Scottish star ponders ‘Outlander’s’ ending, his next moves

He’s hanging up the kilt. In his own closet. Eleven years, 101 episodes and eight seasons later, the man deserves a souvenir.

To that end, actor Sam Heughan was gifted something short and plaid on the day that “Outlander” wrapped its last episode a few weeks ago. It will join the other kilts he owns — and actually wears on occasion — at his home in Scotland.

“It’s quite freeing to wear a kilt, and it’s warm,” the 44-year-old Heughan says in a Zoom interview. “I am a true Scotsman.”

So, too, is his beloved character Jamie Fraser, who finally returns with eight new episodes of “Outlander,” the second half of Season 7, with the eighth and final season set to air in 2025. Bring your whiskey and your tissues.

In the episodes debuting Nov. 22 on Starz, Claire (Caitríona Balfe) and Jamie, with their nephew Ian (John Bell), travel back to their beloved Scotland and have a homecoming at their ancestral estate Lallybroch.

The joy is short-lived in a season set mostly in America during the time of the Revolutionary War. Claire is called home before Jamie, which separates them by an ocean and fate. Meanwhile, Jamie has aged from young man to grizzled soldier fighting for America.

“Are you asking what is it like to grow old … as Jamie?” Heughan jokes. “It’s wonderful to find that maturity in him. He knows why he is here, which is the joy of aging.”

He mulls it over at his home, where he is planning his next career moves. His good life tips:

There will be drama

Any hints about the new season? “There are some returning characters, some friends, some frenemies. Plus, we return to the castle where Jamie and Claire first said that they loved each other. It’s quite romantic and dramatic,” Heughan says.

Retrace your roots

The new season of “Outlander” — called 7B — marks a return to where it all began — in a castle in Scotland. Going home again, Heughan maintains, is great for anyone’s psyche. “I love this idea that you can go back again,” he says. “It’s that feeling of looking at your old home or school. I recommend it for anyone.”

All things end

“What a journey. So many emotions. I can barely put it into words,” Heughan says of “Outlander” ending. “It was a very strange roller coaster of emotions.” There are several ways to look at change in life, he reasons: “I prefer to look at it as an exciting time.”

Turning point

Does he remember the moment he found out that he was cast as Jamie Fraser? “I was in the grocery store when my phone rang,” Heughan says. “I dropped my basket of groceries and went out and celebrated with my friends. I couldn’t even imagine how life-changing this would be for me.”

A secret spot

Everyone needs a place to decompress, he says. On the set of “Outlander” in a Scottish castle, he found an unusual spot to de-stress. “There was this disabled toilet,” Heughan says. “If I needed a moment to regroup, I would go in there. I’d close the doors and take a moment. It was my secret place. We all need that place.”

His time is now

Doing a time-travel show has brought up so many interesting questions for Heughan over the years. For instance: If he journeyed back in time, what would happen to him? “The way I figure it, I wouldn’t last five minutes,” he jokes.

Get healthy

Heughan is known for his healthy eating and intense workout regimens. He created the charity My Peak Challenge to challenge others to get healthy with events and a community-based online program. “I love a healthy lifestyle and being outdoors,” he says. “The simple act of moving when you are in nature can cancel even the worst mood.”

One specific way he stays fit is running. “I like how it makes me feel, plus all you need to do is lace up your trainers and hit the pavement for 10 miles to return with a revitalized sense of self,” he says. “Each run is a journey.”

A few temptations

“I’m a Scotsman and I do enjoy a whiskey now and then on a rainy Sunday in Scotland,” he shares. “And I will indulge in a bit of fish and chips from time to time.”

A different light

Heughan says that being identified as Jamie is a good thing, but he wants to branch out. “As an actor I want to be versatile,” he says. “I will always be very thankful to Jamie Fraser, who put me at this point in my life, but I do hope to play other roles and have people see me in a totally different light.”

Saying farewell

There will still be a few pickups or reshoots, so Heughan hasn’t officially played Jamie for the last time yet. But he does lament the end of “Outlander.” “Things begin and end,” he says. “You have to celebrate that this or that happened to you. … For me, I’ll always be part of this community, a part of the fandom. So, in many ways, it will never end. Of course, now there will be a wee bit more sleep.”