Outlander’s leading couple Claire (played by Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) are known for the passionate relationship. The pair have been seen in steamy embraces and hurling abuse at one another in intense arguments. However, off set the pair are good friends and work hard to ensure their chemistry in the STARZ series is perfect. Recalling her screen test with Sam, actress Caitriona explained he accidentally punched her as they acted out a fight scene.
“He got cast first so I was just lucky that our chemistry was good and they gave me the job,” Caitriona remarked, in an unearthed interview.
“But from day one, our screen test together, it was a chemistry read and everyone was waiting to see how we play together.
“We have a very similar approach I think to life and to our acting and we like to you know, commit fully.
“I don’t think it would work if you didn’t. You have to believe in the moment and you have to give it your all.
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“From our very first scene when we did that first screen test we got into this fight and Sam had me in a bear hug and I was trying to get away.
“He ended up punching me in the face mid-scene and just kept going and it just felt really fun.
“When they yelled cut a little while later we were both like, ‘Whoa, that got intense.’
“It was interesting because we had a lot of time to let the relationship develop organically because the way season one was laid out, a lot of the early stuff we filmed was Frank and Claire.
“As we were getting into the Jamie and Claire stuff, it takes a while even for their relationship to develop.”
Fans of the Outlander novels by Diana Gabaldon know Tom secretly harbours feelings for Claire but he never acts on them, instead, he only tells her how he feels when he believes he is about to die.
But looking towards season six, one fan posted on Reddit: “When I read ABOSAA for the first time, I did not at all realise that Tom was falling in love with Claire, until Jamie mentions it in his inner monologue while on the way to New Bern.
“On the second read now, and I do see so many subtle signs, in the description of Tom’s body language when he’s conversing with Claire, some very rom-com like happenstances (stumbling down and heads colliding lol), the sheer number of times he’s caught just staring at her etc.
Either I am reading too much between the lines now that I know what I know or I totally missed it the first time around because there was just so much happening or because I probably speed read.”
