People Lists 5 Things to Know About Sam Claflin
After the announcement that Sam Claflin has been cast as Finnick, it occurred to me that although I had seen SWATH I didn’t know much about the actor, and it seems I’m not alone. So to help us get to know Sam the handy folks at People have compiled a list of 5 things we should know:
1. He originally dreamed of being a pro soccer player.
Claflin, who hails from Norwich in the east of England, always wanted to play professional soccer for Norwich City when he grew up. “I played football every day of the week [as a kid],” he told the Sun newspaper last year. “Any evening I would be playing on our local road with my brothers and friends. It was 24/7 football back then.” Claflin trained with the club’s youth team, but at 16 he broke his ankle, and his soccer dreams were over. By that time, though, he had caught the acting bug. “It was very daunting, that big career change,” he said. “But luckily it worked out.”2. He’s one of Hollywood’s fastest rising young stars.
Following roles in the TV series The Pillars of the Earth and Any Human Heart, Claflin got his big break in 2011, playing Philip Swift in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. He followed that up with the plum role of William in Snow White and the Huntsman, opposite Kristen Stewart. “I’m truly sort of flabbergasted,” he told MTV at the time about working with the Twilight star.3. With his humble background, he’s a bit starstruck by show business.
“My mum is a classroom assistant at the high school I went to and Dad is an accountant and a finance manager for a charity radio station,” he told the Sun. “I can’t quite fathom what is going on with my life at the moment. For me to be able to play across from some of the great names is unbelievable. It is so bizarre. I used to play with Lego, and now I am a Pirates of the Caribbean Lego figurine.”4. He has a superstar for a mentor.
Starring in the Pirates movie brought another benefit for Claflin: He got some guidance from one of Hollywood’s biggest names. “Johnny Depp gave me the best advice,” he told the L.A. Times Magazine. “He said, ‘Stay grounded. Remember where you came from.’ “5. Sorry, folks, he’s off the market.
Claflin would be one of Hollywood’s most eligible young bachelors … if he weren’t already dating British actress Laura Haddock, 26. “Back in London and reunited with @laurajhaddock,” he wrote on Twitter last week. “Happy happy happy.”
Soon you’ll have more than just a Lego figurine Sam! 
There are also some other “5 things to know about Sam Claflin” articles listing much the same at The Hollywood Reporter, Celebuzz and Entertainmentwise.
Source: People
Not happy with this pick at all, but can’t change it… so… whatever.
interesting! that makes two of our new catching fire cast members who have had a sporting dream of theirs frustrated by physical injuries… (meta golding was a figure skater).
also very interesting that he auditioned for the role of the prince in “mirror, mirror,” yet armie hammer got that one… the ironies of life, i guess.
@Carla HAHAHA it is ironic thats funny
I love Sam as Finnick
@carla – I definitely found that interesting, plus all these connections between the cast! Both Josh and Sam have been in a film with Liam’s brother, Chris, first, and then with Liam. Freaky! Both of them also share a Kristen Stewart connection too.
I have absolutely no problems with the Hemsworth brothers taking over Hollywood though
6. Donald Sutherland played his father in Pillars of the Earth.
Blehhhhh.
I cant wait to see him as Finnick!
@tash– i don’t really care for the kristen stewart connection, but the fact that they’ve both made movies with chris hemsworth before makes me REALLY look forward to the mockingjay movies, when they’ll both share scenes with liam.
@carla – Hahah, me neither! As Charlotte said there’s also the Donald Sutherland connection, and Jena starred with him in one of the Jane Austen adaptations, I can’t remember which.