Budding actor Liam wants to be hitting headlines instead of delivering them
Teenager hopes to emulate career of paperboy turned megastar Tom Cruise
Teenage actor Liam Scobie has his heart set on becoming a star just like his hero Tom Cruise.
The 16- year- old has already put his first foot on the ladder to Hollywood stardom.
He is emulating the Mission Impossible star by working as a paperboy for Sinclair Barr newsagents in Paisley’s Glasgow Road.
Tom famously had a newspaper round to earn extra cash from the age of 13, when he was growing up in Louisville, Kentucky.
Now, fledgling actor Liam, from Hunterhill, could be set to follow in Cruise’s footsteps after he was chosen to appear in the next Outlander TV series.
The Gleniffer High pupil has been filming in the popular timetravelling adventure over several months along with stars Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan.
Liam said: “My dream is to be a successful actor.
“Maybe it’s a good omen that Tom Cruise was a paperboy like me when he was a teenager.”
His newsagent boss, Des Barr said: “Liam is a very conscientious young man and he’s certainly taking the same view as Tom Cruise about the need to work hard to achieve things in life.
“I’m sure if Liam puts the same effort into his acting carer as he does being a paperboy, then he’ll end up making the news, along with having delivered it.”
Liam won the part of a supporting actor in the series and plays a young soldier in Jamie Fraser’s militia. He has also been given a speaking part in several episodes.
He will appear in series give of Outlander, which is due to be aired next February.
Liam joined Razzamataz Theatre School, in Paisley when he was only six-years-old, and can also be seen on TV screens in The Demon Headmaster, a children’s TV drama on CBBC.
He said: “I’ve acted on stage many times through the years with Razzamataz and the Lourdes Theatre Group, in Glasgow, but appearing on Outlander is definitely the biggest thing I’ve ever done.
“I’ve been on the set — both when it was filmed in the countryside, in Callander, Stirlingshire and in a film studio in Cambuslang — about 15 times this year and it was an amazing experience.
“I’ve spoken to both Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan when I’ve been on set and they were very nice to me.
“I also spent a lot of time talking with Scottish actor Mark Cox, who plays Tam in Still Game.
“Mark plays the part of a minister in Outlander and he’s been very good with me, giving advice on how to have a career in acting and encouraging me never to give up, even when things aren’t going so well.”
Liam started going to Razzamataz because his sister Kim was a member of the theatre group, and his mum Linda thought it would be a good idea for him to become involved as well.
“When I was six, I was a quiet and shy wee boy,” he said.
“My mum thought the theatre group would cure my shyness and give me confidence.
“It certainly worked and I loved performing.
“When I was 14, I decided that acting was what I wanted to do as a living.
“The next stage for me is passing my Highers and getting a place in drama school at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, as well as building up as much experience by getting parts — no matter how small — in films and TV shows.”