BELFAST star Caitríona Balfe rose to international fame through her starring role in the STARZ historical drama series OUTLANDER, which premiered in 2014. In the series, Balfe portrays Claire Randall, a World War II nurse who mysteriously travels back in time to 1743 Scotland. Her character becomes romantically involved with Highland warrior Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan), and together they navigate the historical turmoil of the Jacobite risings.

Based on Diana Gabaldon’s novel series, OUTLANDER has become Balfe’s defining television role. The series’ seventh season, adapted from AN ECHO IN THE BONE, is currently airing on STARZ, having premiered in June 2023. The second half of Season 7 began airing on November 22, 2024, with the final episode scheduled for January 17, 2025.

As OUTLANDER approaches its conclusion, Balfe has been open about the emotional impact of filming the eighth and final season. In an interview with COLLIDER, she described the intensity of shooting the series’ final moments: “The leading up to it was the hardest part,” she revealed, adding that the anticipation led to significant anxiety and “a lot of ugly crying on my behalf.”

The series finale, which recently completed filming, adapts material from WRITTEN IN MY OWN HEART’S BLOOD and GO TELL THE BEES THAT I AM GONE, the final books in Gabaldon’s series. While the release date for Season 8 remains unannounced, Balfe’s portrayal of Claire Randall Fraser has spanned nearly a decade of television, establishing her as one of the most recognizable faces in historical drama.