Yesterday Starz tweeted that “Sam Heughan” had been offered the role of Jamie Fraser, and as you can imagine, the news spread like wildfire throughout the Outlander community—then they took down the tweet and have been mum since.
What’s up with that?
Rumor has it that someone jumped the gun, and either the role had not been offered or Sam had not accepted; it was still in the negotiation-stage. Here’s what we know about Sam so far:
He’s Scottish, 6’3″, 33 yrs old and an impressive actor. Check out this clip reel:
Diana added her two cents when the news first broke:
Well, you know…_carpe diem_. <g>
I can’t confirm that the contracts are signed and Sam Heughan is officially Jamie Fraser….but I _can_ say that he auditioned–and I saw the tapes. He was and is totally MY top choice! ~ Diana Gabaldon
Then, photos of Sam started being passed around. Here are a few from a Sam Heughan fan page on facebook:
He’s got Jamie’s body, strong but not beefy.
He’s got Jamie’s facial expression—I can just hear him saying, “You’re no verra sensible Sassenach, but I like ye fine.”
Looks like he’s good with horses too, a *must* for Jamie’s character.
Remember, nothing is official yet, but it seems pretty likely at this point that Sam will be Jamie. Herself had A LOT more to say about it this morning:
A few thoughts. <cough>Do you, um, _know_ what it is that an actor does?
No, really. Do you? They do what I do—they make magic happen. They do it with their faces and bodies, while I do it with words, but it’s essentially the same t…hing. They create something that wasn’t there before.
Granted, sometimes it helps if you have the rough physical outline for a particular role. MOST of a physical resemblance, though, is really not necessary, and for two reasons:1) Physical appearance is _very_ mutable. Hair and eye color are so simple to change that I’m amazed _anyone_ is carrying on about what color Mr. Heughan’s hair _is_. (For the record, he’s blond. Like any other actor, hedyes his hair as needed. It’s dark in these photos; it could bered within half an hour.)2) Much more importantly—beyond very basic things like height and general build, physical aspects are just not that important, provided that an actor can _act_.As one of the producers said to me—anent the auditioning process—“We were hoping that somebody would just walk in and _be_ Jamie.”OK. Now, I got the word about Sam Heughan (it’s pronounced HEW-en, btw, in case you were wondering. He’s Scottish, and it may well originally have been a Gaelic name) while I was driving to Santa Fe with my husband; they thought they’d found Jamie and were sending me the audition videos a little later. Well, naturally, I spent the next hour Googling “Sam Heughan” on my iPhone.
Now—I think this point may just possibly have escaped a few thousand of you, so let me restate it: Jamie is TWENTY-TWO in OUTLANDER, and a virgin. And as the producers do understand and respect the story very much, they wanted a guy who could believably _be_ a twenty-two-year-old virgin. (Yes, I know half of you are thinking of him as he is in the later books and thus “see” him in his 50’s. That doesn’t mean the producers should cast someone in his late 40’s and ask him to play a 22-year-old virgin. Am I right? Yes, I am. Now that _that’s_ settled…)
So I’m lookin’ at some of Sam’s photos and sayin’ to my husband, “Yeah, I buy him as a virgin…but I think Claire’s going to get done for statutory rape!” You know, a bit apprehensive. He’s quite big, but a very chiseled face that makes him look a good bit younger than he is, at least in stills.
(Husband approved of the stills from “First Light,” btw (where Sam is playing a Spitfire pilot in the Battle of Britain)—“He looks good beat up,” he said. “A good thing for playing Jamie.” )
So anyway…we get to Santa Fe, let the dogs out, air the house, go have dinner… And _then_, I sit down at my computer, in a lather of trepidation and excitement, to watch the audition tapes.
First five seconds, I’m interested—he looks totally different than he did in _any_ of the stills—and five seconds later, Sam Heughan’s GONE, and so am I. It’s Jamie Fraser, right _there_ in front of me, moving, talking. One of the biggest thrills ever.
And that’s what actors do. Good ones. They can “be” someone else, totally.
Now, I saw him do two scenes: the confrontation between Jamie and Dougal, after Dougal exposes Jamie’s back in a tavern. Ferocious, explosive, a glimpse of the warrior. And he…freakin’ _exploded_.
