The Cast of Outer Banks: Everything to Know

Fans can't get enough of Netflix's Outer Banks.

Set in a community in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the show follows a group of young teens called the Pogues as they hunt for hidden treasure.

Just as the show has gained critical acclaim for its action-packed storylines, the breakout cast has skyrocketed to fame thanks to their roles on the series.

For many of the actors, though, the true thrill has been making close bonds with their costars.

"We've had almost entirely the exact same group of people on and off camera since day one," Chase Stokes told PEOPLE in 2023. "So getting to go to work with familiar faces and people that you've shared this incredible journey with just continues to be the best part of this whole thing. I think that's what constantly keeps us going."

Now, they're getting back in action with the show’s highly anticipated fourth season, which will be split into two five-episode parts: Part 1 premieres Oct. 10 and Part 2 premieres Nov. 7. 

Season 4 picks up from season 3’s flash-forward finale, which revists the Pogues 18 months after they discovered the gold in El Dorado and follows Big John (Charles Halford) and Ward Cameron’s (Charles Esten) deaths. Now attempting to lead a life of normalcy at “Poguelandia 2.0” after El Dorado, the Pogues contemplate taking up Wes’ (David Jensen) offer to hunt down Blackbeard’s gold.

From their early beginnings in the industry to their relationship histories to the projects they’ve had since Outer Banks premiered, here's everything to know about the cast as the show returns.

Chase Stokes as John B.

Born in Maryland as James Alexander Chase Stokes, the actor first got his start in the business with small roles on Stranger Things and Daytime Divas.

While John B. on Outer Banks marked Stokes’ breakout role, he originally turned it down. "I was like, 'That's The Goonies. That's for sure The Goonies. I don't want to destroy that.' So I passed on it. … I was like, 'Nope. Not doing that,' “ he recalled during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2021.

Eventually, eager to land a job, he changed his mind and auditioned for the role of Topper. Though he thought he "bombed" the audition, the East Coast casting director reached out to Stokes' agent to see if he'd consider the part of John B. again, and the rest was history.

While his primary focus has been Outer Banks since the show premiered in 2020, he made a short appearance on TNT's Tell Me Your Secrets in 2021.

In September 2024, Stokes starred alongside Joey King and Laverne Cox in Uglies, the Netflix film adaptation based on the Scott Westerfeld novel of the same name. Coming up, he’ll appear in two movies: the Steve Barnett-directed thriller Valiant One and Marked Men, a young adult romance from The Notebook director Nick Cassavetes.

On the personal front, Stokes was previously in a relationship with his costar and onscreen girlfriend Madelyn Cline. The two dated for more than a year before announcing their breakup in November 2021.

Since 2023, the actor has been dating country singer Kelsea Ballerini, with whom he first sparked romance rumors after the two were spotted cuddling up at a football game in January of that year.

Madelyn Cline as Sarah Cameron

Madelyn Cline grew up in Goose Creek, S.C., near Charleston, where Outer Banks films. Early in her career, she booked recurring roles on shows such as Stranger Things and The Originals before landing Outer Banks.

Following her breakout role as Sarah Cameron, Cline has continued to work with Netflix, starring in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) alongside Daniel Craig, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Kate Hudson and Dave Bautista.

Speaking with PEOPLE in 2022, the actress said she couldn’t contain herself when she first met her famous costars in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

"Daniel had everyone over to his villa for dinner, and it was nice because it kind of brought everyone together," said Cline. "I was nervous because I know them [as] characters that they've played, but I don't know them."

Cline became so overwhelmed, she needed to excuse herself: "I had my little freak-out when I first met everyone. I had to go to the bathroom and I was like, 'You're good, you're good.' And then from there on out it was just a good time."

In July 2024, Deadline announced that Cline had been cast alongside Riverdale alumna Camila Mendes in the 2025 I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot, joining franchise originals Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr.

While filming the first season of Outer Banks, Cline developed a real-life romance with her onscreen boyfriend, Stokes. The two dated for more than a year before splitting in November 2021.

In June 2022, Cline sparked dating rumors with Jackson Guthy after they stepped out together various times in California.

