Outlander’s Claire Fraser and Laoghaire MacKenzie had a troubled history
Outlander star Caitríona Balfe held back for a major scene between Claire Fraser and Laoghaire MacKenzie (played by Nell Hudson).
The encounter saw Claire and Laoghaire meeting again unexpectedly at Beaufort Castle after the time traveller was nearly burned at the stake for being a witch no thanks to her foe.
Executive producer Ronald D. Moore and writer Anne Kenney addressed how the actress suggested Claire shouldn’t “unleash” at Laoghaire because it wasn’t in keeping with the character.
Balfe and Kenney both felt Claire would play the meeting in much more reserved manner, with their notes taken on board and making it into the final cut of the episode The Fox’s Lair.
Moore said: “A lot of discussion about how this first encounter was going to go down. I was actually advocating a much tougher response from Claire. I really wanted Claire to go at her.
“But my initial impulse was Claire is taken by surprise, she sees Laoghaire, and she has thought about it on some level, the fantasy in her mind, ‘If I ever see Laoghaire again, what would I do?’
“And then caught unawares, Laoghaire comes and she would just unleash on her.”
He elaborated: “Then I think you and I know Cait all felt, well that’s not Claire and wanted to play it a little cooler and hold back a little more. It’s probably the right decision in the show.”
Moore has previously revealed on the Official Outlander podcast how the stars have often shared their thoughts on their characters’ reactions in various scenes with the programme-makers taking these on board when making the series.
Kenney said: “I wrote a version of that scene and ended up really liking it. It’s funny how that happens too.”
However, she concluded the scene had to change and explained the decision to alter Claire’s reaction.
“What we came to after everything Claire’s been through, Laoghaire is such small potatoes.”
Kenney added: “After everything in Paris and losing the baby and all that.”
Moore said: “That was the big thing that swayed it. Really in the scheme of things, is she really that mad at Laoghaire?”
Although their first meeting after the witch trial was subdued, Claire and Laoghaire would always be at odds with each other over Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan).
Thankfully, season seven seemed to show Jamie and Laoghaire finally burying the hatchet after he helped his ex-wife to get married again and have a happy ending.
He also helped Joan MacKimmie (Layla Burns) become a nun after she felt compelled to serve god and ensured Laoghaire and her family were financially secure.