And then…the scene in which Jamie explains to Claire exactly why he intends to punish her for disobeying his orders to stay hidden, thus nearly getting them all killed.
OK. This is arguably _the_ most controversial scene in all the books. And I’m not about to go into the scene itself—not the point here. The point is that that’s one heck of a complex scene, emotionally, and _could_ be read/performed in a lot of different ways. Now, I happen to _know_ exactly how Jamie acted and spoke during that scene…and that’s…exactly what Sam _did_. Thoughtfulness, intimacy, fair-mindedness, annoyance, firmness—and quite a lot of humor. One of Jamie’s hallmarks is the ability to be threatening and funny at the same time—and Sam pulled that off.
So, yeah. I’ve watched those videos a couple dozen times, just to be sure I wasn’t imagining things. I wasn’t. <g>
Now, fwiw—the necessary physical aspects are all there. Sam’s big—my head would hit about the middle of his chest (he’s only an inch shorter than my husband)—and _very_ well-built, in terms of what Jamie actually looks like. Tall, lean (not burly), rangy (not bulgy)*, broad-shouldered, muscular (but a _young_ muscular. Young athletes look way different from gnarly middle-aged ones). Face…chiseled, striking—but looks different in every single role.
And the bottom line is simply this: He showed up and he _was_ Jamie.
*(You know something? I don’t really _care_ if you, personally, have been imagining Chris Hemsworth as Jamie. You’re wrong; he doesn’t look like that at all. ) ~ Diana Gabaldon
Well, if Diana Gabaldon thinks he’s perfect, that’s good enough for me. Fingers crossed for you Sam!
outlanderfan.com 
iamloricakes (@IamLoriCakes) said,
July 6, 2013 at 5:07 pm
Fantastic choice. I cannot wait to watch this.
OutlanderFan said,
July 10, 2013 at 10:40 am
You and me both!!!!!!
Joyce Burns said,
July 6, 2013 at 5:40 pm
I think he is adorable. People do get way too attached to the image they have when reading. I like to be open because that just adds to the mystery and surprise. Cannot wait !
OutlanderFan said,
July 10, 2013 at 10:39 am
I agree Joyce.
Diane said,
July 6, 2013 at 8:34 pm
Doesn’t matter she was against C H from the beginning. No matter how someone looks not bulked up, of which he is not most of the time. This guy is not JF, not by a long shot. This guy does not have the looks nor the talent for the role. I saw the reel and am not impressed. I will not even bother with it.
Cathy said,
July 6, 2013 at 8:56 pm
I’m for Gerard Butler. While Sam is a pretty boy, Gerard is a MAN and Jaimie was only a boy for the first bit… To me he fast aged and the rest of the story needs to be shown to us at an older age.
Laura said,
July 6, 2013 at 10:23 pm
I would like to see someone that is a mixture of Kevin McKidd and Gerard Butler. I imagined Kevin while I read. The red hair and face on the body of my choosing. 😉 I just want to see red, rugged and large. Since I am a 6’2″ woman AND Scottish….. Jamie better not be some SHORT actor!!
OutlanderFan said,
July 10, 2013 at 10:39 am
lol Laura
Jessica Edwards said,
July 7, 2013 at 12:02 am
I’m excited for this series and I like Sam for Jamie. I can really see it! And I think it’s good that he is not well known to American audiences….yet. This role has the potential to launch an actor to superstardom. The role of Claire as well.
OutlanderFan said,
July 10, 2013 at 10:38 am
Totally!
Shayna said,
July 7, 2013 at 4:37 am
I’m still all for Chris Hemsworth. Not for the first and second book because he a liiiiiittle bit too old looking. Although after what they did with Benjamin Button, I’m not sure that matters. But he’s a great actor. If seen him in plenty of things besides The Avengers, and he can be anything. He is so especially Jamie to me in The Huntsman. Unfortunately he had to play off Kristen Stuart who couldn’t act if her life depended on it. But I don’t think Sam is a horrible choice. I’m going to have to wait and see. They can change his hair color, and make his eyes a darker blue like in the books with contacts, but they can’t make them slanted. It is brought up so often with Jamie, Brianna, and William all having slanted cat like eyes that I’m sure it will be an issue for me. CH of course has the slanted eyes, maybe he can play him in the rest of the seasons when he’s older. One can only hope.
