'Outlander' Cast: See What Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan and More Look Like in Real Life

From their casting stories to their physical transformations for the show, here's what to know about the cast of Outlander

Outlander first premiered in 2014, and over the past decade, creator Ronald D. Moore has transformed author Diana Gabaldon’s popular books into a historical drama worthy of seven seasons.

The series, while bolstered by time travel and historical events, is propelled by the love story between Jamie Fraser, played by Sam Heughan, and Claire Fraser, depicted by Caitriona Balfe.

In season 7, which premieres on June 16, the on-screen couple will face one of their most harrowing situations thus far. Convinced that Claire murdered Malva Christie and her unborn baby, Richard Brown is hellbent on seeing Mistress Fraser hung for murder — and it’s up to Jamie to save her.

“[Last season] was great and we're building on that. Jamie is alive and on a mission to find [Claire]. That's where we pick up,” Heughan told Gold Derby in June 2022.

Related: 'Outlander' Season 7: Everything to Know

Executive producer Maril Davis promises that it’s Outlander’s “biggest season yet.”

“I will say we've talked so much about the Revolution coming — it's like "winter is coming" in Game of Thrones. Next season, the American Revolution is here," Davis said in an interview with Variety. “We're gonna straddle so many storylines and so much ground is covered in this season. Everyone goes on such a crazy arc this season.”

From their Outlander casting stories to the wigs they wear on set, here’s everything to know about the lead actors of this critically-acclaimed period piece.

Caitriona Balfe as Claire Fraser

Originally from a small town in Ireland, Caitriona Balfe, 43, spent her 20s as a runway model in Paris — walking for brands such as Chanel, Givenchy, Dolce & Gabbana and Louis Vuitton. She then pivoted to acting.

Prior to landing her role on Outlander, Balfe was a fairly unrecognizable name to viewers of TV and film. She’d appeared on seven episodes of YouTube’s series H+ and had small parts in films including Now You See Me and Escape Plan.

Balfe was cast as the fiercely resilient Claire Fraser just days before production for season 1 was slated to begin.

“I did the chemistry read and then it was like, ‘Can you move to Scotland in three days?’ ” Balfe said during an interview on The Hollywood Reporter’s podcast Awards Chatter.

She also recalled what Ronald D. Moore said to her before she signed the contract: “His exact words were, ‘Are you ready for your life to change?’ He literally said that as the elevator was opening, and I was like, ‘I guess?’ ”

According to Balfe, it takes several hours in the hair and makeup chair to transform into Claire — especially now that her character is in her late fifties.

“In season one, my hair was permed and hot-rollered every day,” Balfe told Allure, admitting she was happy when they transitioned to using wigs after season 3. “Once the wigs are set and done, [the styling] is usually not happening on my head. That's the great part: You get your head wrapped, and then they just stick them on.”

Outlander has skyrocketed Balfe to fame. She has 75 episodes of Outlander under her belt and has played significant supporting roles in films like Ford v Ferrari and Belfast. Balfe has also won two People’s Choice Awards, a BAFTA and has been nominated for five Golden Globes.

In August 2019, Balfe married music producer Anthony “Tony” McGill. They welcomed a son two years later.

“It was a challenge. It’s quite a demanding schedule at the best of times,” she told Access Hollywood about filming season 6 while pregnant. “But I was very well looked after by my fellow cast and crew. They were incredible.”

Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser

Sam Heughan, 43, was a “needle in a haystack,” according to Outlander executive producer Maril Davis, who was instrumental in casting the role of Jamie Fraser.

“On the first round of casting, Sam's audition tape came up and we watched it. We instantly knew he had the charisma, he had the charm, he had the humor to play Jamie," Davis recalled to Entertainment Tonight. “Heughan was born to play Jamie Fraser.”

What Heughan didn’t possess was Jamie’s bright red locks.

"I'm a natural blonde. It gets dyed. It's pretty horrific. I have to get it dyed a crazy amount — it's like every three weeks,” he told PEOPLE. “It's not easy. It's hard being a ginger.”

Similar to Balfe, the Scottish actor was also relatively unknown before becoming Outlander’s leading man. Heughan’s acting credits up to that point included 21 episodes on a British TV show called Doctors and a film titled A Princess for Christmas.

Related: Sam Heughan Dyes His Hair Red Every Three Weeks for 'Outlander' : 'It's Hard Being a Ginger'

Doors swung wide open for Heughan after solidifying his role as Jamie — the charismatic and uber-masculine leader of the Fraser clan. In 2021, he hosted a documentary-style series, Men in Kilts, with fellow Outlander star Graham McTavish. A year later, he published a memoir: Waypoints: My Scottish Journey. Heughan also co-founded Sassenach Spirits — a nod to Jamie’s nickname for Claire.

Sophie Skelton as Brianna Randall Fraser

British actress Sophie Skelton, 29, started acting at the age of 17. Her credits also include an appearance on Doctors, as well as 12 episodes on the English sitcom So Awkward.

“I wanted to be a surgeon for quite a long time as well. I think my parents were actually quite disappointed when I wanted to take the acting route,” she said in an interview with Harper’s BAZAAR. “They love it now. They really like Outlander actually, so they were thrilled when I got the job.”

Skelton auditioned for the role of Brianna Randall Fraser, the daughter of Claire and Jamie, twice — once in 2014 and again a year later. She was eventually introduced to Outlander fans during season 2.

