Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe's Friendship Timeline

Here's a look back at 'Outlander' costars Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe's friendship that spans nearly a decade long

Fans of Outlander have fallen in love with Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe since the Starz series premiered in 2014.

For six seasons, the aforementioned costars — who play Jamie and Claire, respectively — have captured the hearts of viewers with their on-screen chemistry.

Though they play husband and wife on the drama based on Diana Gabaldon's novel of the same name, offscreen they have a close platonic relationship. The costars have created a tight bond since meeting on set and have spoken highly of their friendship over the years, in addition to their admiration of each other's talents while working on set.

Related: Caitríona Balfe Welcomes Son with Husband Tony McGill: 'So Grateful for This Little Soul'

"We just started chatting in the [chemistry] test before we started the audition, and we just seemed to get on," Heughan said of Balfe during an interview with EW. "Her humor is fantastic. She's great fun to work with. She's very hardworking, a wonderful actress, very natural."

And Balfe feels the same towards Heughan. “We’re really good friends,” she told PEOPLE when the series first premiered. “We’re both going through the same experience, so that’s great, we both really understand that. I hope I’m as good support as he is to me.”

Though the Starz series is coming to an end with the recently announced eighth and final season, it's likely their friendship will stand the test of time.

"It’s a nice bond and I think people are fascinated by it, in a weird way — I know the fans are. We respect each other and have got each other's backs," Heughan said of Balfe during an interview with Elle. "I’m very fortunate that we have that, it’s great."

Read on for a look back at their friendship ahead of the Outlander season 7 premiere on June 16.

January 8, 2014: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe make their red carpet debut

Ahead of the Outlander season 1 premiere, Heughan and Balfe made their first-ever red carpet appearance together to support a fellow Starz program, Black Sails, at its season 1 premiere held at the Harmony Gold Preview House in Hollywood.

January 10, 2014: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe speak at the Winter TCA panel

Gearing up for the release of Outlander, Heughan and Balfe teased what viewers could expect during the Outlander panel discussion at the Starz portion of the Winter Television Critics Association tour in Pasadena, California.

Related: 'Outlander' Season 7: Everything to Know

January 11, 2014: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe attend the BAFTA Tea Party

Heughan and Balfe posed side-by-side at the BAFTA Tea Party at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. The pair gave viewers another glimpse into the series, explaining the show's premise and the roles they play.

"Whether you're a fan of the books or not, you'll watch the show and be hooked," Heughan said on the red carpet ahead of the release.

July 28, 2014: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe attend a screening of Outlander

The chemistry between the Outlander's cast can surely be felt through the screen, but it was nonetheless visible on the red carpet at the season 1 screening held at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Costars Heughan and Tobias Menzies sandwiched Balfe with a kiss on both cheeks as they posed for photos just days before the Outlander's Aug. 9 premiere.

January 7, 2015: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe win a People's Choice Awards

In 2015, Heughan and Balfe nabbed a win at the People's Choice Awards for their work in Outlander. Although they couldn't make it to the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles to accept the honor in person, they expressed their gratitude in a hilarious video that played during the ceremony.

April 1, 2015: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe attend the Outlander midseason premiere

Heughan and Balfe celebrated the Outlander midseason premiere in N.Y.C. and opened up to PEOPLE on the red carpet about their on and off-screen relationship. “We’re really lucky,” Heughan said of getting to work with Balfe.

“We obviously just had a really long period of time off the show, but we caught up a couple of times in L.A. and went hiking together," he added of meeting up with his on-screen wife. “It’s really nice just to catch up with her... I’m glad she’s doing so well.”

Meanwhile, Balfe had nothing but sweet, platonic sentiments to share about Heughan. “We’re really good friends,” she told PEOPLE. “We’re both going through the same experience, so that’s great, we both really understand that. I hope I’m as good support as he is to me.”

Following the premiere, the pair cozied up together for a sweet photo at the after party.

Related: 'Outlander' 's Season 7 Return Set for Summer 2023 at Starz — See First Teaser Trailer

April 2, 2015: Caitriona Balfe recalls the first time she met Sam Heughan

During an interview with The Wrap, Balfe recalled her first impression of Heughan. "[The chemistry] was quite instantaneous in a sense," she said.

"When I first met Sam at our chemistry test, which I always think is quite funny, he was the nicest guy and he just put me at ease. I was a little nervous and he's just that kind of solid, grounded guy," Balfe continued.

"We had one day in London and we took this big, long walk in Hyde Park, and it was great. We just talked about our lives and sort of about the characters and what we thought and that day I was like, 'This is going to be great. I feel like I've got a really solid friend and amazing costar.' So, I knew it was going to be good stuff," she concluded.

July 11, 2015: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe attend San Diego Comic-Con

Heughan and Balfe were nothing but laughs and smiles on the red carpet during San Diego Comic-Con in 2015.

January 10, 2016: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe attend the Golden Globes

The Outlander costars dressed to the nines when they hit the red carpet at the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards in 2016. They coordinated in black outfits, with Heughan wearing a classic tuxedo and Balfe dressed in an all-black ruffle gown.

March 2, 2016: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe address dating rumors

Ahead of the Outlander season 2 premiere, Heughan and Balfe addressed the relentless romance rumors that had spread between them in an EW cover story. While their palpable, on-screen chemistry is one of the reasons why fans are drawn to the series, the two leads clarified their off-screen relationship.

