IT’S OFFICIAL!
SAM HEUGHAN CAST AS JAMIE FRASER IN STARZ & SONY PICTURES TV’S “OUTLANDER”
New Original Series Based on Diana Gabaldon’s International Best-Selling Novels
From “Battlestar Galactica” Executive Producer Ronald D. Moore
Beverly Hills, Calif., July 9, 2013 – Starz in association with Sony Pictures Television has announced today that Sam Heughan will play the role of Jamie Fraser in the original series “Outlander,” adapted from Diana Gabaldon’s international best-selling books, which will premiere on STARZ in 2014. The chivalrous young Scottish warrior, Jamie Fraser, has been adored worldwide by fans of the seven-book series that has sold more than 20 million copies and has graced the New York Times best-sellers list six times.
Diana Gabaldon said, “Oh. My. God. That man is a Scot to the bone and Jamie Fraser to the heart. Having seen Sam Heughan not just act, but be Jamie, I feel immensely grateful to the production team for their painstaking attention to the soul of the story and characters."
"From the very beginning, I knew the part of Jamie Fraser would be difficult to cast,” said Executive Producer Ronald D. Moore. “I had no one in mind for the part. I knew that someone would just come into the audition and be Jamie Fraser. And that's what Sam did."
In “Outlander,” Jamie Fraser strikes up a passionate affair with Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743. Armed with sheer grit and enduring strength, he is a strapping young Scottish clan lord with a complicated past and a disarming sense of humor. He is intelligent, principled, and, by 18th century standards, educated and worldly, with a tenderness and compassion that stands out in contrast to his contemporaries. A natural leader of men, he has no political ambitions or desire for battlefield glories. Instead, he wishes to remove the price on his head and return to his family’s ancestral farm.
Sam Heughan is a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, he was a 2003 nominee for the Laurence Olivier Award for Most Promising Performance for his work in the program. Last year, he originated the role of Batman in the DC/Warner Brothers and Waterlane production of "Batman Live," an international tour which opened at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles and went on to tour in South America and throughout Europe. In 2010, he was nominated for a British Soap Award for “Villain of the Year” for his role as Scott Neilson in the BBC soap opera "Doctors." He has also had roles in a range of television series including, "River City," "Island at War," "The Wild West," "Midsomer Murders," and, most recently, "Any Human Heart" as Lieutenant McStay. His TV movie credits include, "Breaking the Mould" for BBC Television, "A Very British Sex Scandal" for Channel 4 and "First Light" for BBC2. He was nominated for a "Grace award" for his performance as Prince Ashton, the son of Sir Roger Moore, in “A Princess for Christmas” for Hallmark Channel. His film credits include the short film Small Moments, and the feature films Alexander the Great from Macedonia and Emulsion. He will also be seen in the upcoming film Heart of Lightness. On stage, Heughan has performed at a variety of theatres in such productions as “King John,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “The Vortex,” “Hamlet,” “Macbeth,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and more. At the Royal Scottish Academy, Heughan starred in productions including “Crime & Punishment,” “The Seagull,” and “Prometheus Bound.” He is repped by United Talent Agency in the US and United Agents in the UK.
The series adaptation for “Outlander” will be written by Ronald D. Moore (“Battlestar Galactica,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation”). Ronald D. Moore and Jim Kohlberg are executive producers of “Outlander,” which is produced by Tall Ship Productions, Story Mining & Supply Company and Left Bank Pictures in association with Sony Pictures Television.
The series will begin filming in Scotland this fall.
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Just doing my part to spread the word and share in the excitement of the STARZ production of Outlander!!!
I wanted to wait patiently for the official announcement, and Diana Gabaldon herself has posted this with her blessings!! The actor is gorgeous, tall, and Scottish -- and Diana approves!
Can't wait to see more as they cast more characters -- brilliant casting of Jamie.....now on to Claire!
7 comments:
While I think Sam Heughan is nice-looking, I don't look at him and think 'Jamie Fraser'. I think this actor is too young longing to play Jamie, although I do realize Jamie is not that old in the first book. I'll reserve judgement until I see the show, however.
My choice for Jamie was Kevin McKidd.
Ugh...I wish comments had an edit button! That should read "...is too young looking" not "...too young longing" LOL!
Hi, Melissa - Have you been following any sites since they first announced the STARZ tv series? There's about 1,000 different Jamie "recommendations" from fans -- but Diana Gabaldon says he BECAME Jamie in the audition tapes, so that's good enough for me. Hair, makeup and costuming go a long way to creating a character, so I'm sure he'll be the epitome of a Scottish Highland hunk! And remember, Jamie is only 23 in Outlander, and since I have a 16 year old son, I should be ashamed of myself for thinking what I'm thinking with a young actor! I'm really excited to see the series come to life. I have complete trust that Diana will do everything in her power to make sure they get it as "right" as can be.
I haven't followed any sites, but I can only imagine how many different suggestions for Jamie there must have been! I trust that Heughan will look the part once filming begins, but I find it difficult to watch a well-loved book turned into a movie where the actors look nothing like you've imagined.
Yes, there's always that chance that they will cast a character that has no real connection to our own visual image. I have a feeling that is going to happen to me with Claire. I've never visualized Claire as beautiful -- I've imagined her with large, warm eyes and a pert little nose. Why? I don't know, but that's my vision of Claire -- not some sensual beauty. It will be very interesting to see who is cast next.
So now I've gotta figure out how to get Starz on my tv provider!
He works for me!
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