Caitríona Balfe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Caitríona Balfe
Balfe in 2024
Born	Caitríona Mary Balfe (1979-10-04) 4 October 1979 (age 45) Dublin, Ireland
Alma mater	Dublin Institute of Technology
Occupation	Actress producer director model
Years active	1998–present
Spouse(s)	Anthony McGill ​ (m. 2019)​
Children	1

Caitríona Balfe (born October 4, 1979) is an Irish actress, producer, director, and former model. She started her career as a fashion model in Paris when she was 18. She worked with famous fashion brands like Chanel and Louis Vuitton. About ten years later, she switched to acting.

Balfe became known for her roles in The Beauty Inside (2012) and H+: The Digital Series (2012–2013). She also appeared in movies such as Super 8 (2011), Now You See Me (2013), and Escape Plan (2013). Her most famous role is Claire Fraser in the TV series Outlander (2014–present). For this role, she has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards.

Balfe has also starred in other well-known films. These include Money Monster (2016), Ford v Ferrari (2019), and Belfast (2021). Her acting in Belfast earned her nominations for a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a BAFTA. These nominations were all for Best Supporting Actress.

Early Life and Education

Caitríona Balfe was born in Dublin, Ireland. She grew up near the village of Tydavnet in County Monaghan. She is the fourth of five children in her family. Her father was a police sergeant.

She went to the Dublin Institute of Technology to study drama. While she was there, a model scout discovered her.

Career Highlights

Modelling Career

Balfe began modelling after a scout saw her collecting money for charity. This happened at a local shopping centre. When she was 18, she worked as a model in Dublin for a few months. Then, a scout from Ford Models saw her. They offered her a chance to work in Paris.

Some of Balfe's biggest modelling achievements include opening and closing fashion shows. She worked for major brands like Chanel, Givenchy, and Louis Vuitton. In just three years, she walked in over 250 runway shows. At the peak of her modelling career, Balfe was one of the top twenty most requested models in the world.

Early Acting Roles

After a decade of modelling, Balfe decided to focus on acting. In 2009, she moved from New York to Los Angeles. For her first year and a half there, she took many acting classes.

Balfe appeared in several films during this time. She played the main character's mother in Super 8. In Now You See Me, she was the daughter of Michael Caine's character. She also played a CIA lawyer in Escape Plan. In 2012, she was Alex #34 in The Beauty Inside. She also appeared in music videos for artists like Bonobo and Phoenix.

From 2012 to 2013, Balfe was a main cast member in the web series H+: The Digital Series. She played Breanna Sheehan, an executive at a company that created a computer implant. This implant allowed people to be connected to the internet all the time.

Starring in Outlander

Caitríona Balfe at the Outlander premiere in New York (2014)

In September 2013, Balfe was chosen for the lead role in Outlander. This TV drama series is based on the popular novels by Diana Gabaldon. The show first aired in August 2014.

In Outlander, Balfe plays Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser. Claire is a nurse (who later becomes a surgeon) from the mid-20th century. She is magically transported back in time to the 18th-century Scottish Highlands. Both the show and Balfe's acting have received great reviews. Critics have praised her for making Claire a strong, brave, and engaging character.

In December 2014, Entertainment Weekly named Balfe one of its "12 Breakout Stars of 2014". She was also voted "Woman Of The Year" by BBC America's Anglophenia Fan Favorites. She has won several awards for her role in Outlander. These include Saturn Awards for Best Actress on Television in 2015 and 2016. She also won a Scottish BAFTA award in 2016 and an Irish IFTA in 2018. Balfe has been nominated four times for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for Outlander.

Recent Film Roles

Caitríona Balfe at a press conference for Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Balfe co-starred in the 2016 film Money Monster. This movie was directed by Jodie Foster and starred George Clooney and Julia Roberts. Balfe played the head of public relations for a company. Her character deals with a man who loses his savings and takes hostages on live TV. Critics noted her strong and captivating performance in the film.

In 2019, Balfe lent her voice to the Netflix fantasy series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. She played the character Tavra. This series was a prequel to the 1982 film The Dark Crystal. Also in 2019, she had a main role in the sports drama film Ford v Ferrari. She starred alongside Matt Damon and Christian Bale. Balfe played Mollie Miles, the wife of race car driver Ken Miles. Her performance earned her an IFTA nomination. The film was highly praised and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.

In 2021, Balfe had a co-starring role in Kenneth Branagh's film Belfast. This movie is based on Branagh's own childhood. Balfe's acting in Belfast received excellent reviews. She was nominated for several major awards, including the Screen Actors Guild Award, Golden Globe Award, and British Academy Film Award. Belfast was also nominated for Best Picture at the 94th Academy Awards.

Balfe is starring in the 20th Century Studios film The Amateur. She is also set to join the cast of the Apple Original Film Tenzing. This movie will star Tom Hiddleston and Willem Dafoe. Tenzing tells the story of Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and his climb of Mount Everest in 1953 with Edmund Hillary. Balfe will play Jill Henderson, a friend who helped organize Everest trips. Filming for Tenzing began in Nepal in May 2025.

Personal Life

Caitríona Balfe lives in London and also in Glasgow when she is filming Outlander. She has lived in many cities around the world, including Los Angeles, New York City, Paris, and Tokyo. She used to speak Irish fluently and still remembers some phrases. She can also speak French.

On August 10, 2019, Balfe married Anthony "Tony" McGill. He is a former band manager and businessman. They had their son on August 18, 2021. Balfe has said she considers herself spiritual, but she does not follow organized religion.

Charity Work

In 2014, Caitríona Balfe became a supporter of World Child Cancer. This organization helps children with cancer around the world. In 2016, she visited their facilities in Ghana. She met with healthcare staff and spent time with the children and their families. By 2017, her fans had raised over £100,000 for the charity. In April 2018, she ran the London Marathon and raised over US$41,000 for the organization. She has also sold shirts featuring her Outlander character, with all profits going to World Child Cancer. In June 2023, she spoke on BBC Radio 4 Appeal to share a child's story supported by the charity. This appeal raised over £28,000.

Balfe also supports charities that help refugees, like ChooseLove. She has helped raise thousands of dollars to aid refugees globally. She is also a strong supporter of environmental charities. In October 2020, her fans started "Project CaiTREEna" to raise money for One Tree Planted. This was in honor of Balfe's birthday. With her support, fans raised nearly $50,000 that year. As of 2024, over US$217,000 has been raised, leading to more than 217,000 trees being planted worldwide in her honor.

In August 2020, Balfe launched her own Scottish gin called Forget Me Not. Twenty-five percent of the money from sales goes to support arts programs.

Filmography

Key

Denotes productions that have not yet been released

Films

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2006	The Devil Wears Prada	Clacker	Uncredited
2009	Picture Me	Herself	Documentary; also producer
2011	Super 8	Elizabeth Lamb
2012	Lost Angeles	Véronique
2013	Now You See Me	Jasmine Tressler
	Escape Plan	Jessica Miller
2015	The Price of Desire	Gabrielle Bloch
2016	Money Monster	Diane Lester
2019	Ford v Ferrari	Mollie Miles
2020	Angela's Christmas Wish	Dorothy's Mother	Voice
2021	Belfast	Ma
2024	The Cut	Caitlin Harney
2025	The Amateur	Inquiline Davies
TBA	Tenzing	Jill Henderson	Filming

Television Shows

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Caitriona Balfe para niños