Diane said,
July 9, 2013 at 1:44 am
This guy is pathetic looking, too bad. I was looking forward to the telling. I will stick to the books, were Jamie looks like Jamie, not some cheap tosser, with dodgy acting skills and bleah looks.
Shirley Thornton said,
July 7, 2013 at 4:33 pm
I see what Diana does and I’m really glad were getting a chance at a good
Actor.. Not just some guy who’s a Scot,, but an actor who happens to
Have it all.. I’m in.I can see it. I guess my Jamie looked like what she wrote.💜
OutlanderFan said,
July 10, 2013 at 10:38 am
Great point Shirley!
Eileen said,
July 7, 2013 at 4:56 pm
I totally trust Diana on this.
OutlanderFan said,
July 10, 2013 at 10:37 am
So do I, 1000%
Sharon said,
August 4, 2014 at 10:58 pm
Do you really think that Diana would bad mouth any choice of a Jamie? That would be like sabotaging your own show. She HAS to say that this is THE JAMIE and he is the best and he looks just the part and so on. I personally don’t think he is burly enough to instill fear just by his size and appearance. THAT was one of the main characteristics of Jamie and why Claire always felt protected by him. As good looking as Sam is, he is not my minds idea (or Diana’s written description) of him. In many of the scenes with Claire, he is not much taller than her and he is supposed to tower over her by almost 8 inches.
Erinhope said,
August 8, 2014 at 4:55 am
Yes! I agree completely. I watched the first (free) airing again, for the third time, and found myself thinking the same thoughts. Sam isn’t tall enough nor is he massive enough to be the giant redheaded Scottish warrior that made men cower just by looking at his size. I admit, I do like Sam’s facial qualities for a young Jaime; however, since a majority of the love story is played out with an older (forties plus) character, I don’t see how Sam can be aged well enough to pull it off…that is assuming the television series were to be continued with the other books in the Gabaldon series.
OutlanderFan said,
September 7, 2014 at 7:15 pm
I see what you mean, but yes, I do think Diana would give her honest opinion. That’s her. Honest/snarky/sassy.
Julie J. Wentzell said,
July 8, 2013 at 10:59 am
I think Diana’s is right, it’s all about the acting as well as looks!
OutlanderFan said,
July 10, 2013 at 10:37 am
Exactamundo!
Becky Arntzen said,
July 8, 2013 at 8:54 pm
He seems good for young Jamie, but I’d recast for the Jamie of Clare’s return. Someone like Ray Stephenson (Stevenson?). Yes, they can do makeup to age him, but it takes a long time and usually looks like makeup.
OutlanderFan said,
July 10, 2013 at 10:36 am
Well, he’s 33 now; It would be at least 3 years before they began shooting 3rd season (Voyager) where Jamie & Claire have aged 19 years…We’ll see…
Diane said,
July 9, 2013 at 1:41 am
He is a terrible choice. His acting is shallow, and his looks just run of the mill, Jamie is large and lovely, not just plain. They must have followed the money on this one, primping him up in the red hair, not going to help, too bad they went cheap.
evelando said,
July 9, 2013 at 8:59 am
I’ve always had a vague impression of Jamie, so I can imagine Sam Heughan as him. Once you get past the photoshoot’s pictures,which shows Sam Heughar as himself, it’s Jamie! It’s the acting not the stills. I was already convinced, then I saw the pic where he’s got red hair and I was sold. He’s 33 and can look like a 23 yrs old, and because the wonders of makeup/hair and clothes department can do basically everything, it won’t be hard to transform him in Jamie. And I don’t have doubts they’ll make him look perfectly older if the show goes on.
I saw a movie where SH played a RAF pilot. There was a moment where he got off the plane, tired and delusioned, like beaten up and I thought “Well it’s a deal for me (again). Then he spoke to a man, and tried to contain his anger. I could see his “presence”.
I am not afraid of an adaptation, because as the word says, it’s an adaptation. What is in the books, will always stay in the books!
OutlanderFan said,
July 10, 2013 at 10:34 am
Well said, evelando.
pammytee said,
July 9, 2013 at 2:10 pm
He’s exactly as I picture Jamie…slanty eyes and chiseled cheeks. CH seems like a dunderhead to me. This role belongs to a real Scot and a talented one at that. Since Diana has seen the audition tapes and is full on board, who can I be to argue. I’m just excited to see it unfold onscreen!
