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There's A Good Chance You Recognize The Voice Of Tavra On 'Dark Crystal'

by Esme Mazzeo
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If you are familiar with Jim Henson's world of Thra, you know that Gelfling are natives to the land fighting to save their home and protect the world against evil creatures called the Skeksis. There are 12 Gelfling alone to keep track of. One of them is Tavra, who once believed false promises of goodwill from the invading creatures the UrSkeks. So, you may be wondering who voices Tavra in Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance. You are going to want to remember Caitriona Balfe's name because she's steadily building a stellar reputation thanks to some impressive roles.

Balfe was born in Dublin, Ireland but grew up in a small village called Tydavnet. "It's a tiny place. There's one church, one school, two pubs," she told Stephen Colbert on The Late Show. She studied drama at Dublin Institute of Technology for a year before she was discovered by a modeling agent at a mall when she was 19, according to IMDb and her 2017 Late Show appearance.

She had a successful modeling career as a Victoria's Secret model (more on that in a minute) before deciding to return to acting in 2011. Her first role was to play Elizabeth Lamb in Super 8 and she's since starred on the big screen next to George Clooney and Julia Roberts in Money Monster. But you may know her better for her role as Claire Randall on Starz's Outlander. The internet can be a very illuminating place if you know where to look, so below are some more interesting tidbits I've learned about Balfe.

She's A Magnet For Award Nominations

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Balfe has been playing time-traveling nurse (later a doctor) Claire on Outlander for four seasons now (Season 5 is coming in 2020). She's continuously earned nominations and wins at The Woman's Image Network Awards, The People's Choice Awards, The Irish Film and Television Awards, The BAFTA's, and The Golden Globes to name a few places. An Emmy nomination remains elusive.

She's Walked The Runway For Victoria's Secret

Balfe walked the runway at Victoria's Secret shows in the early 2000s, and she didn't exactly love it. "Something like [the runway show] was so weird for me, because it's like, you know the Brazilian bombshells and I don't know I'm just not like that," she told Conan O'Brien in 2016. "I was the whitest girl on the stage," she admitted. Spray tanning didn't help. It was "fun for awhile," she said but Balfe seems happy she moved on.

She's A Newlywed

They have kept their relationship generally private, but Balfe and music producer Anthony “Tony” McGill got married at St. Mary’s Church in Bruton, Somerset, in the United Kingdom, on Aug. 15, People reported. “It happened over the break [from filming]. I’m very happy,” she told People of her engagement at the 2018 Golden Globes when she showed off her ring. The actress's Outlander co-stars were reportedly in attendance at the nuptials.

She Fights For Better Health Care Access Worldwide

"I love it [in the United States]," Balfe told Colbert. "People care here...Institutions care here, or they used to." The actress is always fighting for causes she believes in. She's currently a Band Together ambassador for Global Goal 3, working to provide better health care access for people worldwide. The initiative has many important goals like reducing maternal mortality and easier access to reproductive health care, according to Balfe's Instagram.

Her career and influence isn't slowing down anytime soon, thats for sure.

You can stream Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance right now on Netflix.

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