Outlander star Sam Heughan has claimed that actors on the hit show were 'perhaps forced' into filming nude scenes they were uncomfortable with, revealing there were no intimacy coordinators in the early years.
No Intimacy Coordinators in Early Seasons
Speaking during an on-stage chat with fellow Scot Alan Cumming, the 46-year-old said that filming naked was 'always a negotiation' and 'not a particularly nice one.' He explained: '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.'
Heughan, who shot to fame as Highland warrior Jamie Fraser when Outlander launched in 2014, praised the later introduction of intimacy coordinators, calling them 'great protection' for actors during sex scenes.
Uncomfortable Auditions
Recalling his early acting days, Heughan said auditions could be uncomfortable. '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.” It was awful.' He added that actors were also expected to kiss strangers during auditions, but insisted: 'I promise you, it’s not like that anymore. It was just a different time.'
Toughest Scene: Rape Sequence
Heughan also reflected on what he called the toughest scene of his career – Jamie Fraser’s brutal rape at the hands of Black Jack Randall. He described filming the harrowing sequence over several days as 'horrific', but said difficult storylines could still be worthwhile if handled 'with respect'.
Sony Pictures Television, which produces Outlander, has been approached for comment.
