Sam Heughan, 41, is charming women both on and off screen. The Outlander star sparked dating rumors with Australian model Monika Clarke after the two were spotted kissing during a lunch date at Soho’s Café Select in New York City this past weekend. Other photos showed the pair looking like they’d stepped out for coffee together. Sam has been linked to a few different lucky ladies over the years, he’s been a noted bachelor the past few years. Fans are now assuming that he and Monika are a full-fledged couple.
So, who is Monika Clarke? From her lavish lifestyle in the Big Apple, to her jobs as a model and jewelry collection owner, here are five key things to know about Monika.
1. Monika lives in NYC.
Although Monika’s roots are from Australia, she lives full-time in the Big Apple. She constantly posts footage from her NYC adventures to her Instagram page. She’s been snapped overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge, going for coffee runs in Manhattan, attending Knicks Games at Madison Square Garden, and more. Monika’s a true NYC girl!
2. She’s a model.
Monika is represented by Wilhelmina, one of the leading modeling and talent agencies in the world. The headquarters are in New York City. Wilhelmina, which was founded in 1967 by Wilhelmina Cooper, reps a ton of A-list celebrities such as Nicki Minaj, Demi Lovato, Machine Gun Kelly, Shawn Mendes, Billie Eilish, and Nick Jonas. Monika posts her gorgeous modeling shots on social media.
3. She has a jewelry company.
Monika owns her own jewelry collection called My Verite. The company is described in her IG bio as “fine jewelry made from natural, high-quality gems from the mines of Zambia.” My Verite is located on 5th Avenue in NYC and offers elegant bracelets, rings, earrings, and pendants. Monika is pictured advertising My Verite’s products on the company website.
4. She’s active on social media.
Monika has over 200,000 followers on Instagram. In her bio, she describes herself as an “Aussie living in NYC.” She also includes links to her modeling agency and jewelry company. Monika typically posts solo shots on her IG page, though she does occasionally include her friends in a photo or two. She mostly documents her outings in NYC but does use her page when she leaves the city for tropical destinations.
5. Monika knows what she wants in a partner.
Monika did an interview with DMARGE in October 2020 and talked about what she’s attracted to in a man. “Humor is a big thing for me. And someone who appreciates sarcasm,” the model explained. “Also: a man who is humble and can always have an interesting conversation. Confidence without arrogance. A man who makes his woman feel appreciated and respected.”
She also revealed that she’d prefer a partner who isn’t active on social media. “It shows that social media is not of importance to his personal life and leaves him being a lot more present in time,” she said. “Social media is part of my job, and some men are attracted to a girl purely based on her following, which I find shallow,” Monika added.
It’s worth noting that Sam is on social media. But based on those romantic photos from their NYC lunch date, Monika clearly made an exception or two and has fallen for Sam. Let’s hope these two go the distance together!