OutlanderFan said,
July 10, 2013 at 10:32 am
Me too Pammytee!
reader said,
July 13, 2013 at 4:49 pm
I think he might do great, i expected loads worse. I guess noone will be perfect, but he seems alright and Diana likes him…
annonymous said,
July 14, 2013 at 12:04 pm
Granted, I haven’t seen his audition, but he’s going to have to pull off one heck of an acting job to convince me he’s worthy of playing Jamie. For one thing, he sounds more English than Scottish, and that brogue is a MUST for Jamie! I always pictured Jamie as much more manly and powerful than this guy. I’ll reserve judgment until I see the finished product, but I’m not holding my breath.
OutlanderFan said,
July 14, 2013 at 12:12 pm
He was using a british accent for whatever role he was playing. Check out these audio clips of him speaking natively for various commercials: http://unitedvoices.tv/Sam-Heughan#.UdoUuv9koq8.facebook
annonymous said,
July 14, 2013 at 12:49 pm
Thanks for the link…definitely better! I hadn’t based my comment on any of his roles. I had looked up an interview he did, and there was no Scottish brogue coming through at all. But an accent is easily changed. I still want to see him acting more manly. I’m not saying he can’t pull it off. I know it will all turn out OK, because the people casting him surely know what they’re doing, and Diana likes him. However that being said, as readers we all form our own image of how a character is in our minds, and it may not be exactly the same as what the author had in her mind. So I’m just saying that [from what I’ve seen of him], he doesn’t have the essence of what I think of as Jamie. But I haven’t seen him acting as Jamie, so hopefully he will surprise me!
Leigh said,
September 26, 2013 at 8:44 pm
I just saw this post and listened to Sam’s “Scottish accent”. I heard nothing that made me feel better; quite the opposite! I thought I had become resigned to him, but after hearing that? I’m back to being worried. All I heard was a tiny part where he sounded a little bit Scottish. Not even close to what Sean Connery sounds when he’s trying to! Does anyone remember “Monarch of the Glen”? The family at the big house were like Jamie’s family, the local lairds. And every one of them had been educated in England and sounded it. But the servants – THEY were Highlanders (except for the cook, who was from Glasgow and wound up marrying Archie, the heir after his older brother died. (Gee, why does that sound familiar…?) Anyway, they had one servant, who ALWAYS wore a kilt, was red-haired, and SOUNDED exactly like I expect Jamie to sound. Of course he himself is too old to play young Jamie (tho if they move into the second book by next year, he may just be the exact age to take over the part, but I can’t remember the actor’s name). But anyway, I wouldn’t suggest anyone listen to those recordings, or there will be a mass panic, not just me!
erne said,
September 26, 2013 at 9:20 pm
I understand Leigh’s concern over SH not sounding Scottish (and from an earlier century, to boot!), because I listened to the voice recordings, as well. Leigh’s correct in that he sounded just plain English and with no sign of the beautiful brogue that we all will be looking for in our Jamie.
I am however, trying to keep faith, and since SH has been touted as a talented actor, that means inevitably he’ll be able to fake a good Scottish accent for our Jamie (…especially since he is native born). I’m sure we’ve all seen numerous actors fake a good Scottish accent (I cannot think of any off the top of my head…but I’m sure! lol) that weren’t even of a Scottish background.
Besides, I have faith in Diana G., as well. I know that she’d not choose a Jamie that didn’t sound like Jamie should sound. After all, we need to keep in mind that Diana G. has seen SH’s audition tapes and felt as though she were seeing Jamie in the flesh as she watched them. That right there, says a great deal, to me!
Bottom line – I’m hopeful…do I have a choice really, anyway?! lol
Leigh said,
September 27, 2013 at 12:02 am
You are definitely right, Erne. I think I’m displacing my personal dramas going on that i feel are out of my control by obsessing about every little detail of this series. I mean, I wouldn’t dream of writing to DG and insisting she MUST show one character doing or saying something. But I can give you an example of what we’re all afraid of, even tho I still watch the movie, or parts of it, whenever I catch it: Mel Gibson in Braveheart. And another one, even worse tho not Scottish, but English, is only rescued by the brilliant actors Morgan Freeman and Alan Rickman, and the great theme song written and performed by Bryan Adams, is Kevin Costner in Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves (which an old boyfriend used to refer to as the “Hey dudes” version). Who in hell takes on Robin Hood without learning an accent, even a bad one like Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, who simply changed her tone and clipped her words short. Still, I must admit I watch that occasionally too. But there have been so many versions of Robin Hood, in book and movie form. There’s only one Outlander. And now I’ll go away and shut up.
sireesanwar said,
July 18, 2013 at 2:11 am
Can I share that picture with the horse on my Outlander fan facebook page? I’m having passage flashes of the horse scenes in Dragonfly.
