Sam Heughan does his best to win over a woman in his new romantic comedy. love again. Her character even seeks advice from pop icon Céline Dion.
In the new issue of PEOPLE, she says she’s “romantic at heart” in real life too. When asked about the craziest thing he’s done in pursuit of love, Heughan replied, “I gave all the presents and showed up at the most unexpected time, but so far I’m still staring.”
Absolutely no shortage of fans. Heughan, who also appears as 18th-century Scottish warrior Jamie Fraser in Starz’s popular time-lapse drama Foreign, The show has driven fans wild since it premiered in 2014.
Over the years, Heughan says he’s received marriage proposals, ambushed at dinner, and candid autograph requests. “I signed a few body parts,” she admits.
Not that he cares about enthusiasm. “Our fans have been so supportive for 10 years,” she says. “It’s always nice to meet people. They’re amazing.”
He is likely to gain more followers thanks to the Scottish native. love again. He plays Rob, a cynical music reporter whose new cell phone has the reassigned phone number of a man who died two years ago.
That man’s ex-girlfriend Mira (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) sends sincere thoughts to his deceased girlfriend, and Rob, who receives the messages without Mira’s knowledge, falls in love with her from afar.
Rob asks her for advice while profiling Dion (his debut acting in her role) for an article, and shares anecdotes from her own love story with her late husband, talent manager René Angélil, who died in 2016. heartbreaking when he said it,” Heughan recalls.
Although the two shared several scenes, they never filmed together during the COVID-era production, which was completed before being diagnosed with the debilitating disorder stiff person syndrome, a rare and incurable neurological disease that can cause debilitating muscle spasms.
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“We did it using the magic of the movies. And he’s very good, very professional, and I think those scenes are really important. There’s a big bond between Rob and Céline at the end of the movie,” says Heughan.
Dion recorded five new songs for the movie and plays hits like “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” in the movie as well. Heughan is a dedicated fan of this single and said it outside of filming hours in London when lead actor Chopra Jonas and her husband Nick Jonas (who also has a hilarious cameo) will host the cast and crew at their home.
“We had great dinners and karaoke nights where we sang a lot of Céline songs and had great food,” she says.
While Dion herself doesn’t participate in the fun, the cast has a deep affection for her.
“She’s elegant. Funny. She didn’t need it, but she gave us most of her time,” Chopra Jonas told PEOPLE at its May 3 premiere. love again in New York. “He’s a wonderful, wonderful person. I wish him a lot of love and luck and I know he wants to be here but I’m so happy he’s a part of this movie. He’s an integral part of it.”
“If you’re a fan of Céline, you’ll love it,” Heughan says of the movie. “And if you’re not a Céline fan, you will be. It’s easy for anyone to relate to these characters. We all want to be touched by love.”
love again now in theaters.
Check out the new issue for more on Sam Heughan PEOPLEOn newsstands on Friday.