The new TV series Outlander stars Scottish actor Sam Heughan playing a chivalrous and romantic warrior/farmer in 18th century Scotland. For the role, Heughan has been learning to speak Gaelic, brushing up on his fencing skills (he was a licensed fencer before landing the role!), and working out. “I put on two stone,” said the hunky Scot. (Or about 15 pounds of pure muscle.) Heughan’s going to need all those muscles to walk in his custom-made MacKenzie tartan. The kilt (“fèileadh” in Gaelic) is about nine feet long.
When asked ‘modern day’ questions like ‘who do you follow on Twitter,’ the good actor acknowledged the witty online banter of author Diana Gabaldon, who wrote the Outlander series and is a co-producer and advisor for the show. The Outlander TV series will premiere on Starz, Saturday, August 9 at 9/8c.