OutlanderFan said,
July 18, 2013 at 7:43 am
The image doesn’t belong to me, it’s by an artist called Captivated2- here’s her link, MAKE SURE you credit her on your page & include the link to the image, I think you can buy some, not sure: http://captivated2.deviantart.com/art/Jamie-Fraser-Promise-206151489
sireesanwar said,
July 22, 2013 at 3:31 pm
Thank you so much for the information. I’ll check it out and ask her…
Leigh said,
October 23, 2013 at 5:49 am
I just read that comment after all this time, sireesanwar, and since I’ve been up all night, it took a moment. But after that short moment, you managed something few people have since I turned 17. You made me blush! Naughty, naughty girl! Good for you! (I wonder if they’ll ever show that, not for the reason YOU obviously want – how would the orchestrate that anyway? – but because of the neolithic couple they found.)
norma said,
August 11, 2013 at 2:10 pm
Definitely need a man to portray Jamie and this unknown kid doesn’t do it for me. Look for someone else before it’s too late!!!!
OutlanderFan said,
September 5, 2013 at 6:57 pm
I think you’re out of luck…
leighb5197 said,
August 28, 2013 at 3:35 pm
I know that this is way after the fact, and so I’m basically just venting, but I also have a number of problems with Sam as Jamie. Besides the details of eye color and shape, the shot of him with “red” hair isn’t red at all; at least not Jamie-red. I used to wonder why Brits called some redheads “ginger,” and after comparing Prince Harry to his aunt Sarah, the Duchess of York, I saw why. How many times does Claire try to describe the many different shades of red in Jamie’s hair? They’d need not only a master colorist, which probably isn’t that hard for Starz to find, but he can’t have short hair, both because no man had his hair cut that short in that kind of style back then, and it’s harder to do the detailed coloring without enough hair to work with. (I’m not an expert on hair coloring, so I could be wrong there.)
Also, people have continually said Jamie’s hair wasn’t long when she met him, but only grew long when he got older. Whoever thinks that, stop and recall Dragonfly. Yes, it was the second book, but Claire was describing the events of the three years she spent with Jamie to Brianna and Roger, and three years after they met would not be considered OLD in my opinion. Remember the scene in Paris, just before Claire miscarried Faith? She had rushed off before dawn to stop Jamie from dueling with Jack Randall, and possibly killing him, and thereby Frank. And the reason why she knew he’d gone to fight Randall was THE PONYTAIL OF HAIR JAMIE HAD CUT OFF AND LEFT IN THEIR ROOM!!! He had told her the story of his first duel and how his hair tie had broken midway, causing his hair to obscure his vision and make him lose. So how can anyone, even DG herself say Jamie didn’t have long hair at the beginning of the story?
Now, back to the eye shape (“tilted blue cat eyes”) and his nose (“long and straight), not to mention the detailed description of all the scars on his body…I know it’s practically impossible to cast an actor who EXACTLY matches the physical description of the fictional character they’re to play. Still, David O. Selznick proved it could be done when he held out after all the top Hollywood actresses screen-tested for the role of Scarlett O’Hara in GWTW, and was rewarded when he met Vivien Leigh, who was EXACTLY the Scarlett Margaret Mitchell had written.
I cast nearly every character in the series with my dream actors, except I couldn’t think of a single one to play Jamie (maybe Liam Neesom as the older Jamie, but that was at least 10 years ago, along with Gwynneth Paltrow as the young Claire and her mom, Blythe Danner as the older Claire. And I think John Barrowman would have been perfect as Roger withthat cast then, especially because he, like his future father-in-law, is supposed to be tall, and he’s dark-haired (even though he’d need green contacts) and despite the American accent he customarily uses, he’s Scottish.
