Postcard from LA
Scotland’s Mr Showbiz drops us a postcard from Hollywood From Ross-shire With Love: Highland time-traveller shaken not stirred in race to be 007
It’s not easy being Sam Heughan. He’s a movie star, having appeared opposite Vin Diesel in Bloodshot. He’s a TV heartthrob, having broken through as hunky Jamie Fraser in Highland time-travelling hit Outlander.
There’s another TV show on the way that he’s created and produced, called Men In Kilts.
With all that he’s got his own whisky – The Sassenach
– and his book with fellow Outlander Scots actor Graham McTavish called Clanlands is out soon. It’s a real-life Scottish adventure about the pair of pals and their trip around the nation.
But does all this make him happy? Yep! I spoke to Sam this week and you bet he is.
He told me “more than ever” when I asked him just how happy he was.
“Even though the filming on Outlander has been delayed for now I’ve got so many other projects on the go, so I’m still a busy bee,” he said.
There’s a real buzz about Sam at the moment, and it’s not hard to see why. Let me tell you, not only is he one of the good guys in this business of show, but also one of the hardest-working and entrepreneurial with all those projects on the go.
“Graham and I wrote the book about our road trip around Scotland, fuelled by copious amounts of whisky,” he laughed.
“We reveal the history and culture, our personal lives, acting, friendship and everything in between. I’m so excited for everyone to read what we’ve been working on.”
Graham is equally excited about the project:“I’m so delighted to announce that myself and some bloke called Sam Heughan have written a book. It’s the story of our road trip together in Scotland. Meeting characters you couldn’t make up. Having experiences I’ll never forget – nor will my therapist – and stretching our poor livers to the limit! It’s about us, it’s about Outlander, it’s about history but, most importantly, it’s about Scotland.”
Sam graced me – in an Amazing way – at my annual charity Burns bash here in Los Angeles over the past couple of years. Not only did he share his whisky but also delivered the best-ever Address To A Haggis I’ve ever witnessed.
To also give you a measure of the man he was also the last to leave – OK, just before me – in the wee, small hours.
That was only after chatting to everyone and having a selfie taken with anyone who wanted one.Yes that included me!
The other week the subject of Sam becoming James Bond came up again when he topped the Radio Times fan poll of who should become the next 007 – beating Tom Hardy and Henry Cavill.
He deflected the subject with great humour when I asked if Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has made a move yet.
“Yes, Bond... again,” he laughed. “Who knows, but it’s cool to be talked about – although I’m still waiting for the phone to ring. Maybe Barbara has forgotten my number?”
I don’t think she has, Sam and, thankfully, neither have I!