic. This leaves some fans wondering whether the actor took the time to learn the language.
Heughan and the cast worked with Gaelic consultant Gillebride MacMillan to ensure their Gaelic pronunciation was perfect. Being Scottish also played a considerable role in Heughan’s knowledge of Gaelic, so it required minimal effort to perfect his pronunciation.
Sam Heughan on being bullied by ‘Outlander’ fans
Set in the 18th century, Outlander tells the story of a woman who time travels to be with the man she believes she’s destined to be with. Fans of this show have been passionate for the past six seasons. Some have gone as far as constantly bullying, harassing and stalking the actors.
Heughan opened up about the devastating online trolls he’s experienced throughout Outlander‘s five seasons. According to a Tweet by the star, he explained how the entire situation had affected him:
“I am at a loss, upset, hurt and have to speak out. My costars, friends, family, myself, and anyone I’m associated with has been subjected to personal slurs, shaming, abuse, death threats, stalking, sharing private information and vile false narrative…”
The bullying included spreading lies about Heughan’s sexuality and criticism of his decision to quarantine in Hawaii. The actor even read claims that he tried taking money from fans. However, he thanked his fans for supporting and believing him amid all the bullying and lying.
What can fans expect from the next season of ‘Outlander’?
Season 7 of Outlander will be out in April and will have 16 episodes. According to a snippet from the cast, viewers can expect to travel through time and meet unforgettable characters as they explore the wild journey and revolutionary war.
Claire and Jamie will also return to the show. We can expect to see a lot from them as they travel to Scotland accompanied by Young Ian. William’s mysterious background may also be revealed in the coming season.
