Caitriona Balfe (/kəˈtriːnə ˈbælf/; born 4 October 1979) is an Irish actress and model, best known for her role as Claire Beauchamp in the Starz series Outlander.

In 1999, while studying Theatre at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, Balfe was offered to work as a fashion model in Paris. A former face of H&M, she also worked extensively for the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Moschino, Narciso Rodriguez, and Marc Jacobs over the course of the following ten years, before she returned to acting.

Prior to Outlander, Balfe appeared in films such as Super 8, Now You See Me, and Escape Plan, and had leading roles in The Beauty Inside, Crush, and H+: The Digital Series.

Biography

Balfe was born in Dublin, Ireland, and grew up in the village of Tydavnet, near Monaghan, in a family of seven; her father is a retired Garda Sergeant. She is currently based in Los Angeles, having lived before in France, England, Italy, Germany and Japan while she worked as a model. In addition to English, she also speaks French and Irish Gaelic.

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