The Cast Of Outlander Is Gorgeous In Real Life

At the heart of "Outlander" is the outspoken and fiercely independent Claire, the World War II nurse who suddenly finds herself in Jacobean Scotland. In the series, Claire is portrayed by the Irish actor Caitriona Balfe. Before landing the starring role in "Outlander," Balfe had appeared in a number of other film and TV projects, including "Escape Plan," the Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger film, and "Crush," a Jesse Eisenberg and Mark Ruffalo movie.

However, until "Outlander," the actor had a slow start in the industry. Before her acting career took off, she worked mainly as a model in the early 2000s. "Modelling does two things," she told The Guardian. "It gives you a really, really tough exterior and then a really broken interior." She made the slow transition into acting. 

When she finally landed "Outlander," it was a dream come true. "I had done a few jobs, nothing of note really," she said. "I was living in LA and I was really struggling, actually, it was about four or five months since I'd had a job." Of course, since then, everything has changed. In 2019, she played Christian Bale's wife in "Le Mans '66," and in 2021, she starred in Kenneth Branagh's Academy Award-winning "Belfast." It's safe to say that "Outlander" changed everything for Balfe.