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Sam Heughan

Sam Heughan

Actor, also producer and writer · Born April 30, 1980 (46) · New Galloway, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, UK

Sam graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2003. He was nominated for a 2003 Laurence Olivier Award (Most Promising Performance) for Outlying Islands at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs. Sam has appeared in various TV programmes including: A Very British Sex Scandal (Channel 4), Any Human Heart (Film4), Midsomer Murders (ITV) and as a regular character in BBC Soaps River City and Doctors. His film leads include: Young Alexander The Great (Ilya Salkind Company) and Emulsion (White Lantern Films), while theatre credits include: Plague Over England (Duchess, West End), MacBeth (Nottingham, Edinburgh Lyceum), Romeo And Juliet (Dundee Rep) and Hamlet (Citizens Glasgow).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 30, 1980 (46)
From
New Galloway, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, UK
Works as
Actor, also producer and writer
Titles
17 on MovieCove · 26 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Up 10% in 30 days

What are Sam Heughan's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
40%
Self
20%
Morality
14%
Survival
11%
Power
10%
Ideas
4%
Society
1%
Romantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 6 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 4 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

9 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 5 of 9 analyzed roles.

Hero
5 of 9
Ally
1 of 9
Shapeshifter
1 of 9
Mentor
1 of 9
Trickster
1 of 9
Show the 9 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Melancholic
5
Hopeful
4
Joyful
5
Thrilling
3
Other
15

How their films linger

Bittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet4
  • Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Sam Heughan's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 17 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Sam Heughan's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

26 credits, 17 with a MovieCove page; 8 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Couple Next Door(2023)

    Show 6 episodes · as Danny Whitwell

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows

  • Love Again(2023)

    as Rob Burns

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Suspect(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · as Ryan

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows

  • SAS: Rise of the Black Swan(2021)

    as Tom Buckingham

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • To Olivia(2021)

    as Paul Newman

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham(2021)

    Show 8 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Bloodshot(2020)

    as Jimmy Dalton

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Spy Who Dumped Me(2018)

    as Sebastian

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • When the Starlight Ends(2016)

    as Jacob

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Emulsion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Ronny Maze

  • Outlander(2014)

    Show 101 episodes · Executive Producer · Producer · as Jamie Fraser

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Heart of Lightness(2014)

    as Lyngstrand

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • A Princess for Christmas(2011)

    as Ashton Prince of Castlebury

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Born to be Great(2010)

    as Alexander

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Any Human Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Lieutenant McStay

  • First Light (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Geoffrey 'Boy' Wellum

  • Breaking the Mould (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Charles Fletcher

  • A Very British Sex Scandal(2007)

    as Edward McNally

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Wild West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as John Tunstall

  • Party Animals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 2 episodes · as Adrian Chapple

  • Island at War(2004)

    Show 6 episodes · as Philip Dorr

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Small Moments (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Boyfriend

  • Rebus(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Peter Carr

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Doctors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 20 episodes · as Scott Neilson

  • Midsomer Murders(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Ian King

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Embassy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 6 episodes · as Connor Wright

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 26 titles, 25 of them dated from 1997 to 2023; peak year 2020.

Biggest box office

The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018)

$75M worldwide

Highest rated

Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham (2021)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Outlander (2014)

Film career

19972023

Peak 2020 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting25 of 26: 24 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score59thProducing2 of 26: 0 only producing, 2 with another roleOther crew1 of 26: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1990s1 · acting2000s8 · acting2010s9 · 9 acting · 1 crew2020s7 · 6 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 17% of 6 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Sam Heughan's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 51st percentile, the median of all 10; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 40th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

40thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

73rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 17 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 17 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive2
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

A Very British Sex Scandal (2007)

93rd percentile spread · 21% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, writer, producer

Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham (2021)

Midcredits 95th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 58/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 71, detractors 32. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Sam Heughan's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles26–82 · median 69 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles28–76 · median 44 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles48–79 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs6 titles27–54 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles28–65 · median 49 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Sam Heughan work with?

People who share at least 2 of Sam Heughan's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Dries Vos shares the most, 2.

Directors

Writers

Editors

Producers