The Untold Truth Of Madelyn Cline
The following references disordered eating.
If you have not yet gotten into the coming-of-age drama "Outer Banks," or "OBX" as fans call it, it is not too late to start. The Netflix sensation, which first premiered in April 2020, transports the audience to the lowlands of North Carolina's barrier islands and delivers treasure hunts, romance, mystery, adventure, and rebelliousness. You better believe the on-screen tension is as heavy as the Carolina humidity. At the center of a lot of the show's conflict is Sarah Cameron, played by Madelyn Cline.
While this is Cline's first lead role on a television series, it is not her first small screen rodeo. She's popped up on other hit shows and in feature films, and it is more than clear that her star is on the rise. Want to get to know the Southern belle behind the so-called princess of the Kooks? Put on your fins and swim goggles, because we're diving right into the untold truth of "Outer Banks" star Madelyn Cline.
She's a college dropout
Madelyn Cline traded her studies for a shot at Hollywood at the age of 18, and to this day she has no regrets. In a period of teenage angst and innocence where most of her peers were funneling cheap beer and deciding what sorority to join, she had eyes on Hollywood Hills. Cline told Glamour that choosing to live for herself — and veer away from the path set for her — made all the difference. "I just realized that I was completely miserable doing what would make other people happy," Cline said. And with that, she left Coastal Carolina University for good and took on an arguably less certain future.
In a 2021 chat with Elle, Cline reflected on jumping headfirst into the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles at a young age. "I was so enraptured by this idea of going as far as I possibly could and being who I wanted to be. ... I think there's something to be said for just not knowing, being a little naive, and just flying by the seat of your pants, because it is a big thing, it's really stressful." Given her breakout part on "Outer Banks" as well as her roles in "Knives Out 2," and "The Vampire Diaries" spinoff "The Originals," she probably made the right decision.
She's originally from the South
You can take the girl out of the country but you can't take the country out of the girl. The saying rings true for southern starlet Madelyn Cline. Fans may be surprised to know the actor spent her formative years a stone's throw away from her character Sarah Cameron on "Outer Banks." The South Carolina native grew up in Goose Creek, a city north of Charleston known for its small-town southern character.
But her rise to stardom was a long time coming, and as noted by The Post and Courier, she gave up summers with childhood friends for modeling jobs in New York. At just 10 years old, she was booking jobs for retail stores and wireless companies. She told the newspaper at the time that she also picked up ballet and dance classes to improve her skill set. Hey, we have to imagine the balance and coordination she developed at the ballet barre come in handy when her "Outer Banks" character is running from the law, sneaking on cargo ships, and avoiding explosions.
Cline told Schon that the early years doing commercial print work in the Big Apple set the stage for her passion for acting. "I loved the city, I loved being on sets and being around other creatives," she continued, "I never really grew out of my love for it and combined with how much I loved cinema, I later transitioned into acting."
She's friends with her castmates IRL
The "Outer Banks" cast's chemistry is every bit as genuine offscreen as it is in the fictional world of Pogues — and no, we're not just talking about Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes' former romance. If Cline's Instagram feed is any indication, it seems the boisterous bunch gets into just as much trouble IRL as they do filming the show. Cline and other cast members frequently post photo dumps of snaps taken both on and off the set, and members of the cast go on trips and outings together.
Cline actually spent her pandemic quarantine a floor down from her castmate Drew Starkey. "We live in the same building so we're able to hang out and I've got a couple of my castmates bumming it with me right now, so I'm not completely alone," she told Glamour. What kept the Netflix star sane during lockdown? FaceTimes, sleepovers, and watching "Harry Potter" movies.
Given how good looking the cast is, one might assume looks were the top priority when it came time to figure out who would play who, when in reality, chemistry played the biggest role. "Jonas [Pate] says that he accidentally cast all attractive people," castmate Madison Bailey told Refinery29. "He was like, 'You guys were all just good!'" Well they certainly steal hearts just as easily as treasure and boats, that's for sure.
She dated her Outer Banks boyfriend
Who doesn't love when onscreen romance is just as real behind the scenes? Madelyn Cline delighted "Outer Banks" fans everywhere when she and her onscreen boyfriend Chase Stokes made it official in 2020 — and the two seemed smitten. "She's one of my favorite people on planet Earth," Stokes once gushed to Us Weekly. Aw.
The pair brought the heat during Kygo and Donna Summer's 2020 hit music video for "Hot Stuff." They also packed on the PDA in an onstage kiss after they won the award for "Best Kiss" at the 2021 MTV Movie Awards.
After a whirlwind romance brought together by the fictional world of Kooks and Pogues, the two ended things a little over a year after going public. With their careers at the forefront, it seems the pair have been able to remain friends following the split. The two were even spotted out together shortly after the breakup, but a source confirmed to People the "OBX" stars are not back together. Both have kept their current relationship status hush-hush but have been seen out and about with other people. As E! News reported in July 2022, Cline and singer-songwriter Jackson Guthy have been photographed spending time together around Los Angeles; Stokes has been linked to model Izzy Metz, but as Us Weekly noted, Metz downplayed the speculation.
She's obsessed with skincare
You may be surprised to know that even Hollywood's big names struggle with oily skin and stubborn breakouts like the rest of us. Madelyn Cline's journey to dewy, fresh-faced skin was not without its struggles, and she's giving viewers a peek into her skincare routine.