Well, I guess I can still dream. Either way, my DVR is going to be set to record the show once it airs.
OutlanderFan said,
September 5, 2013 at 6:56 pm
Phew! Glad I could provide the space for you to vent, lol.
Leigh said,
September 26, 2013 at 8:50 pm
Yeah, sorry. My chronic cluster headaches have done something to my writing skills, and basically it seems they turned off the “concise” switch in my head. I’ve been trying to work on it, but not much luck yet.
I Canna WAIT to see Annette Badland as Mrs Fitz! | outlanderfan said,
September 3, 2013 at 10:34 am
[…] did you know that she & Sam Heughan (the actor cast as Jamie Fraser) both appeared the UK-based tv series Doctors, though not at the […]
Leigh said,
October 23, 2013 at 5:55 am
Wow, I missed this too, even tho I thought I was receiving all updates! I remember Annette Badland’s character (great last name, right up there with Lucy Lawless from Xena). But what role did Sam play, under which Doctor? I can’t for the life of me recall him. Was it so small it was like a cameo? Please tell!
OutlanderFan said,
October 23, 2013 at 11:48 am
He played “Scott Neilson,” was in 21 episodes in 2009…
“Legends of Scottish Acting” to Portray Colum & Dougal, Brothers MacKenzie. | outlanderfan said,
September 5, 2013 at 3:28 pm
[…] has been in many other quality productions, including First Light where he costarred with our own Sam Heughan (Jamie […]
erne said,
September 24, 2013 at 11:19 pm
I can imagine SH as the young, injured Jamie (when Claire first meets him & must bully the clansmen away so she can treat his dislocated shoulder properly); however, as a mature 40ish (+) mon…I cannot imagine SH at that maturity level, physically (facial features & eyes). ‘Mature eyes’. Yes. Ever see a Santa with his obviously young mans eyes? Compare that to an older Santa with a truly older mans eyes…make-up, facial ‘weathering’, beard stubble & growth can only age a mon so much…Do they make contacts for ‘older looking eyes’? hmmm…That would solve the issues that costuming & make-up couldn’t…right?
Anyway, I cannot wait. So when will it first air on Starz? A year? Six months? Sooner!?
I’ve dreamed of seeing Jamie Fraser alive & on the screen right in front of me, since first I read Outlander decades ago…I was in college then…now my children are in college(!) & Jamie and Claire are still my favorite characters of all time!!
I’m going to subscribe to Starz, for certain (I NEVER pay for ‘premium channels’…but, Jamie Fraser, in the flesh is a game changer! lol )
Leigh said,
September 25, 2013 at 8:29 pm
Wow, Erne, you really made me feel so very old reading your post. I too remember when I first read Outlander. I was staying here at my mom’s because I was breaking up with the guy I was living with, and I had the flu, so she took some books out of the library for me. But you were really in college yourself, and now your kids? How old were you when you had them, if you don’t mind my asking? That just kind of blew my mind!
erne said,
September 26, 2013 at 6:08 am
Hi leigh, and no, I don’t mind you asking how old I was :). Outlander published a hardcover in 1991. It was my first romance-type book because I always read within the sci-fi and suspense genres. It was because of the time-travel element that I chose to read it. That was over 20 years ago!
I was a senior in college then and already engaged to be married when I first started reading Outlander, in 1991. We married & I had my daughter a couple years later, in 1993. She’s now a senior in college – at age 21! I remember her so vividly, as an infant – as if it were just yesterday! Time does fly!
I also have a son who’s a sophomore in college. He’s almost 20; however he just enlisted in the Air Force, so earning his degree will be put off for a bit! I don’t think he really knows what he wants to major in, anyway. I think that’s why he’s decided to go into the military – to get out of doing his homework and taking exams, most likely! Lol! Seriously though, as a parent, it’s very scary for me, with the world being in its usual political turmoil.
So, ya it’s been a great many years – 22 years actually, since I first picked up Outlander to read for the first time (I’ve read it a few different times over the past two decades – feels weird to say that! Lol). So, to finally answer your question, I had my daughter when I was 22 in 1993 and my son when I was 24 in 1995.
How about yourself? How old were you when you first read Outlander at your mom’s house? Did you read a first edition, too?
