Actress Caitríona Balfe has shed light on what it’s really like working with co-star Sam Heughan on Outlander.
Outlander season seven, part two will be airing at some point in 2024 but actress and producer Caitríona Balfe has opened up about shooting the epic Starz drama series with fellow lead and executive Sam Heughan.
Balfe, 43, and Heughan, 43, who portray star-crossed lovers Claire and Jamie Fraser on the series, have been working on the show since its debut back in 2014 with their chemistry being key to the show.
Over time, the two stars have built up a shorthand when filming their scenes together but it didn’t always go to plan.
When asked about who was the first to break into laughter while filming on Outlander, Balfe revealed it was “always” her who would corpse first.
Irish star Balfe opened up to the audience at The Women of Outlander panel at the ATX TV Festival: “Always, but you know, Sam Heughan knows how to set me off and yet he can keep the straightest face.
“He’ll do something and then he’ll be like [smirks] and then I crumble and then he’s like, ‘Oh my god, this thing.’”
Balfe also admitted she had to “reel in” her co-star John Bell, better known as Young Ian Murray, while filming when there was “too much joking”.
“I’m a bit of a momma bear,” Balfe said. Adding: “There’s a time for play and a time when everyone has blood sweats.”
Balfe revealed how she and Heughan also made a point of making sure the set was a warm and friendly place, crediting Outlander’s casting director Suzanne Smith with the people brought onto the show.
Outlander’s producer Maril Davis, who was also on the panel, said: “I was thinking how much Caitríona and Sam laugh on set and bringing in the newbies.
“But she’s right, it’s a very happy set for the most part and we do talk about being family.
“I think that’s sometimes overused but I truly do feel that way with our crew and our cast coming in and I think all the cast always says, ‘Oh my god, so much fun on the show and you know, it’s a good group of people.”
Although Outlander season seven’s second half is still some way off with the new episodes slated to premiere in 2024, fans will be relieved to know all of the footage has been filmed.
Balfe has also admitted she doesn’t know the end of Outlander but Heughan has been told how the story wraps up by author Diana Gabaldon.
Therefore, the show should be making a comeback without too much delay but it looks like two fan-favourites won’t be back in the frame.
Sadly, the same can’t be said for the eighth and final season which has been pushed back due to the joint WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
But there are hopes the last book could even be turned into a movie.
With a possible resolution on the horizon for the writers’ strike, this could mean some movement on the final season of Outlander.
However, until the SAG-AFTRA dispute is resolved, the show still can’t be filmed given some union members are part of the Outlander cast.
