Warning this page is mostly just fan girl gushing. On most of the rest of the site I’ve tried to be at least relatively restrained in presenting information and links, so I’m reserving this page to get all (or at least some) of the blatant adoration out of my system.
I wasn’t expecting this at all. I was cautiously excited when I heard about the Starz series. And I was happy to hear that they’d cast Jamie, so I followed along with everyone else to find out who our Jamie would be. First, I’d like to note that while I love Jamie, he’s not my favorite character in the books (sacrilege, I know). And secondly, it is very rare for me to be interested in a celebrity outside the role I know them best in. The last celebrity crushes I had were Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor more than a decade ago. And I don’t remember the last male celebrity crush I had. I say this only to explain how off-guard this caught me, and that, while I started paying attention to him because of the Jamie casting, my reactions are as much, if not more, about him than Jamie. (Luckily, neither my husband nor my girlfriend are prone to jealousy.)
So, here’s a list of reasons, in no particular order, that Sam Heughan has acquired me as his web-minion (whether he wanted to or not):
- Joy– All that I’ve read and watched show Sam as someone with an ability to take joy in everything he does. The fact that his Instagram page has gorgeous nature pictures and that he tweeted to everyone about the wildlife he saw in Norway made me think he is someone who really notices and appreciates the world around him. I’m listening to Outlander again and two phrases that Diana uses to describe Jamie’s approach to making love bring to mind Sam in everything we’ve seen from him: “unflagging joy” and that he gave “all of himself without reservation.” Those pretty much sum up how I see him.
- Dedication– Reading about the preparations that he’s made for some of his roles in the past and having some hints about what he’s doing to get ready to play Jamie, shows a man who takes his craft seriously and will do the best he possibly can. And this shows in all of the parts we’ve seen him in so far.
- Sincerity– When being interviewed, he radiates a level of genuine engagement that is a pleasure to watch. When talking about his projects and interests he gives the impression of really caring about them and believing in them, rather than spouting well-practiced sound bites. (Especially when talking about the Batmobile. *grin* I get the impression he might miss that car.)
- Generosity– I really appreciate his time and efforts on behalf of various charities.
- Gratitude– Despite his obvious talent and hard work, he always sounds humbly grateful for the opportunities he has gotten and anything anyone does for him. (If he’d expected us to fawn over him, we probably wouldn’t have, but he seemed so appreciative of our interest that he’s a joy to interact with.)
- Intensity– In all the roles I’ve seen him play, he’s lost himself completely in them. He brings an energy to every scene he’s in that is completely mesmerizing.
- Mutability– Related to the intensity of losing himself in the roles, is the ability to change so completely from role to role. If I hadn’t known going in, I would not have realized that it was the same person portraying the various people he’s played. Even just looking at the pictures in the banner on the top of the page, I wouldn’t have realized they were all the same person if I hadn’t known already.
- Physicality– I love his ability to act with his whole body. His emotions show in his posture and gestures and stance and subtle movements as well as his voice, face and eyes.(Example: There were a couple moments in Midsomer Murders where his words and tone of voice were saying one thing, but you could tell clearly through other subtle cues that the character was lying.)
- Passion– I confess to having watched the clip from A Plague Over England a few more times than is probably sane. And it may have taken a dozen or so times before I got all the words. But, in my defense, it is amazing. They demonstrate a passion and hunger that is generally lacking in most more explicit displays. The choreography of the scene is clever and inspired. My favorite moment is at the end when Sam’s character is holding the other man’s hand to his chest. In that brief moment they manage to convey so much without speech, that I’m eager to see what happens with Diana’s love scenes.
- Kindness– In just the brief amount of time we’ve gotten to interact with him, he’s shown such incredible kindness to the fans, to his fellow cast and crew and to his friends.
- Humor– His sense of humor was apparent as soon as he started to interact with the fans. Many people would have run away or been stand-offish at the very least, and we’d have understood. But instead he jumped right in and joked around with us immediately.
- Playfulness– I love it when a man is not afraid to play around and be silly. He seems to not be prone to taking himself too seriously and he knows how to have fun. His willingness to play and be silly are infectious. He seems to have a real joy in life that is a pleasure to watch.
- Oh, yeah and there’s the superficial stuff too- But it’s pretty obvious that he’s drop-dead gorgeous with eyes you can get lost in, a deliciously expressive mouth, and the body of a superhero, (Batman to be precise *g*), so there’s no point in even mentioning that, right?
Heughan's Heughligans 
Omg I thought I was alone. I am seriously crushing on SH. I watch every video on YouTube, watch all his movies and every episode of outlander twice (ok, ok, 3 times or more in some cases – sex scenes). This all started not more than 3 weeks ago and I hate myself for having a huge crush on a stranger! I did not expect this and I hate it but he’s so fine and nice and sweet and hot. Glad I’m not alone.
At 44 years old I can say I never had an obsession like this as a teenager or young adult. Outlander and Mr. Heughan have completely captivated me during this quarantine period. I see pictures with fans and wonder if we’ll ever be able to get back to that so I might try my luck at attending and getting a pic too.
