Outlander fans know him by many names, including 'James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser', 'the king of men', and 'Jamie. In real life, Scottish actor, Sam Heughan, is no less multifaceted. An accomplished theater actor before he fully made the jump to TV and movie screens, Sam is also a dedicated philanthropist, a dapper dresser, and a true ambassador for his native country of Scotland.
Though he's beloved by millions of fans of the TV show, some fans may not know many of the things that make Sam the perfect actor to inhabit author Diana Gabaldon's fierce and loyal Highlander. So, make sure to read on as we explore 15 things you didn't know about Outlander's Sam Heughan.
15 He Auditioned For Games Of Thrones 7 Times
It's difficult to imagine how they could say "no," but that's the word Sam heard seven times from the casting directors of juggernaut, Games of Thrones.
As he told Vulture in 2014: "I auditioned for Games of Thrones seven times! [...] I auditioned for Renly, Loras, some of the members of the Night's Watch. And I'd always get so close! I'd be like, "Guys, just give me a sword!" Everybody was going for those parts."
Well, it was definitely their loss and a major win for Outlander fans!
14 He Has Two Honorary Doctorates
A graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Sam's subsequent acting career has earned him two Honorary Doctorate degrees. Last summer, the University of Stirling recognized "his outstanding contribution to acting and charitable endeavours," while the University of Glasgow highlighted his continuous contributions to multiple charitable causes.
In his University of Stirling graduation speech, Sam accepted the honor with his usual mix of humor and humility.
13 He Has Played Batman
In 2011, Sam took on the role of Batman for a theater production that combined theater and acrobatics - it was called Batman Live. "Batman is every boy's dream and certainly a lot of adults as well," Sam said in a promotional interview introducing the show.
The role came after Sam spent many years in the theater, starring in shows as varied as Hamlet, Macbeth, and The Talented Mr. Ripley.
12 He Created A Fitness-Based Charity
In 2015, Sam founded My Peak Challenge, "a community dedicated to inspiring its members to live healthier, happier and more balanced lives while raising funds to change lives."
The charity offers an annual fitness plan that "peakers" follow to challenge themselves and others. To date, My Peak Challenge has raised over $4 million for its charity partners.
11 He's Not A Real Redhead
Red hair is one of Jamie Fraser's most distinguishing characteristics. In real-life, Sam doesn't share his character's hair color. "I'm a natural blond. It gets dyed. It's pretty horrific. I have to get it dyed a crazy amount--it's like every three weeks" he told EW in 2017.
Thankfully, the production team has now opted to give Jamie a wig, which has made Sam's life much easier!
10 He Genuinely Enjoys Wearing A Kilt
While the process of getting Jamie Fraser's hair right over the years has been tricky, Sam has actually enjoyed wearing the many costumes of the fierce Highlander warrior, including the kilt: "Honestly, there's so many great benefits of wearing a kilt. It's very free, it's got its own aeration and they're very comfortable," he explained in 2016.
9 He Has His Own Brand Of Whiskey
As a true Scotsman, Sam is a huge whiskey fan - so much so that he launched his own whiskey, The Sassenach, in December 2019. "When I went back to Scotland to start shooting Outlander, [...] I rediscovered the land where I come from. I had been living in London for 12 years, and [then] I went back to Scotland and have visited a lot of distilleries while working there and have really fallen in love again with our national drink," he recently told Whiskey Neat.
8 He Stars In The Next Vin Diesel Movie
Sam will jump almost three centuries in his new role as Jimmy Dalton in the upcoming (March 13, 2020) Bloodshot, starring Vin Diesel. Bloodshot is based on the Valiant Comics series and centers around the character, Bloodshot, a former soldier with special powers.
Sam has been sharing teasers about his character on Instagram, and promoting the film ahead of its release this month.
7 He's A Scot Through And Through
Whether he is creating his own whiskey, wearing a kilt, or hiking in the Scottish outdoors, Sam is a proud ambassador for his country. "I was extremely lucky to grow up in such a lovely country. Then to get to go back there and shoot [Outlander] has been an absolute dream come true," he recently told Men's Journal.
To see his love for Scotland, check out his Instagram account, where he often shares videos and photos of his native country.
6 He Played A Young Alexander The Great
He is best known for playing "the king of men" in Outlander, but Sam was cast to play Alexander, the real-life king of Macedonia, in Young Alexander The Great. This happened in 2010.
The movie saw him share the screen with a young Lauren Cohan (Maggie in The Walking Dead) and play the larger-than-life Alexander during the days before he became king.
5 He Was Nominated For A Laurence Olivier Award, The Most Important Theater Honor In The UK
In 2003, Sam, still a young drama student, was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award as Most Promising Performer. The Olivier is the UK's most important theater award, but Sam was relieved when he didn't win: "The moment they were about to announce it I was like, "Oh my god, I hope I don't win." You have to make a speech and I hadn't written one. I love being a character, but I hate being myself doing that sort of thing," he told Interview in 2015.
4 He Was Once Nominated As Villain Of The Year At The British Soap Awards
Outlander fans know Sam for playing honorable and true Jamie Fraser, but at one time, Sam was known to Doctors (a BBC series) fans as a pretty duplicitous villain. In fact, he played his character, Scott Neilson, so convincingly that he was nominated for a Villain of the Year award at The British Soap Awards in 2010. Sam lost, but he will always have that amazing recognition on his acting resume!
3 He Will Play Paul Newman In An Upcoming Movie About Author Roald Dahl
In 2020, Sam will go from playing an iconic fictional character to playing the real-life icon, Paul Newman, in an upcoming movie about author Roald Dahl and his wife, Patricia Neal. Paul Newman starred in the classic film, Hud, alongside Neal in 1963.
"Paul Newman was immensely talented, generous, and an American Icon. So fortunate!" Sam excitedly shared on an Instagram post last December.
2 He's A Global Brand Ambassador For Barbour
Since becoming Barbour's first Global Brand Ambassador in 2016, Sam has made several capsule collections, including the collection for summer 2019.
"Barbour is a brand that I have grown up with and been associated with since I was living near the borders of Scotland. I was brought up in a very rural area on the grounds of a castle. It was a working farm, and I even remember the local shepherd wearing his Barbour jacket," he told Town & Country in 2016.
1 He Has A New Show About The Highlands In The Works
Last year, Sam partnered with his former Outlander co-star, Graham McTavish, (pictured above) on Clan Lands, a show exploring "[the] history, culture, and the landscape of Scotland." The actors teased the project on the Clan Lands Instagram, which shows them traveling, sampling whiskey, and visiting historic sites.
There's no release date yet, but we sure look forward to seeing these two Highlanders' adventures!