Actor Sam Heughan rose to prominence in 2014 when he took on the role of the beloved Jamie Fraser in the time-travelling STARZ drama Outlander. Fans have since become enthralled with the Scottish soldier character, obsessing over his on-screen romance with costar Caitriona Balfe and loving the handsome leading man in all his glory.
Due to this obsession, fans often wonder: is Sam courting a lovely lady in real life? Below we break down the love life and romantic history of the UK native, a man who tends to remain somewhat of a mystery.
He’s not currently linked to anyone specific
Sam is notoriously private about his personal life, and hasn’t said much specifically about his relationships or spoken about whom he’s dated in the past. He has commented about what it’s like as a working actor, trying to juggle a personal and professional life.
“Certainly, relationships are hard when you’re working in Scotland 10 months a year,” he told the Inquirer in 2020 ahead of season five of the show. “I travel a lot and any downtime I have, I’m trying to do other projects, so very much, my career comes first. Maybe I will find someone eventually,”
He added, “My whole career, not just ‘Outlander’ but as an actor, I have always put that first. It’s hard when you travel a lot. My priority has been my career, so that’s where I am at the moment. But I am sure at some point, I will get knocked off my feet, then I’m screwed (laughs).”
He has dated MacKenzie Mauzy
From about late 2016 to early 2018, Sam was linked to actress MacKenzie Mauzy. Marie Claire first reported their being together when the couple showed up to a 2017 Oscar party and also reported on their sharing some very flirty social media exchanges before been seen together. MacKenzie starred in the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful from 2006 to 2008 and has also acted on shows like CSI and Law & Order: SVU.
The paparazzi caught them out together on a few occasions in New York City for various events and he showed up on her social media from time to time, but their relationship seemed to quietly fizzle out in the spring of 2018. MacKenzie now appears to have a new beau and is happy in her new relationship.
He has some kind of relationship with Amy Shiels
Sam has been linked to Twin Peaks actress Amy Shiels, although whether they were more than just friends is currently unclear. In 2018, following Sam’s breakup from MacKenzie, Amy appeared at the premiere of his movie The Spy Who Dumped Me, although they weren’t photographed together. Amy also riled up fans in the Twitterverse in 2014 when she “liked” a since-deleted tweet saying the two would make a good couple. She also “liked” a 2018 post saying he would make a great James Bond, per Us Weekly.
Moreover, in 2018, Amy posted a sweet Instagram with the actor for his birthday, calling him her “big brother.” Was/is he ever more than a brother/friend-like figure? Perhaps we’ll never know.
He & Caitriona Balfe have never dated
Although fans have fawned over the relationship between Sam and his onscreen love interest, Claire Fraser, played by Caitriona Balfe, he insists there’s never been any real love magic off screen. Moreover, Caitriona married music producer Anthony McGill in August 2019.
“She is such a wonderful woman—intelligent and creative,” he praised his costar to the Inquirer in 2020. “More than anything, she’s a good friend. She forces me sometimes to socialize when I don’t want to. She’s a social animal. It’s wonderful to be part of, and always welcomed into, her world.”
In addition, Caitriona told Parade in 2018, “There’s a small vocal group that really wanted [Sam and I to get together], which is just a testament to the characters that we portray, that the love story is so inspiring and so aspirational that people just really wanted to believe in it. And that’s a nice thing,” the actress stated.
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