In Gabaldon’s books, Brianna is described as a 6-foot-tall redhead with blue eyes. Outlander’s hair and makeup team didn’t ask Skelton to wear colored contacts, but they did attempt to dye her dark brown hair. After a disastrous result, production bought wigs for the actress.

“They had to bleach it, but then it got bad. It became like straw and then it just kind of fell out,” the actress told Town & Country. “I remember one of the first days when we went to the salon. They put all that foil on, and I never really dyed my hair, and then they took it off and all I could hear was someone behind me go, ‘Oh my God.’ ”

Richard Rankin as Roger Wakefield

Richard Rankin, 40, was a relatively successful actor before joining the cast of Outlander as Roger Wakefield — Brianna’s love interest and eventual husband — in 2016. He starred in three seasons of a sketch comedy show titled Burnistoun, as well as the BBC’s dramatic mini-series Thirteen.

His natural knack for making people laugh has led him to be labeled the “cast comedian.”

“I’m not sure how well received it is all of the time, especially when people are tired. It’s been a tough shift and I’m still dancing around at the end of the day in high spirits and generally being a bit of a goofball,” he told The Herald in 2020. “I would say that is my role among the cast, clowning around, although within reason. I still do my job and like to think I am good to work with.”

Rankin is also a professional photographer. On Instagram, he regularly shares stunning landscapes and cast portraits captured on the set of Outlander.

John Bell as Ian Murray

He’s best known as “Young Ian” Murray on Outlander, but John Bell, 25, is also the actor who portrayed Bain in The Hobbit film series.

Bell made his first appearance in Outlander midway through season 3.

“I read everything that I could [about Ian]. With every new strand of information that I got, I fell more and more in love with him,” the Scottish actor told Parade in 2019. “What an amazing character to have the opportunity to play. He’s a survivor. He’s a fighter. He’s an incredibly emotionally intelligent character. That’s what I love about him.”

At the end of season 4, Ian agrees to stay with the Mohawk Tribe in exchange for Roger Wakefield’s freedom. His character’s immersion into Indian culture required Bell to learn the tribe’s language and shave his head.

Related: 'Outlander' Will End After Season 8 — but There's Still More of the Fraser Family's Story Ahead

“Immediately, I was in touch with the Mohawk language preservation society, which is the biggest course you can do. As well as that, there were elders that came from America and Canada to work with me,” he shared. “The best way to understand someone’s culture is to be able to speak their language, so I think it was important to Ian. It was important to me.”

In a season 6 flashback, viewers watch the Mohawk women ceremoniously pull Ian’s long locks from his head — creating the tribe’s traditional warrior hairstyle. Bell, during an interview with Starz, revealed that his mohawk is actually a wig.

“This is not my real hair. Underneath this, I am bald for most of the year,” he said.

Graham McTavish as Dougal MacKenzie

Graham McTavish, 62, has had a long and successful acting career. Prior to Outlander, he voiced dozens of video games and portrayed the great warrior Dwalin in The Hobbit film series.

McTavish played Jamie's uncle, Dougal MacKenzie, in the first two seasons of the Starz series. Dougal was killed by Jamie ahead of the Battle of Culloden. However, McTavish will make an appearance in season 7 — likely in flashbacks or dream sequences.

Off-screen, McTavish and Heughan have become good pals. They've gone on to film Men in Kilts and co-write three books together.

Maria Doyle Kennedy as Jocasta MacKenzie Cameron

Irish singer and actress Maria Doyle Kennedy, 58, plays another of Jamie's relatives in Outlander. Jocasta MacKenzie Cameron is Jamie's wealthy aunt and Dougal's younger sister who lives at River Run — a fictional plantation in North Carolina.

During an interview with E!, Kennedy described what it's like to play a blind character.

"I didn't really comprehend what it would mean to me until the very first scene, and I realized that I was never going to be able to make eye contact with anybody," she said. "In life, we give all our cues with our eyes, we take all our cues [with our eyes]. It was extraordinarily isolating."

Aside from Outlander, Kennedy is best known for her roles in The Tudors and Orphan Black.

Lauren Lyle as Marsali MacKimmie Fraser

Lauren Lyle, 29, is best known for her role as Marsali MacKimmie Fraser, who was introduced to Outlander fans in season 3. Marsali is the daughter of Laoghaire MacKenzie — the woman Jamie wed while he and Clarie were apart for 20 years.

Before moving to the New World with Jamie and Claire, Marsali married Fergus Fraser. The couple went on to welcome four children.

César Domboy as Fergus Claudel Fraser

French actor César Domboy, 33, plays Fergus Claudel Fraser, who is married to Marsali and is like a son to Jamie.

At the age of 15, Fergus was attacked by Redcoats and lost his left hand. He wears a wooden prosthetic in its place.

"That makes everything more complicated. I had to learn to manage that, but it does not limit Fergus. He can still do everything!" Domboy told Elle.

David Berry as Lord John Grey

Australian actor David Berry, 39, was well-known for his role as James Bligh in the TV series A Place to Call Home before joining the cast of Outlander as Lord John Grey. The English soldier and diplomat raised Jamie's illegitimate son, William Ransom.

Lotte Verbeek as Geillis Duncan

Geillis Duncan, played by Dutch actress Lotte Verbeek, 40, is a time traveler and one of Outlander's primary antagonists. Claire beheads her in season 3, but not before she gives birth to Dougal MacKenzie's son, William Buccleigh MacKenzie.

Verbeek will reprise her role as Geillis in season 7, and will likely be seen in flashbacks with Dougal.

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