‘Men in Kilts’ Stars Sam Heughan & Graham McTavish Preview Season 2 Shenanigans
Preview
[This interview was conducted prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike authorization.]
Outlander‘s Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish are leaving Scotland far behind for a New Zealand edition of their lively buddy travelogue, Men in Kilts: A Roadtrop with Sam and Graham.
Below, they preview what adventures await when the four-episode season arrives on Starz.
Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham, Friday, Aug. 11, Starz
This is an excerpt from TV Insider’s August issue. For more in-depth, reported coverage devoted to streaming shows from the publishers of TV Guide Magazine, pick up the issue, currently on newsstands, or purchase it online here. You can also subscribe to TV Insider Magazine here now.
We witnessed McTavish’s fear of heights in Season 1 when he tried to abseil down Kilt Rock on the Isle of Skye. Another phobia surfaced in N.Z.: Getting to the top of a glacier here, McTavish says, “allowed me to enjoy one of Sam’s fears — namely, helicopters!” Still, Heughan says their swoop over “majestic” Milford Sound “was worth the ride to experience that view.”
Though Outlander provides battle experience with everything from broadsword to bow and arrow, the duo tried arming themselves as Maori warriors. “The Maori weapons were designed for close-quarters fighting—very similar to Highland fighting in that sense,” McTavish notes. So the choice of kilts was apropos!
Selecting Season 2’s destination was hardly a tough call. “I live part of the time in New Zealand,” says McTavish, whose role in the Hobbit film trilogy brought him there. One in five of the population are of Scottish descent, he observes. Heughan also loved the country’s reputation as adrenaline capital of the world. Hence this zip-lining trip!
The first season’s competitive spirit infuses these four episodes too, although, Heughan reminds us, “Graham does have a home-field advantage.” On their well-rounded list of activities: wine tasting, bodyboarding, “Wellie wanging” (throwing Wellington boots) and downhill extreme sports. Quips McTavish: “My knowledge of the kiwi bird was astounding. However, I tried to be kind to the poor chap when it came to everything else.”
Good food and drink are, of course, key. “Everything from the moment you step off the plane is delicious and a great opportunity to learn about the culture,” Heughan shares, adding, “We got our hands dirty a few times and tried a little beekeeping and cow milking [in Episode 3]. Those poor animals!”
