The upcoming Starz television adaptation of the book series”Outlander” has announced that Caitriona Balfe has been added to the cast. Balfe will play Claire Randall in the series that is based on Diana Gabaldon’s international best-selling books.
The character of “Claire” is described as being both quick-witted and stubborn. Balfe joins already announced cast members Sam Heughan (Jamie Fraser), Tobias Menzies (Frank Randall/Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall), Graham McTavish (Dougal MacKenzie), Gary Lewis (Colum MacKenzie), Duncan Lacroix (Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser), Annette Badland (Mrs. Fitzgibbons) and Stephen Walters (Angus Mhor). Author of the series, Gabaldon, spoke about Balfe being cast in the lead role stating,
“Hard to believe lightning can strike twice, but it surely did. The moment Caitriona Balfe came on screen, I sat up straight and said, ‘There she is!’ She and Sam Heughan absolutely lit up the screen with fireworks.”
Executive Producer, Ronald D. Moore also added,
“The casting of Claire Randall was a long and difficult one because the role is so crucial to the success of our show. ‘Outlander’ is told from Claire’s point of view and we experience the entire story through her eyes, so it was vital that we find exactly the right actor to play her. Caitriona wasn’t on anyone’s radar, she wasn’t on any list, but when we saw her audition tape, we immediately knew she was someone special. Then, after we had her read with Sam, we knew we’d found our Claire. At its heart, Outlander is the story of two people — Claire and Jamie — their loves and losses, their adventures and tragedies, and now we finally have them both.”
The 7 book novel series began in 1991 and has since sold more than 25 million copies and graced the New York Times best-seller list six times. The “Outlander” series spans the genres of romance, science fiction, history and adventure in one epic tale. It follows the story of Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743, where she is immediately thrown into an unknown world where her life is threatened. When she is forced to marry Jamie Fraser, a chivalrous and romantic young Scottish warrior, a passionate affair is ignited that tears Claire’s heart between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.
“Outlander” is set to premiere in 2014. It will begin filming this month in Scotland.