‘Outlander’ Star Caitriona Balfe Calls Karl Lagerfeld A ‘True Icon’

Outlander star Caitriona Balfe spent years as a runway model before she made the move to acting, and today upon the death of designer Karl Lagerfeld at age 85, she took a moment to remember her friend, calling him an icon.

Town & Country shared photos from Balfe’s days as a runway model for Lagerfeld when he was designing for Chanel. The actor shared memories on her Instagram page of Lagerfeld, who died this morning in Paris.

“I was privileged to work frequently with Karl Lagerfeld in my early career as a model. Those were truly the highlights of my career back then especially when I got to work with him as a photographer. He was a true icon and a creative genius. I am so grateful I was fortunate enough to meet and work with him. R.I.P. Karl. X.”

Balfe posted a black and white photo of the designer with his signature ponytail and his cat, Choupette, over his shoulder. Choupette, a white Birman, has an Instagram page dedicated to her exploits as a “spoiled daddy’s girl.”

Though Balfe says that modeling was never her passion, she says she will always remember Lagerfeld as a visionary who was always so sweet and kind to the models he worked with.

#Outlander Actress Caitriona Balfe Pays Tribute to Karl Lagerfeld
The actress, who worked with Lagerfeld during her career as a runway model, called the late designer "a true icon." #CaitrionaBalfe https://t.co/AThnO9pJVH

— Outlander Kat???? (@mymtbrain) February 20, 2019

Balfe, now 39, is beginning her fifth year on the hit Starz series Outlander, starring opposite Scottish actor Sam Heughan in the time-traveling series based on the series of books by the same name. Last week, reports the Inquisitr, it was announced that both Balfe and Heughan will receive producer’s credits on the upcoming season of Outlander, which is a plus for the actors and fans of the show.

While the executive producers of the show will continue to run the series, Balfe and Heughan, who play characters Claire and Jamie Fraser in Outlander, will be able to give more input and guide the series from the production side as well as on the set.

Balfe has spoken out about making the transition from modeling to working on Outlander in Scotland, saying that it was a gift that the show was in production for a year before anyone in the press or the public knew what was happening. She says it allowed her to really work hard and find her feet while being anonymous.

“I’ve never worked so hard as I did that first year. The first six months we were doing 11-day, two-week periods and 16-, 17-hour days, five hours’ sleep. We just did that solidly and worked straight for a year. It was nuts.”