Madelyn Cline Discusses the Challenges of Filming ‘Outer Banks’ With Ex Chase Stokes

Portraying an on-screen couple is one challenge, but doing so for years after a real-life breakup presents an entirely different set of difficulties. Few actors have navigated this as publicly as the stars of ‘Outer Banks.’ Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes brought the characters Sarah Cameron and John B. Routledge to life across all five seasons of the Netflix series, a romance that closely mirrored their own real-world relationship in the show’s early days.

This connection began in 2019 when Cline and Stokes met just weeks before filming commenced. By the time ‘Outer Banks‘ debuted on Netflix in April 2020, dating rumors were already circulating, and the couple confirmed their romance that June, giving fans the unique experience of witnessing an on-screen love story unfold alongside a real one.

However, that fairy tale didn’t last. Cline and Stokes broke up during Season 2 but were still required to portray devoted lovers through Seasons 3 to 5. Cline has now openly acknowledged the emotional toll this situation took. “There were moments when it was difficult, absolutely,” she shared with The Hollywood Reporter, adding, “but once the dust kind of settled, we were able to just revert to the friendship that we always had. At some point, you look at each other and you’re like, ‘Are you ready to stop being miserable? Because I’m ready.’”

Her honesty sheds light on years of fan speculation regarding how they maintained such convincing on-screen chemistry despite their breakup. Cline previously mentioned the disorienting nature of their public relationship, stating on Jake Shane’s “Therapuss” podcast that she “didn’t realize what the repercussions [were] of inviting so many people into something… that’s intimate,” describing the breakup as leaving her unsure of her own identity, which had become intertwined with both the relationship and the show.

Stokes has echoed this sense of professional commitment in past interviews, revealing to Entertainment Weekly in 2023 that they made a pact before dating to prioritize their work. “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,” he said, emphasizing that this promise “stayed 100 percent truthful” even through their personal fallout.

Since their 2021 breakup, both actors have moved on. Stokes dated singer Kelsea Ballerini, a relationship marked by multiple splits and reconciliations before ultimately ending. Cline has been linked to musician Jackson Guthy, comedian Pete Davidson, and influencer Henry Smith.

Despite their separate personal lives, the professional partnership at the heart of ‘Outer Banks’ has clearly endured. Cline’s remarks to THR come as the show wraps its fifth and final season, concluding a run that saw her and Stokes anchor one of Netflix’s most enduring young-adult romances while managing a complex off-screen relationship.

In addition to discussing her dynamic with Stokes, Cline also reflected on the overwhelming experience of sudden fame following the show’s success. She likened the adjustment to code-switching, explaining, “It’s more like adapting. You’re a chameleon. I didn’t understand that when I first got there. But someone told me once, every time you step outside your apartment in LA, it’s the biggest audition of your life.”

With ‘Outer Banks’ now concluded, Cline’s candid insights into the show’s most complicated off-screen dynamic provide a fitting conclusion to a relationship that unfolded in real-time alongside one of Netflix’s most cherished fictional romances.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!