Months later, Cline confirmed she was "happily taken" in her February 2023 cover story with Cosmopolitan. Though she didn't disclose the identity of her new beau at the time, the two later attended the Outer Banks season 3 premiere together, with onlookers confirming to PEOPLE that Cline brought Guthy as her date to the afterparty, where the two were seen kissing and cuddling.

Following breakup rumors in July 2023, PEOPLE confirmed that September that the Outer Banks actress was dating Saturday Night Live alum Pete Davidson. After 10 months of dating, the couple called it quits in July 2024.

Madison Bailey as Kiara

Like her Outer Banks character, Madison Bailey is a North Carolinian. She was born in Kernersville, N.C., and raised in Charleston by her adoptive parents, according to V magazine. Growing up, Bailey wanted to be a singer but, as she told L’Officiel in 2020, eventually transitioned to acting when she was about 13 or 14.

She began her professional acting career in 2015 with small roles on Mr. Mercedes and Constantine, before landing the part of Wendy Hernandez on The CW's Black Lightning in 2018. She played the role for two seasons before being cast as Kiara on Outer Banks.

In between filming Outer Banks episodes, Bailey joined the American Horror Story franchise in 2021, playing Kelley in an episode of the show's spinoff series, American Horror Stories. In 2024, she starred in Kimani Ray Smith’s thriller The Painter and was cast in the rom-com Maintenance Required alongside Love Lies Bleeding star Katy O’Brian, per Deadline.

Bailey, an out pansexual, has been dating basketball player Mariah Linney since 2020. In addition to giving glimpses of their relationship on social media, including sweet tributes to each other on Instagram, they have also attended several events together since going public with their romance.

Although Jonathan Daviss isn't from North Carolina like his Outer Banks character, he did grow up in the South. The actor was raised in Conroe, Tex., where he played football in high school. After graduation, he and his family moved to California, where he pursued a career in acting.

Following roles in films such as Deliverance Creek (2014) and Edge of the World (2018), Daviss booked his breakout role as Pope on Outer Banks. Like several of his costars, Daviss has continued to work on Netflix projects, having starred in Do Revenge (2022) alongside Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke.

When the up-and-coming star isn’t acting, he’s usually showing off his musical talents on TikTok and posting pictures from the recording studio on Instagram.

Though Daviss has kept his romantic life private, he has developed a close bond with his Outer Banks costars, often attending various award shows and sporting events with Stokes, Austin North and others.

Rudy Pankow as JJ

Rudy Pankow’s roots are in Ketchikan, Alaska, which he says is similar to the show's main setting, the Outer Banks.

"Both are fishing, tourism towns," he told Wonderland magazine in 2020. "The biggest difference is the temperature. It was fun to be on boats and catch people off guard when they noticed I already knew how to drive a boat and tie it up and be comfortable on the water all day."

Following high school, Pankow actually considered going to culinary school but changed his career path after staying in Los Angeles with friends and attending an acting class. "I knew it was the route I was suppose to take," he told Wonderland.

After doing a handful of short films and appearing on shows such as The Politician and Solved, Pankow booked JJ on Outer Banks, which, like many of his cast members, has been his breakout role. Since then, Pankow has appeared in Uncharted (2022) alongside Tom Holland, 2023’s Accidental Texan and The Crusades and 5lbs of Pressure (2024).

Also like several of his costars, Pankow found love on the set of the hit Netflix series. Since at least November 2020, he’s been dating Elaine Siemek, who works behind the scenes as an assistant to showrunner Jonas Pate.

Austin North as Topper

Before starring as Cameron's ex-boyfriend Topper from the rival Kook group, Austin North was a Disney Channel star. One of his first acting roles was on the Disney XD series Kickin' It in 2011, but he's best known for his role as Logan Watson on the Disney Channel series I Didn't Do It.

Additionally, he had roles on shows such as Jessie and All Night before booking Netflix's Outer Banks. He’s since landed parts in films like Beautiful Disaster (2023) and its sequel, Beautiful Wedding (2024), as well as One Fast Move (2024).