“Honestly I’m tired of that conversation,” Balfe told the outlet. “This is fantasy. This is our job. We are very different in our private life. We are best friends. From the moment we met, we got along. Sam is one of the most generous people you’ll ever meet. Such a great guy, no ego involved.”

Heughan, in fact, said he felt bad that some fans seem genuinely let down that they aren’t in a romantic relationship. “It saddens me a bit but I guess that means we’ve done a good job,” he added. “I don’t know. It’s a strange one. I’m still coming to terms with what it’s like to have people follow your personal life as well as your public life. It gets amusing. But she’s just wonderful. We’re very good friends.”

April 4, 2016: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe attend the Outlander season 2 world premiere

Two years after the inagural season premiered in 2014, Outlander season 2 was released. In honor of the new season, Heughan and Balfe stepped out for the world premiere held at the American Museum of Natural History in N.Y.C.

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

May 2, 2016: Caitriona Balfe talks about her on-screen sex scenes with Sam Heughan

During an appearance on Taylor Strecker’s SiriusXM radio show, Wake Up with Taylor, Balfe explained why she isn’t likely to fall in love with her costar despite their hot-and-heavy sex scenes — and as it turns out, those scenes aren’t actually as steamy as they look.

“Well, I mean, for me I think it’s quite easy not to develop feelings like that because it’s acting, right?” said Balfe. “You know, I feel very lucky, Sam and I have an amazing bond, we’re really great friends — but, you know, it’s acting.”

“You’re usually doing those scenes in front of about 20 people, mostly burly, sweaty men whose jeans are like halfway down their bum crack,” she said with a laugh. “So it’s quite easy not to get carried away! We call it plumber’s butt in Ireland."

October 27, 2016: Sam Heughan praises Caitriona Balfe's talents

"It's always hard when we're apart, actually, because she's a great person, great to come to work with, and a very good actress," Heughan told Vanity Fair of walking alongside Balfe in Outlander.

April 1, 2017: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe attend a rugby game together

The Outlander stars were all smiles as they attended a rugby match in Cape Town, South Africa. The pair cuddled close as they posed for the selfie Heughan shared on Twitter.

“Thank you @THESTORMERS What a result!!!!! And so good to meet “4Ball” @iamSivN @caitrionambalfe,” he captioned a photo of himself and Balfe, surrounded by a crowd of blue-clad Stormers supporters.

July 21, 2017: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe attend San Diego Comic-Con

The Outlander costars had some fun when they returned to San Diego Comic-Con, exchanging witty banter while answering questions on the IMDb Yach in 2017. This interaction emphasized Heughan told Popsugar of his relationship with his costar earlier in July.

Earlier in July, Heughan reflected on his friendship with Balfe to POPSUGAR, saying, "Caitriona and I get on very well, and I'm very lucky. She's extremely talented and an extremely nice person, and we have a lot of fun."

"Actually, having scenes away from her, and time apart from her, is kind of like losing someone in your family," he continued. "A loved one. It's very strange, and I don't enjoy it. Whenever we're together it feels right, and I look forward to the days when we get to work together again."

September 5, 2017: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe attend the Outlander season 3 world premiere

Heughan and Balfe posed alongside one another at the world premiere of Outlander season 3 in N.Y.C. Prior to the release, the costars opened up about their special "bond" during an interview with Elle.

"I mean, Sam’s just so kind," Balfe said of her on-screen husband in real life. "He’s a really good friend. He always checks in. I don’t know, he has one of the biggest hearts and smallest egos that I know."

Heughan seconded that sentiment, saying, "She’s not only a great actress, she's a great friend and a great advice giver, too. And we have each other's backs. It’s a remarkable journey that we’ve been on, starting this together, being thrown in the deep end."

October 28, 2018: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe celebrate Outlander season 4

The Outlander costars stepped out for the 21st SCAD Savannah Film Festival red carpet in Georgia ahead of the show's season 4 premiere on Nov. 4, 2018.

October 5, 2019: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe attend New York Comic-Con

Heughan and Balfe spoke onstage during an Outlander panel at the 2019 New York Comic Con where they discussed the show and answered fan questions.

Related: 'Outlander' 's Sam Heughan Says 'Unnecessary' Full Frontal Shot in Graphic Rape Scene 'Did Betray My Trust'

February 13, 2020: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe attend the Outlander season 5 premiere

The two leads, along with the rest of the cast, attended the Los Angeles premiere of Outlander season 5 at the Hollywood Palladium in California. Later in June 2020, Heughan joked about his sibling-like relationship with Balfe.

"She's like my sister and tells me exactly what I'm doing wrong and I need to know these things!" he said on The Love/Hate Club podcast.

March 9, 2022: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe attend the Outlander season 6 premiere

To celebrate the season 6 premiere of Outlander, Heughan and Balfe hit the red carpet at the Wolf Theater at the Television Academy in North Hollywood ahead of the screening.

June 9, 2023: Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe attend the Outlander season 7 world premiere

Ahead of the June 16 release on Starz, Heughan and Balfe attended the Outlander season 7 world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in N.Y.C. The pair even posed alongside the cast in PEOPLE and EW's exclusive on-site photobooth.

"We're happy to be back," Heughan told Gold Derby in June 2022, a few months after the cast had started shooting new episodes. "[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."

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