A recent article by the Inquisitr suggested that Outlander star Caitriona Balfe — who has won many awards for her portrayal of Claire Randall Fraser — has been spotted “getting cozy” with her co-star, Sam Heughan, who plays Jamie Fraser on the show.
Inasmuch as we’re loathe to keep repeating the same thing over and over again, it bears stating: Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan aren’t dating, and they never were.
And who do we have a source for these facts? None other than Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan themselves.
‹‹ I’m quite proud to say that I haven’t gone to sleep with my makeup on since I was a teenager. ›› ? @caitrionambalfe on @people , 2017. ? pic.twitter.com/vPQRjRcCVa
— Best of Cait (@bestofcait) April 21, 2017
First, let’s take a look at the claims made about Caitriona Balfe in the article. According to the article, because the two were seen at a rugby game together in South Africa, it goes without saying that the two are “hot and heavy” and naturally dating one another.
Because, clearly, men and women can’t be friends — they can only associate with one another if they’re dating.
Aside from these claims, the question stands: Why do these rumors about them dating persist despite the fact that they have made clear that they are not dating?
At the start of Season 2, People Magazine sat down with Caitriona Balfe to address the rumors about her dating Sam Heughan.
She made it clear, at that time, that not only wasn’t she dating Sam, she was tired of people asking her about it . Moreover, she was tired of people accusing her of dating Sam (when she made it clear that she wasn’t), she was tired of the “conspiracy theories” about why she and Sam Heughan “can’t let their love go public,” and she didn’t want to keep addressing the rumors, especially when she made herself clear the first time.
“Honestly I’m tired of that conversation,” Balfe, who plays Claire Fraser, explained to the outlet. “This is fantasy. This is our job. We are very different in our private life. We are best friends. From the moment we met, we got along. Sam is one of the most generous people you’ll ever meet. Such a great guy, no ego involved.”
caitriona balfe as claire elizabeth randall/fraser pic.twitter.com/2Gd7Tffjki
— brends (@oursassenach) April 25, 2017
Caitriona Balfe addressed these rumors again in Vanity Fair Italia , where she made clear, yet again, that she and Sam Heughan are not dating .
“It’s a compliment, we work hard to achieve that chemistry. We are good friends and we have a similar view on life. He is definitely more in shape than me: if I had one gram of the will he has to go to the gym, I’d be the happiest woman on earth. What really bothers me is when people claim we are together. It’s not true.”
Yes, Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe have amazing chemistry on Outlander. Yes, they bring the characters of Jamie and Claire to life.
However, that is as far as it goes.
Sam Heughan has been seen on the arm of a number of women, but most recently, he’s been confirmed to be dating Mackenzie Mauzy, an actress who has worked with Meryl Streep.
For her part, Caitriona Balfe has been dating club owner and music manager Tony McGill for a number of years, and the duo have been attending red carpet events together in that time and looking very much in love. In fact, there are some rumors — though unconfirmed — that the duo are getting married.
So, perhaps it’s high time that everyone stop perpetuating the rumors about Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe dating. Not only is it disrespectful to both Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan, it’s disrespectful to their significant others.
[Featured Image by Starz]