On the personal front, he previously dated Duck Dynasty star Sadie Robertson; however, they split in 2018 after four months together. North doesn't share much about his romantic life, but he does often post photos of him hanging out with his costars as well as fellow Disney Channel alum Dylan Sprouse.

Drew Starkey as Rafe Cameron

Hailing from Hickory, N.C., Drew Starkey studied the arts at Western Carolina University and participated in its Stage and Screen program. After graduating in 2016, he decided to move to Atlanta to pursue a career in acting.

Before Starkey was cast as Sarah's abrasive brother, Rafe Cameron, on Outer Banks, his acting credits included Love, Simon (2018), Scream: Resurrection, Ozark and Just Mercy (2019).

Since then, he has kept busy booking various TV and film roles. In 2022, he starred in Hulu's Hellraiser reboot alongside Odessa A'zion and had a recurring role on the Chris Pratt-led Amazon Prime Video series The Terminal List. In addition to appearing in Netflix’s rom-com The Other Zoey (2023) with Josephine Langford and Archie Renaux, Starkey also stars opposite Daniel Craig in Luca Guadagnino’s historical romance drama Queer (2024).

Carlacia Grant as Cleo

After joining the cast in season 2, Carlacia Grant was promoted to series regular in season 3. In December 2021, she told Sheen magazine that she got her start in the industry doing plays and pageants before discovering her passion for acting at the age of 13.

"My parents, being West Indian, never considered being an actor a real career at first. Finally, my mom caved in after constantly begging her, she agreed to help me do it. We had a lot of challenges along the way but it eventually worked out," Grant told the publication.

She made her TV debut in 2016 on History Channel's Roots remake before appearing in a handful of other shows, such as Greenleaf and The Resident. However, Outer Banks marks her first starring role.

"The fan base is just so intense," the actress told Elle in 2021 of joining the cast. "Even to get the response Cleo was getting before the show came out...Yeah, it's a really, really, really big job."

Grant has yet to confirm any specifics about her relationship status, but she constantly shares her picturesque adventures with her 1.3 million Instagram followers.

Charles Esten as Ward Cameron

Although Charles Esten is well known for his dramatic roles nowadays, he first got his start in comedy. In the '90s, he was a recurring cast member of the hit improvisational series Whose Line Is It Anyway? led by Drew Carey.

Following guest appearances on shows such as Married... with Children, Star Trek: The Next Generation and The Office, Esten received critical acclaim for his role on Nashville opposite Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere, which ran from 2012 to 2018. Like his costar Stokes, he also picked up an acting credit on Tell Me Your Secrets in 2021 and appeared in Katy Chevigny’s The Easy Kind (2024). 

Esten has since gained a whole new following with his role as Ward Cameron, the father of Sarah and Rafe. Speaking with PEOPLE at the season 3 premiere in February 2023, the actor opened up about the close friendships he's made with his costars — and whether he feels like a fatherly figure to them.

"I'm not sure it's father, more uncle, maybe really old big brother," he said. "They're very kind, and they listen to some things and they're very kind about what they say about any lessons that the old guy has ever taught them just from being on the set together."

Esten is married to his college sweetheart, Patty Hanson Puskar, with whom he shares three children.

Charles Halford as John Routledge

Halford was a veteran TV and film actor long before playing the dad of John B. on Outer Banks. Though he has numerous credits to his name, he is best known for playing Chas Chandler on the NBC series Constantine, Earl in Logan Lucky (2017) and Sammy Wilds in Bad Times at the El Royale (2018).

In addition to appearing on three episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, he also acted in the Kevin Costner-fronted Western Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1 (2024).

Beyond his TV and film work, Halford has done voice acting for several popular video games, including Rise of the Tomb Raider and The Walking Dead: A New Frontier.

Like his costars, Halford has posted many behind-the-scenes glimpses of filming, including photos with his onscreen son Stokes. "Such an amazing ride! My heart is exploding in wonder and gratitude rn! 💛💛💛!" he captioned a 2023 Instagram post of him and Stokes promoting season 3.