Leigh said,
September 26, 2013 at 9:16 pm
Dear Erne,
I feel so weird saying this, because despite my current state of health (which basically seems to be getting worse rather than the opposite), I don’t feel my age, and I’m one of those people who doesn’t look very different. I mean, you can look at a picture of me as 6, and anyone would recognize me instantly, despite any hair style or length differences (OK, you’re a mom, and I bet you can sense stalling when you hear it).
I was 34 when I read Outlander for the first time in January 1995 (my birthday’s in mid-June). I had just adopted my beautiful Worf, an Alaskan malamute/wolf hybrid the summer before with my then boyfriend, and like I said before, I was staying with my mom getting over a bad flu which the doctor said was a smidge short of becoming pneumonia. A 3 year cycle of cluster headaches which I’ve suffered from since I was 20 had ended the previous February, and I found a fantastic apartment and moved out with my 95 lb. genius dog. But then in Oct. of 95 I hit my head at work, was taken to the hospital by ambulance with my boss riding with me, and because the intern in the ER was playing Dr. God and not listening to me telling him what I needed him to do, I wound up back in headache hell, on disability, and unable to work. My dog turned himself into my service dog, first alerting me to headaches, then seizures, and he told me (he could answer yes & no questions with one bark or two) he was ready to go in 2006. And I’ll be like this for the rest of my life. Aren’t you glad you asked? But reading all the sequels sort of kept me sane when the pain was beginning to get beyond what I had ever experienced before. I’m staying with my mother again, with the circumstances greatly changed (trust me, you DON’T want to know), and as soon as the latest health problem is diagnosed and I’m on the proper treatment, I’m planning on moving to New Hampshire, where it’s less expensive to live than New York, but it’s hard to get around, and that will be an issue. But… At least I’m ready to adopt another dog finally, and train it to be my service dog. And I write way too much and clog the blogs. I;m sorry everyone. But there’s your answer, Erne. I’m probably old enough to be your mother and your kid’s grandmother, but I couldn’t have kids. I guess that’s why there are dogs. Just one thing thing: say thanks to your son for me. School or not, he’s doing a noble thing, and you should be and probably are very proud of him.
Anonymous said,
October 21, 2013 at 1:51 am
It is of course only my opinion but I don’t see Sam as Jamie Fraser . Sam is too yound and sweet boy. He seems too delicate flower for this role, for these hard times, full of battles, blood, challenges, survival, when only the strongest had a chance to survive and expecially to lead. After I read a book I imagine Jamie should be a giant husky man with rough face not a sleek one, with shining red hair, imposing blue eyes in other words – impressive man both physically and as a person. I would never feel in love with Sam in Clairie place. He looks like a boy that didn’t grow yet :).I was waiting for this movie so much but I am already dissapointed because my expectations are already broken with the choice of main actors.
Anonymous said,
October 21, 2013 at 2:38 am
In my opinion Chris Hemsworth could be better Jamie. Of course he doesn’t suit 100% but he fulfils the Jamie character and main appeareance – huge strong man and red long hair is not new for him either. Really impressive man if you saw him in the huntsman role, the Thor role and other similar roles.
Anonymous said,
October 21, 2013 at 2:43 am
And Scott Dougray would look great as Jamie if he would be “bigger”.
Anonymous said,
October 21, 2013 at 2:59 am
And Emily Blunt could be better Claire.
Anonymous said,
October 21, 2013 at 3:01 am
Emily Blunt would be great as Claire.
Leigh said,
October 23, 2013 at 6:31 am
Dear Anonymous:
I only received the first of your series of posts, the one about Sam, and even tho we know we have 0, zip, zero, no power whatsoever, especially since he’s already been cast and is probably already learning the script (or possibly reading the novels for the first time), I wanted to tell you: THANK YOU!!!! Finally, someone who agrees with me no matter how it turns out. Yes, he has blue eyes. But the color is the least of the problems, what with colored contact lenses. Whoever claims he has “slanted cat eyes” have never seen any. My eyes are dark brown, but I know what slanted cat eyes are because I see them whenever I look in the mirror.
However, I must disagree with your other suggestions. Emily Blunt? Really? And with all the times Jamie and Claire have made love and examined each and every detail of each other’s face and body, he just happened to overlook the prominent cleft chin? I don’t see it.