As you put, he is so much more of a person than just playing his character Jamie. I truly hope he gets some well-deserved recognition soon. Truth be told, it is hard sometimes to ignore those superficial things 😉 (I’d have added the accent to your list) but that is not the main reason I too became a fan.
Thanks for sharing and keep it up.
As a former actress who was on a first name basis with many famous actors my fan girl crush on Sam Heughan came as a bit of a shock. His extraordinary talent combined with sincere humility, kindness and generosity create a powerful package. Knowing what I know about Hollywood and the very real dangers of fame and celebrity I find myself feeling very protective of Sam. Celebrity can have a corrosive effect on the artist so I wish for him the very best of friends with whom he can be himself and feel safe. He is greatly deserving of success but shouldn’t have to pay for it with the loss of private life.
Your comments completely reflect my experience. I am not an “obsessed” fan of anyone or anything! But…I have been taken by surprise with this man. I feel/think/agree with all your statements. Part of me is sad that I found this talent so late in the game. It sounds as though the early “admirers” got to interact and get to know a little more about him personally. I hope to one day get to a function that I could meet him in person. Before the body guards don’t let that happen anymore. Maybe I’ll win the PEOPLE sweepstakes. 😉. Thanks for letting me gush too. 😍
I believe every applicable superlative has been used to describe Sam Heughan…
and I am in total agreeance with them all…Among the self-indulgence of celebrity,
Sam is a breath of of fresh air…He is too nice and well-grounded to allow the adoration he has witnessed (with more to come) to go to his bonnie head.
Lang mae his lum reek !!
I agree with your wonderful article. Sam Heughan is an amazing actor and convincing in every role he has played — though all have been very different. His portrayal of Jamie Fraser in the Starz TV series has been perfect. I cannot imagine anyone else as Jamie. Such passion and attention to every detail from the books truly comes through. Plus, he seems genuinely humble with an appreciation of everything he has clearly worked so hard to achieve. Let’s hope he remains this way…I am confident he will. Hollywood could learn a lot from Sam Heughan.
Goodness, I’m 71 years old and cannot stop thinking about Jamie (Sam)….his acting is fantastic…the little bits like raising & lowering his fingers after making love with Claire for the first time (he wasn’t sure about was he wanted to task her). Unfortunately, I have watched the wedding show 8 times (the whole series 3x) and my husband is going to divorce me.
Angela
Yes, yes, yes! And in this day and age, it is inspiring see people like Sam take the world by storm. I truly hope he stays grounded and that fame doesn’t jade his private life. His joy is contagious and it keeps me coming back to check in on him. 😉
Hello!!
This is off topic (Outlander), but pertains to Sam Heughan’s newest movie “Emulsion.”
I’d like to get an announcement blast for a screening in Burbank CA on Monday October 13, 2014. The folks putting on the screening will not do it if a minimum of 75 attendees is not met. How should I go about promoting this event?
Thank you!
Anne in NoHo
Yes! I am (at least in my own mind) a mature and somewhat relaxed person who is not prone to acting like an over zealous teenager over a TV or Movie star. Heck I have met some and was unimpressed and casual about it. Sam blows all of that out of the water. I am a rabid fan-girl and am fairly ridiculous about my obsession. I can’t get enough and may spontaneously combust when the show starts. Thanks for letting me know I am not alone!
Thank you for starting this site! Sam seems like a genuinely nice guy and appears to have the sensibility to stay grounded once Outlander hits the screen. His career is about to explode and it will make my heart feel good to see mega success come to one so humble. He is extremely talented and I know he and the rest of the Outlander cast will not disappoint!
Comparatively speaking, I am a neophyte in the world of Diana Galbaldon. Little did i know i would fall down the rabbit hole & end up in Scotland. Voraciously reading the 1st 3 books, I wanted to know more about the author, director and actors. Caught off guard, indeed. Here I felt silly thinking am I going crazy? Sam & Caitriona are both truly genuine Jamie/Claire aside. I am rather embarrassed & feel like an outlander among the true Outlanders. Still, I couldn’t stop reading your site. The next thing I know I am swearing an oath (on bended knee) & buying a t-shirt for charity off the website. @ChaosCritter I hope it’s not too late to join up ranks. I don’t believe I could stop myself even if you said no.
I think you pegged him completely Kristin. Those are the reasons I am impressed with him. Someone this grounded, talented, committed and focused has nothing but success ahead I feel. The character of Jamie is in extremely capable hands. It is clear that anyone who works with him has nothing but wonderful things to say. All this goodness has to be rewarded!
I can’t say I’m without celeb crushes (i admit as much today http://thats-normal.com/2013/07/celebrity-crushes/) but this new one on Sam is quite new & I’m excited to see where it goes!!
Verra well put! I especially loved how you mentioned Sam/Jamie and his joy in making love
“unflagging joy” and that he gave “all of himself without reservation.”
Yep, thanks for that 🙂
I agree 100% with everything you said!
Amen, sister, AMEN!