Outer Banks fans have watched the cast change on and off screen since the series first debuted.
The hit Netflix series, which premiered in 2020, introduced viewers to a coastal town in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, which is divided into wealthy and working-class sides. Meanwhile, a group of teenagers accidentally find themselves at the center of a dangerous treasure hunt.
Outer Banks set the scene for multiple fan-favorite fictional couples with John B (Chase Stokes) and Sarah (Madelyn Cline) kicking things off. As John B and Sarah fell in love while trying not to get divided by their social status, their offscreen counterparts also started dating.
Stokes and Cline took their romance public after the show premiered. Us Weekly confirmed in November 2021 that the pair called it quits after more than one year of dating. Stokes and Cline have since discussed coming back to film more seasons of the show after their split.
“Mads and I have been working together now for 30 episodes, and we made a promise to each other before we even started dating that the work was always going to come first,” Stokes told Entertainment Weekly in February 2023. “And that no matter what happens in our personal lives, and the ways that life sometimes takes you in different directions, that we’re always going to honor the work. That stayed 100 percent truthful this season.”
Cline echoed Stokes’ sentiment, telling Cosmopolitan that same month, “We always said that the job remains untouched. Nothing else, personal or negative, will touch the job. And while that’s not always easy, our job is to leave the show better than we found it, to leave the season better than we found it. And I’m really appreciative of that.”
In addition to John B and Sarah’s love story, characters Kiara (Madison Bailey) and JJ (Rudy Pankow) turned their friendship into something more during season 3 before his controversial death. Pope (Jonathan Daviss), meanwhile, found a perfect match in newcomer Cleo (Carlacia Grant), which fans saw developed more in the fourth season.
See then-and-now photos of the Outer Banks stars:
Chase Stokes
Since bringing John B to life, Stokes booked roles in movies such as Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets, The Uglies and Valiant One. He also had a small stint on Prime Video’s Tell Me Your Secrets.
Stokes announced in June 2020 that he was dating Cline but they parted ways after more than one year of dating. He has been in a relationship with Kelsea Ballerini since early 2023.
Madelyn Cline
Cline’s stellar performance as Sarah on Outer Banks was just the beginning as she has since appeared in This Is the Night and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. The actress is set to star alongside Camila Mendes in the untitled I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot.
After Outer Banks premiered on Netflix, Cline and Stokes confirmed their romance. They called it quits in 2021 and Cline was later linked to Zack Bia and Jackson Guthy. Cline also dated Pete Davidson in 2023 before their relationship fizzled out.
Madison Bailey
In addition to playing Kiara on Outer Banks, Bailey appeared on an episode of American Horror Stories. She has also scored projects on the big screen including Supercool, The Painter and Time Cut.
Bailey came out as pansexual in 2017 and is currently dating basketball player Mariah Linney.
Jonathan Daviss
Fans fell in love with Daviss’ portrayal as Pope and have continued to keep up with his roles in Do Revenge and Baselines.
Rudy Pankow
After being cast as JJ, Pankow pivoted primarily to movies. He has appeared in Lift Off, Uncharted, Space Waves, Accidental Texan and The Crusades. In 2024, Pankow was announced as Romeo in the American Repertory Theatre’s production of Romeo and Juliet. He left his role as JJ one season before Outer Banks wrapped up the show.
Pankow has been in a relationship with Elaine Siemek since 2020 after they met on set of Outer Banks.
Drew Starkey
There’s no one else who could bring Rafe to life on Outer Banks quite like Starkey has been able to. Starkey also booked a role on The Terminal List but has largely remained focused on movie opportunities when he isn’t filming Outer Banks.
Some of Starkey’s gigs include Hellraiser, The Other Zoey and the upcoming film Queer.
Austin North
Not everyone is Team Topper, despite North’s best effort throughout the years. However, fans got to see a different side of North in projects such as Beautiful Disaster, Beautiful Wedding and One Fast Move.
Off screen, North briefly dated Duck Dynasty star Sadie Robertson in 2018 but has since kept his love life out of the spotlight.
North was arrested in February 2024 in Las Vegas after he allegedly assaulted several staff members in the emergency room. He was taken into custody and booked for gross misdemeanor battery before being released on bond.
In a statement following his arrest, North clarified the situation, writing via Instagram, “I am deeply upset by the events that took place in Las Vegas this past week. My friend drove me to the hospital because I thought I was having a heart attack. Several tests were taken, including blood, which came back negative for any drugs or alcohol in my system. I was having a severe anxiety attack.”
He continued, “I have very little memory of the events that day at the hospital. I have the utmost respect for healthcare workers and hospital staff. I have battled anxiety on and off for years and this was the most extreme panic attack I’ve ever had. Going forward, I hope to shed light on this debilitating disorder and send hope to those who have also struggled.”
Charles Esten
Fans have had a love-hate relationship with Ward but Esten already had an extensive resume before taking on the complicated Outer Banks role. It remains unclear what capacity Esten will appear on Outer Banks after his character was killed off in season 3. He has kept busy, however, with Tell Me Your Secrets and several movies such as Bad On Paper, Grizzly Night and Signing Day.
Esten shares three kids with wife Patty Hanson, whom he started dating after they met in college.
Carlacia Grant
Before joining Outer Banks in season 2, Grant appeared on Roots, The Resident, Greenleaf and Game of Silence.
