Outlander star Caitriona Balfe’s incredible transformation as time-travelling drama comes to an end
The Irish actress has gone from catwalk queen to acting icon…and more success seems destined to follow
Outlander fans are eagerly awaiting the final series of the time-travelling fantasy series, as they finally find out how the story ends for lovers Jamie and Claire Fraser.
The show has made international stars out of its two lead actors, Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe.
While Heughan, 45, has an army of online fans at his back, as well as a successful drinks business, it is perhaps Balfe who looks set to forge the most successful career in front of the camera.
Born in Dublin in October 1979, the 46-year-old was already a household name in the fashion world when she made the step into acting.
Since landing the part of time-travelling Claire, she has gone on to star in a host of big-budget movies, and even took on one of the main roles in an Oscar-nominated flick.
Her transformation from catwalk icon to screen legend has taken years of hard work and dedication, and she has more than earned the plaudits that will come her way.
Here’s a journey through her career…
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Starting out
Balfe was scouted while collecting money at a shopping centre in her native Ireland and was spotted aged 18 by Ford Models and moved to Paris. She is pictured here during the Anna Molinari Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 2002 fashion show as part of the Milan Fashion Week in 2002, weeks before her 22nd birthday. Model career -
Balfe walks the runway during the Alexander McQueen Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 2002 fashion show as part of the Paris Fashion Week in 2001. At one point she was one of the top 20 most in-demand models in the world and has been called Ireland’s first supermodel. -
Making friends
Balfe, pictured with fellow model Erin Wasson, previously addressed what it was like to walk the catwalk with some of the legends of the profession, such as Naomi Campbell. She told the Irish Independent: “Those girls are of a different generation and I don’t think I was ever on the, ‘Hey Naomi, what’s up?’ level. But you’d see them at shows and they weren’t horrible people, they just weren’t the ones that I knew. My friends and I, we were more the blue-collar girls.” (Image: Kyle Ericksen/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images))3 of 14
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Making the move
By 2006, the year Balfe is pictured on the runway at Ann Demeulemeester’s spring 2006 show, she was already plotting her move into acting. That same year, she had a small uncredited role in The Devil Wears Prada.
