Looking back at the wild transformation of The Hunger Games’ Sam Claflin after his thirst trap

Many of us first met Sam Clafin as cheeky chappy Finnick Odair in 2013’s The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. We didn’t know if he was trustworthy; his personality was grating for our girl Katniss, and yet, within just a few minutes, he had us all jealous of a sugar cube – lucky horse.

The Hunger Games was Sam’s third movie in the business, following minor roles in both Snow White and the Huntsman and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. But he was booked consistently after, going on to star in The Riot Club, Me Before You, Charlie’s Angels, Enola Holmes, and Daisy Jones & the Six.

Recently, Sam posted a shirtless TikTok that had people comparing him to a young Hugh Jackman as he addressed men sitting down to pee. It was very much giving “Blah blah blah proper name place name backstory stuff”, but amongst the shockingly thirsty comments, many shared their shock at how different he now looks.

@samuelclaflin

♬ original sound – SamClaflin

The post, which has since amassed 1.4 million views and 305k likes, saw one person write: “I was about to say you look like Sam Claflin.”

“Who is this rugged Viking man?” another questioned.

With that in mind, let’s dive headfirst into an unapologetically thirsty walk down memory lane.

Sam Clafin has always had a baby face

In 2010, a 23-year-old Sam Clafin was featured in the eight-part miniseries The Pillars of the Earth. Funnily enough, it also starred President Snow actor, Donald Sutherland.

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Pre-The Hunger Games, the biggest difference was undoubtedly the hair. It was darker and floppier and very much giving off a boy-next-door vibe. A year later, he was playing mermaid-smitten sailor Philip Swift in Pirates of the Caribbean, and his hair was considerably longer.

In 2013, a legend was born

I cannot begin to describe the chokehold Finnick Odair – both book and film – had on me in my teenage years. He was beefier in this role but still possessed the bimbo energy that became synonymous with the character in the subsequent films.

Speaking to his workout routine, Sam told Joe Wicks: “I know some people go to the gym and they have to listen to hard rock or electro or whatever, but I listen to Hawaiian music or songs played on the ukulele. The most mellow music. Then I just sort of zone out.”

In the same year, Sam starred in The Riot Club, and while his character was a w*****r, some of that lingering Finnick energy had me just as captivated. He oozed raging Tory energy, but I couldn’t look past the pretty packaging.

His rom-com era is a favourite, just not mine

After some action flicks and fantasy films, Sam Clafin diversified his IMDb page in the mid-2010s with romantic films such as Love, Rosie, Me Before You, and My Cousin Rachel.

He was back to mousy brown for most of these films and seemed skinnier because romantic leads don’t tend to use tridents in dystopian death matches.

He’s gone through A LOT of facial hair options

Facial hair can make or break a man, and Sam Clafin has been through many ups and downs on his way to – as TikTok put it this week – “daddyyyy.”

He’s done stubble, full-on moustache, unkept madness, and even a neckbeard. Stubble Sam is an easy win, but I’m not quite getting the straggly, unruly beard look like other people.

He should definitely bring back the Enola Holmes moustache, though. The world would be a better place with more fun moustaches.

Daisy Jones & The Six was Sam Clafin at his finest

2023’s Daisy Jones & The Six was set in the later 70s, so obviously, it called for a retro haircut of the era. Sam’s character, Billy Dune, sported a shaggy mullet, and while I hold Finnick’s blonde tresses on a first-place pedestal, this one is a close second.

Long hair, a cheeky smile, and a jawline that could cut glass – you really can’t beat it.

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Featured image credit: Sam Clafin/Lionsgate Studios