I’m apologizing in advance for yet another too long entry, but I need to say this. I know what DG and we fans were told about Starz’ intention to be faithful to the story. But anyone who’s watched “The White Queen” should know by now that we do have some legitimate worries. I didn’t read the original novel, but I know the history, and they really screwed the pooch. Just like the new drama “Reign”, about young Mary, Queen of Scots. They got every single detail wrong from the first shot, and I won’t watch it again. There are so many mistakes, I wouldn’t know where to begin. Very likely most Outlander fans who became interested in the history have themselves read up on Mary, and know what I’m referring to. But that’s why I’m so worried about Outlander, because as I’ve said before, they seem to have cast for pretty actors rather than appropriate ones, with the exception of Frank/Black Jack Randall. Why was he called “Black Jack”? The color of his hair, among other things, right? Yet the actor they cast is so totally wrong! Doesn’t everyone, or anyone, think Richard Armitage would make such a better choice?
vic_canuck said,
August 26, 2014 at 6:55 pm
Makes me wonder what all those who criticized Sam Heughan as Jamie are thinking about now…sucks to be so wrong ladies!!!!
OutlanderFan said,
September 7, 2014 at 6:13 pm
Word!
Raffaella said,
December 5, 2014 at 9:44 pm
They could not have cast anyone better then SAM, he is JAMIE 150%; his acting is impeccable, his accent is gorgeous, his expressions are subtle but effective; even when he is mute he is full of expression; he is beautiful; a fine rider; he wears his kilt like no one else; he owns the role; yes, CH is a gorgeous man, and probably would have done a good job (think Snow white and The Huntsman) however Sam is singular in this role and he make the series for me. I was addicted from the get go, I literally have to talk to myself from incessantly blabbing to others about the show. I am a 54 yr old woman and I feel like a teenager, like when I was 13 yrs old and going to David Cassidy concert!?? All gaga! It is not normal, but when I read pertinent blogs I see I am not alone. I cannot wait for the new series to be televised, and I dread if they are reduced or cancelled ( I don’t believe it will get to that – it better not!!!)
Sam you are IT! Love ya, an ardent fan in Canada.
SassyCaliGurl (@RadMama88) said,
December 30, 2014 at 3:42 am
It is so funny to me to read all these early posts about who should play Sam and Claire, etc. I wonder what these commenters feel now after watching the episodes! Lol. And why did these posters not research if Sam Heughan was a Scot or not?
joannet said,
January 25, 2015 at 9:24 pm
Wow! can’t believe all those people who were all so negative about
Sam, really should not criticised an actor until you see them acting
in that roll.
Hopefully a lot of you who have now watched the series, are eating your
words, because he is Jamie and he is doing a fantastic job.
Can’t wait for April to come, seem like a long wait.
Raffaella said,
January 25, 2015 at 10:18 pm
How about feedback from the writers who dissed SH in the role? What are you feeling about the show on a whole now? SH is wonderful in the role, he is truly an accomplished actor, as he is totally transformed into Jamie. His Scottishness is all encompassing – his monosyllabic answers to Claire (think mmph) his Gaelic phrases, think of when he meets Claire in the bedroom about to consummate the marriage (when he launches into the history of his family – you could feel both his shyness and anticipation simultaneously) Look, I read the second book first a month before I inadvertently happened upon the TV series – a cousin of mine spoke to me about DG a few years ago. Unaware it was part of a series, I picked up book 2. I somewhat enjoyed the book as I was put off by the fact I was missed parts (having not read Outlander first) I was told that the series was out and I managed to PVR the last 2 episodes – I feel that life changed after that, I was totally awestruck, addicted, infatuated (you get the picture) I am an anglophile and watch anything UK based, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Shetland, etc, but Outlander takes the cake on them all. It is incredibly filmed, costumes, acting, etc. Kudos to all the cast and production, directing team and kudos to DG!
Anonymous said,
March 1, 2015 at 1:29 am
I understand that Sam is gay, which only proves he has great acting abilities. When he is portraying JAMMF on screen, he is believable. Now, that’s true acting!
OutlanderFan said,
March 6, 2015 at 4:45 pm
Who cares if he is or isn’t?
Bailey said,
September 5, 2015 at 6:02 pm
Were you one of those criticizing his selection in the first place? And, now you say he’s gay–but believable? Wow, damning with faint praise and unwilling to let go of the bone!