Outlander star Sam Heughan has revealed that actors on the hit historical drama were "perhaps forced" into filming nude scenes during the early years of the show. The Scottish actor, best known for playing Jamie Fraser, spoke openly about his experiences during an on-stage conversation with fellow Scot Alan Cumming at Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
Lack of protections in early seasons
Discussing the changing landscape of the TV industry, Heughan admitted that filming intimate scenes was often difficult and that actors had fewer protections in place when Outlander first began in 2014. He explained that nude scenes were "always a negotiation" with the show's team, but said the process was not always comfortable for those involved.
Asked by Cumming whether the series had intimacy coordinators during its early years, Heughan said actors were largely left to navigate difficult situations themselves. He said: "We didn't and we were very much left to our own devices. In fact, dare I say, even perhaps forced to do nudity when we were not particularly happy about it. It was always a negotiation but it wasn't particularly a nice one."
Industry changes and safeguards
The 46-year-old went on to explain that the industry has changed significantly since the early days of Outlander, with greater safeguards now introduced to support performers during intimate scenes. He said an intimacy coordinator was brought in during the later years of the show, describing the role as "great protection" for actors.
Cumming told the audience that in previous years "some lines have been crossed" when it came to intimate scenes, reflecting on how expectations and boundaries in the acting world have shifted. Speaking about his own experiences as a young actor, Heughan recalled how performers were often put in uncomfortable situations during auditions.
He said: "I remember starting out as an actor and sort of going for auditions, and they'd be like, 'Right, OK, take your top off now', and it was awful, or you're kissing someone you've just met in an audition. I promise you, it's not like that anymore. It was just a different time."
Challenging rape storyline
Heughan also opened up about one of the most difficult moments of his Outlander career. He said the storyline where Jamie Fraser is raped after being captured and tortured was the most challenging scene of the show. He told the audience: "It was challenging and I remember it was many days (filming) because it was a really long scene. He (Jamie) was captured and tortured and then raped. It was horrific to do but I suppose these are the stories that also, if treated well and done with respect, can be also revealing or helpful in some ways. It's hard. I think the industry's totally changed."
