Outlander: Sam Heughan on shooting those steamy sex scenes

Outlander star Sam Heughan has opened up about how the show’s famously raunchy sex scenes are shot.

Outlander actor Sam Heughan has spoken about the show's raunchy scenes and how he prepares for them with his co-star Caitriona Balfe. PIC: Sony Pictures Television.

Heughan admitted that some “Dutch courage” was needed before embarking on the scenes but that his close relationship with co-star and on-screen wife Caitriona Balfe made acting out the intimate encounters a little easier.

Speaking on BBC’s The Love/Hate Club podcast, Heughan said: We are so close now, we know each other really well.

“Those intimate scenes, where we bash our bodies together, they are never that pleasant [but] they are a really important part of the show and an important part of the characters and their relationship.”

He said that a dram and a joke together helped to prepare them for the job but added that that the Outlander crew were now “so bored” of seeing their naked bodies.

Vaseline was sometimes used to help to make things appear a little steamy, Heughan said.

“You get vaselined up and then a bit of water spray on top of you. It sits on top of the vaseline so it looks like droplets [of sweat]. But, of course, as soon as you start to get intimate with someone, it rubs off on them and...it makes a ‘nice’ sound,” he added.

A message from the Editor:Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Joy Yates

Editorial Director