Hunger Games alum Sam Claflin wishes he had an accent coach on Catching Fire

At the time, trying on an American accent wasn’t the only new frontier Claflin had to navigate. Taking on a character with as much raw hunky charisma—and as devoted a group of stans—as Finnick had Claflin, as he puts it, “shitting myself.” If the pressure weren’t high enough already, playing Finnick also required Claflin to take on his first-ever shirtless scene.

Now, years later in his career, Claflin says he feels “a little more confident in myself and comfortable in myself.” That’s a major asset, given that Claflin’s next star turn sees him not only talking, but singing, in an American accent. Oh, and he had to learn guitar too. Claflin stars alongside Riley Keough in Prime Video’s upcoming musical series Daisy Jones & The Six, which charts the rise (and descent into love triangle-fueled chaos) of a Fleetwood Mac-esque rock band in the 1970s.

According to Claflin, the prospect of learning guitar especially had him, yet again, “shit scared.” But taking on the role of volatile frontman Billy Dunne offered Claflin an opportunity to expand his craft, and maybe even usher in a new era in his career.

“I wanted to prove to myself that I could do things that are different and out of the box. I hoped that a few people would watch and think, ‘Oh, wow. Actually, he’s not just this guy,’” Claflin shares. “Now, especially — I’m not 23 with a six-pack and on the up-and-coming list anymore. I’m the older guy.”

Daisy Jones & The Six premieres on Prime Video on March 3.