History of Sam Heughan in Timeline

Sam Heughan is a Scottish actor, producer, author, and entrepreneur widely recognized for his portrayal of Jamie Fraser in the Starz series "Outlander." His performance has earned him accolades such as the People's Choice Award and the Saturn Award, along with a nomination for the Critics' Choice Television Award.

April 1980: Early Life and Family

Sam Heughan was born in April 1980 to parents who were part of a hippie community. He was named after a character from "The Lord of the Rings." His family later moved to New Galloway.

April 1980: Birth of Sam Heughan

Sam Roland Heughan was born in April 1980 in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.

1998: Joins Lyceum Youth Theatre

Sam Heughan joined the Lyceum Youth Theatre in Edinburgh in 1998.

1999: Accepted to RSAMD

Heughan was accepted into the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) in Glasgow in 1999.

2002: BBC Carleton Hobbs Radio Talent Competition

Sam Heughan was selected to represent RSAMD at the BBC Carleton Hobbs radio talent competition in 2002.

2003: Graduates from RSAMD

Sam Heughan graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2003.

2004: Island at War

Sam Heughan appeared in his first professional television role in the miniseries "Island at War" in 2004.

2006: The Wild West

Heughan appeared in the BBC and PBS miniseries "The Wild West" in 2006.

2007: A Very British Sex Scandal

Heughan appeared in the Channel 4 docudrama "A Very British Sex Scandal" in 2007.

2009: Breaking the Mould

He appeared in the BBC Four production "Breaking the Mould" in 2009.

2009: Doctors and British Soap Award Nomination

Sam Heughan joined the cast of the BBC soap opera "Doctors" in 2009, playing Scott Nielson. He received a British Soap Award nomination for "Villain of the Year" for his performance.

2011: A Princess for Christmas

Sam Heughan starred in the Hallmark Channel film "A Princess for Christmas" in 2011. He was nominated for "Most Inspiring Performance in Television" at the Grace Awards.

2011: Sam Heughan Begins Supporting Bloodwise

Sam Heughan started his support for Bloodwise, a blood cancer charity, in 2011, and eventually became president of Scotland Bloodwise.

2012: King John at the Òran Mór Theatre

Heughan played the title role in Shakespeare's "King John" at the Òran Mór Theatre in 2012.

2013: Cast as Jamie Fraser in Outlander

Sam Heughan was cast as Jamie Fraser in the Starz drama series "Outlander" in 2013.

August 2014: Sam Heughan Becomes Patron of Youth Theatre Arts Scotland

In August 2014, Sam Heughan became a patron for Youth Theatre Arts Scotland, citing his own positive experiences with youth theatre and expressing his desire to inspire young people to explore the opportunities it offers.

2014: Sam Heughan's Support for Scottish Independence

During the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Sam Heughan was initially against independence but changed his mind and became a vocal supporter of the Yes campaign.

2014: Independent Film Appearances

Sam Heughan appeared in the thriller "Emulsion" and the comedy "Heart of Lightness" in 2014.

2014: Outlander Premiere

Sam Heughan's breakout role as Jamie Fraser in the Starz drama series "Outlander" premiered in 2014.

2015: Foundation of My Peak Challenge

Sam Heughan founded My Peak Challenge in 2015, a training, nutrition, and support programme aimed at fostering community and raising money for charity.

September 2016: Sam Heughan Participates in Great North Run for Bloodwise

Sam Heughan ran the Great North Run in September 2016 to fundraise for Bloodwise, a charity he's supported since 2011.

2016: When the Starlight Ends

Heughan starred in the independent film "When the Starlight Ends," which premiered at the Other Venice Film Festival in 2016.

2016: Sam Heughan Becomes Global Brand Ambassador for Barbour

Sam Heughan began serving as the first Global Brand Ambassador for the English clothing label Barbour in 2016.

2017: Sam Heughan Expresses Views on Actors and Politics

In 2017, Sam Heughan publicly stated his belief that actors, like everyone in a democracy, are entitled to express their political opinions.

2017: Release of First Barbour Collection

Sam Heughan released his first co-designed clothing collection with Barbour, for autumn/winter 2017.

November 2018: Casting in SAS: Red Notice

Sam Heughan was cast as Tom Buckingham, the lead role in the film adaptation of Andy McNab's novel "SAS: Red Notice", in November 2018.

2018: Sam Heughan Runs Marathons for Cahonas Scotland

In 2018, Sam Heughan ran the Stirling and EMF Edinburgh Marathons within a month, raising £38,224 for Cahonas Scotland and their Testicular Cancer Education and Awareness Programme.

2018: The Spy Who Dumped Me

Sam Heughan starred in the spy comedy "The Spy Who Dumped Me" in 2018.

2019: My Peak Challenge Partners with Omaze

In 2019, Sam Heughan's My Peak Challenge partnered with Omaze to raffle off a date to the MPC Gala, raising $2,892,080 for Bloodwise UK.

2019: Becomes Producer on Outlander

Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe became producers on "Outlander" in 2019.

2019: Casting in To Olivia

Sam Heughan was cast as Paul Newman in the biopic "To Olivia" in 2019.

March 2020: Premiere of Bloodshot

"Bloodshot", a film adaptation of the Valiant comic book, premiered in March 2020, starring Sam Heughan as Corporal Jimmy Dalton alongside Vin Diesel and Michael Sheen.

November 2020: Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other

"Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other," co-written by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish, was released in November 2020 and became a New York Times Best Seller.

November 2020: Publication of Clanlands

Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish co-authored "Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other", a travelogue published in November 2020, which became a New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestseller.

2020: Casting in Mr. Malcolm's List and Love Again

In 2020, Sam Heughan was cast in two films: as Henry in the romantic comedy "Mr. Malcolm's List" and alongside Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Celine Dion in the romantic drama "Love Again".

2020: Launch of The Sassenach Whisky

Sam Heughan launched his own whisky brand, The Sassenach, in 2020, through his company, Great Glen Company.

2020: Bloodshot Release

Sam Heughan starred in the superhero action film "Bloodshot", which was released in 2020.

February 2021: Premiere of Men in Kilts

"Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip With Sam and Graham", an eight-part television series starring and conceived by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish, premiered on the Starz channel in February 2021.

February 19, 2021: Premiere of To Olivia

The biopic "To Olivia", in which Sam Heughan portrays Paul Newman, premiered in the UK on February 19, 2021, on Sky Cinema.

March 12, 2021: Release of SAS: Red Notice

"SAS: Red Notice", an action thriller film based on the novel by Andy McNab and starring Sam Heughan, premiered in the UK on March 12, 2021, on Sky Cinema.

2021: Reiterating Support for Scottish Independence

In 2021, Sam Heughan stated that his support for Scottish independence comes from his love for and belief in Scotland and that he sees it as a "great opportunity", rather than an "anti-British" stance.

2021: Completion of Filming for Love Again

Sam Heughan finished filming the romantic drama "Love Again" in early 2021.

2021: The Sassenach Whisky Wins Award

Sam Heughan's whisky brand, The Sassenach, won a double gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2021.

2022: Receives Honorary Doctorate

Sam Heughan received an honorary doctorate from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2022.

May 12, 2023: Theatrical Release of Love Again

"Love Again", the English-language remake of the German film "SMS für Dich", starring Sam Heughan, Priyanka Chopra, and Celine Dion, was released in theaters on May 12, 2023, by Sony Pictures Releasing.

2023: Sam Heughan's Involvement with Artists for Palestine Letter

Sam Heughan was one of the signatories of an Artists for Palestine letter in 2023, calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and criticizing western governments, but later retracted his support, condemning Hamas.