Outlander’s Sam Heughan is making his return to the stage after more than a decade.
Outlander heartthrob Sam Heughan is set to return to his theatrical roots with a bang as he gears up for a pivotal role on stage.
Fresh from wrapping the final scenes of the smash-hit series Starz drama, he’s poised to captivate audiences by taking on what he calls a “dream role” with the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company.
Enthralled to play the infamous role of Macbeth in Shakespeare’s renowned masterpiece, Heughan will grace the stage for the first time in over a decade, following his earlier performances as King John and donning the cape as Batman in Batman Live.
The celebrated Scottish actor revealed that stepping back into theatre acts as “the drug I’m looking for” after a successful 10-year stint as the dashing Jamie Fraser alongside co-star Caitriona Balfe on Outlander.
Performing alongside Heughan as Lady Macbeth will be The Crown’s Lia Williams, with Daniel Raggett helming the direction for this enticing production at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s intimate venue, The Other Place
Mark your calendars – Heughan’s eagerly anticipated portrayal of the tormented king commences on 9th October and will enthrall audiences until 6th December later this year.
Speaking to Deadline, the star opened up about his eagerness for a new challenge: “I was looking for something that would really excite me. I’ve been doing Outlander for 11 years, and obviously it was brilliant, but I wanted something else.
“And I went to the RSC to see Edward II there, and I just felt that buzz.
“I sat in the auditorium and I felt that excitement, sort of the churn in my stomach as the lights went down and I was like, ‘Yeah, this is the drug I’m looking for.'”
He candidly confessed: “And it’s terrifying. And I think that’s a good thing to be scared again.”
Referring to his last appearance on stage as Batman, he quipped that while it “was not quite Shakespeare or the RSC, it was an international tour going all around from the whole of UK and Europe to the US.
“We did Las Vegas, we played in Bueno Aires and the O2 in London hanging upside down, wearing PVC.”
He then hinted with a chuckle: “I dunno, maybe there’ll be a bit of that in Macbeth as well. You never know.”
The celebrity also gave fans a clue about the release schedule for Outlander’s final run, although no official date is out yet.
He hinted that fans should expect season eight to likely hit screens “towards next year”, after the prequel series Outlander: Blood of My Blood makes its debut.