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As the beloved time-traveling nurse Claire Fraser in OUTLANDER, Caitriona Balfe has captivated audiences across seven seasons of the hit Starz series. Now, with the second half of OUTLANDER‘s seventh season approaching and only one final season remaining, fans are eagerly following Balfe’s career beyond the Scottish highlands.

The Irish actress is making a significant pivot from 18th-century period drama to contemporary action in the upcoming high-stakes thriller THE AMATEUR, as revealed in a newly released trailer. Set for release next April, the film will showcase Balfe in what appears to be a substantial supporting role, judging by her prominent position in the cast list just behind lead actors Rami Malek, Laurence Fishburne, and Rachel Brosnahan. While the trailer only offers a fleeting glimpse of Balfe engaged in an intense car chase, her character’s identity and exact role in the plot remain intriguingly under wraps. What’s certain is that this role will present a marked departure from the compassionate healer Claire Fraser, as Balfe steps into a grittier, action-oriented character within the world of espionage.

THE AMATEUR follows Charlie Heller (Malek), a brilliant but introverted CIA decoder whose life is shattered when his wife (Brosnahan) is killed in a London terrorist attack. When the agency refuses to pursue her killers due to conflicting priorities, Heller takes matters into his own hands, blackmailing the CIA into training him and allowing him to seek vengeance personally.

The film is directed by James Hawes, known for his work on the acclaimed series SLOW HORSES, suggesting a sophisticated approach to the spy thriller genre. This project marks another impressive addition to Balfe’s growing filmography, which recently included her BAFTA-nominated performance in the Oscar-winning BELFAST.

For OUTLANDER devotees who have followed Balfe’s journey since the series began, this new role represents an exciting evolution in her career as she continues to demonstrate her versatility beyond the character that made her famous.