2 Outlander Stars Nearly Got Claire Fraser Role Instead of Caitriona Balfe
Instead, the actresses landed supporting roles in the Starz show.
Starz's Outlander may be one of the best series of the last decade, with millions of fans still raving about the show's amazing quality almost a decade after it was first released in 2014. Without a doubt, Sam Heughan and Caitríona Balfe are to thank for the project's massive success, as it was their performances as the main pair of time-traveling lovers that helped the show build such a huge following.
However, it looks like Sam Heughan could've made out with other actresses instead of Balfe, as there are two supporting cast members who also auditioned for Outlander's main part.
While Heughan was cast as Jamie Fraser quite early in the production, the same can't be said about Balfe — the role of Claire Fraser proved to be a bit problematic for the casting department. And even though Balfe later proved to be the perfect actress to play Claire, two other stars were in serious consideration to land the lead role as well.
Potential Candidates
According to Heughan himself, he read with actress Nell Hudson during one of the auditions, which may come as a surprise to fans because Hudson is actually a star in Outlander too. In the show, she played Laoghaire MacKenzie, the woman Jamie married after Claire disappeared. Hudson did a great job with that character, but fans are sure that the producers did the right thing by not hiring her to portray Claire.
In addition, actress Laura Donnelly also auditioned to play Claire before landing the part of Jenny Murray, Jamie's sister. Donnelly's performance as Jenny was great, and some fans are actually certain she could have nailed the role of Claire too if Balfe wasn't available to join the show.
While Donnelly's popularity with TV fans may not be as bombastic as Balfe's, she is certainly not worried about missing out on the lead role in Outlander. Right now, the actress is starring in HBO's The Nevers and also enjoying a successful career in theater, earning a Laurence Olivier Award and a Tony Award nomination.