Outer Banks became a breakout hit for Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes, but the Netflix series also tied their professional lives to a relationship that eventually ended. The two actors fell in love while filming the first season, went public as a couple in 2020 and split in 2021, leaving them with an unusual challenge: their characters were still deeply in love.
Sarah Cameron and John B remained at the center of the story, which meant Cline and Stokes continued filming romantic scenes together while their real-life relationship was over. Their breakup also played out under intense public scrutiny, making it difficult for either actor to simply leave that part of their lives behind when they returned to set.
Cline has now opened up about that period as Outer Banks reaches its fifth and final season. In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actress acknowledged that working with Stokes after their breakup was difficult.
“There were moments when it was difficult, absolutely,” she said.
Cline explained that the situation eventually reached a point where the two had to be honest with each other about how they wanted to move forward, rather than allowing the breakup to continue making their work more difficult.
“At some point, you look at each other and you’re like, ‘Are you ready to stop being miserable? Because I’m ready,’” Cline said.
The conversation gave them a way to put the more difficult part of their breakup behind them and focus on maintaining a healthy working relationship.
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That shift also allowed Cline and Stokes to reconnect with the friendship they had before they became a couple.
“Once the dust kind of settled, we were able to just revert to the friendship that we always had,” Cline explained.
That friendship ultimately helped them continue working together through the final season, with all 10 episodes of Outer Banks Season 5 now streaming on Netflix.
The experience came during a period when Cline was also adjusting to an entirely new level of fame. She recalled realizing how recognizable she had become during the pandemic while traveling through LAX, when other passengers began staring at her despite the fact that she was wearing a mask and a hat.
The success of Outer Banks had changed her life, and for a while, that scrutiny extended to every stage of her relationship with Stokes. Now, with the show behind them and the friendship intact, both seem more at ease letting that chapter stay closed.