Sam Heughan found filming sex scenes in front of the ‘Outlander’ production crew "weird".
The 34-year-old actor, who plays Jamie Fraser in the new Amazon Prime Instant Video series based on the books by Diana Gabaldon, has confessed he found shooting intimate scenes with his on-screen love interest Caitriona Balfe, who plays a World War II nurse who is thrown back in time, uncomfortable.
He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "We’re all very aware that sex scenes can’t be gratuitous. We don’t want it to be softcore stuff, it really has to drive the story forwards. I think, for the writer and director it’s about what the audience need and what we want them to reveal.
"On the day of filming, you’ve obviously got to be very comfortable with it. I mean, in particular, with the first scenes it’s very much about getting them to know each other. You know, it’s young love, it’s new, it’s awkward… but that kind of all helps in playing it.
"With so many people standing around and watching, that is kind of weird."
The ‘A Princess for Christmas’ star revealed he had to hire a personal trainer to ensure he was in peak physical condition for the role.
He explained: "I packed on about a stone or maybe even a stone and a half to prepare. We just did a lot of functional fitness work, because it’s a very physical role. There’s lots of fighting and horse riding – just like a Highland warrior. That’s been a really fun part of the job, it’s part of the challenge."
Sam also admitted one of his favourite things about the show is being able to explore his culture.
He added: "I am a proud Scotsman and I think doing the show has furthered my sense of pride. I love the history of Scotland, I love the landscape. It’s a place where the past is very much the present. If you go around Scotland, you still see castles and battle sites."
‘Outlander’ series 1 is available on Amazon Prime Instant Video now.
Sam Heughan finds filming sex scenes ‘weird’