Cline told The Cut that she used retinoid-based treatments to tame her cystic acne for years before having to swap them out due to humid, sunny filming conditions for "OBX." So what's her secret? "I focus on the active ingredients in a product," she shared. "For cleansing, the active ingredient that has been most effective for me is benzoyl peroxide. For pigmentation and anti-aging, I look for hyaluronic acid and vitamin C, and for dryness, I look for vitamin E." The star has gone to drastic measures to save face — no pun intended. In a Marie Claire video clip, she recalled once trying (and failing) to tame her oil-prone skin with a liquid laxative.
But with heavy makeup, as well as filming in humid areas of the country like Atlanta and South Carolina, Cline noted that breakouts are just a part of life. "It's obviously never fun to have stubborn acne onscreen," she said in the aforementioned interview with The Cut. "But at the end of the day, everybody gets pimples. Breakouts don't diminish your beauty, baby."
She's never actually been to the Outer Banks
In a chat with Women's Wear Daily, "Outer Banks" star Madelyn Cline shared that she has never actually been to the real Outer Banks. Turns out, it's actually shot in locations around South Carolina. As per The Hollywood Reporter, in the wake of North Carolina's "bathroom bill" which restricts restroom access based on gender, producers refused to shoot the coming-of-age series in its "hometown."
While she hasn't been to the IRL Outer Banks, it sounds like she's happy to be on "Outer Banks" for as long as possible — contrary to what the rumor mill says. "Hi so I'm getting asked if s3 is my final season of obx," the actor wrote in an Instagram Story in January 2022 (via Us Weekly). "I will come back for as many seasons as they will have me." The South Carolina native continued, "I love my job and there's not a day that goes by that I'm not grateful for it and for everyone who has watched it. Not everything you read on the internet is true."
In December 2021, Netflix renewed "OBX" for Season 3. Given its popularity (it was the most-watched show on any U.S. streaming platform for several weeks in a row), as well as the creators' overall vision, it feels safe to assume there could be more to come. As co-creator Pate told Entertainment Weekly, "We always viewed it as something that was probably like a four-season, maybe five-season show, but definitely four seasons."
Madelyn Cline has at least one tattoo
In 2021, Madelyn Cline headed to a tattoo parlor and had the phrase "Tell me more" inked to her finger. As for the story behind this tattoo? We may never know, but we do know that it sure is cool.
After she finished the tat, artist Kate McDuffie posted a black and white Instagram photo of Cline's finger and wrote, "An angel in the city of angels." As far as we can tell, this is the actor's only tattoo. Not only is the piece super subtle, but it fits right in with the minimal finger tattoo trend that's been a hit in Hollywood (and beyond) for years.
Speaking of stars and tattoos, Cline isn't the only "Outer Banks" actor with body art. Her castmate Madison Bailey, who plays Kiara Carrera, has one small tattoo of "11:11" on her wrist, as well as another that reads "Handle With Care" in script going down her neck. Madison Cline's on-screen boyfriend (slash off-screen ex-boyfriend) also has his own set of ink: Chase Stokes has a tattoo on his right bicep of a dove with the script "Love Joan" as a tribute to his grandmother.
Madelyn Cline sticks to a vegan diet
Madelyn Cline follows a clean vegan diet. Back when she and "Outer Banks" co-star Chase Stokes were still an item, the actor told ET Canada that he even adopted some of her plant-based eating habits when the two were living together. And it sounds like he's happy he made this adjustment to his diet. As he said in the clip, he's noticed he has more energy when he eats plant-based food.
While Cline has figured out a diet that works for her, the road leading up to this point wasn't easy for the "OBX" starlet. In a 2020 video for Women's Health, she opened up about her history of past eating habits and body dysmorphia. "I would eat like six almonds for breakfast because I didn't want to counteract the cardio that I just did," she recalled. It was her mother that ultimately helped encourage her to love herself and all the parts of her body she saw as problem areas. "She would stand there in the mirror with me and we would list out things that I liked about my body," she said. The actor recalled getting into a habit of repeating to herself the parts of her body she loves, learning to appreciate her curves and adopting better healthier habits. "Self-love is a constant journey," she said. Couldn't agree more.
If you are struggling with an eating disorder, or know someone who is, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).
You may recognize her from Stranger Things
Before "Outer Banks," Madelyn Cline made waves in Netflix's hit show "Stranger Things" Season 2, and as the actor told Schon Magazine, this job was one of the reasons she ultimately prioritized acting over getting an education. "I think one of the most defining moments for me was when I was in college driving back and forth from Myrtle Beach to Atlanta to work on 'The Originals' and 'Stranger Things,' and I realized that something had to give," she said. "I knew I didn't want to continue splitting my time — I wanted to at least try to pursue it full time."
So a few months later, Cline skipped out on her midterms, packed up her life, and moved to Los Angeles with a few roommates — but there wasn't much glitz or glamour during her early days in Tinseltown. "When I first moved out, we were living in this jailhouse apartment complex and we ended up getting bedbugs, my roommate and I were living out of our cars for two weeks, and that was on top of just not auditioning," Cline recalled to Glamour. Of course, her luck would soon change, as she not only started getting auditions, but booking parts on shows like "Vice Principals," movies like "Boy Erased," and yes, "Stranger Things."
Cline's not the only "Outer Banks" star that has popped up on "Stranger Things." Maryland native Chase Stokes appeared briefly on the sci-fi series, as the character of Reed, in Season 1.
She used to work at a horse stable
Madelyn Cline might have traded her barn boots for bikinis, but horseback riding has remained her go-to source of comfort. The actor told Vogue that while trying to make it in Hollywood, she spent her days mucking stalls and feeding horses for $30 a day. And while she certainly wasn't raking in bank, it gave her some of her fondest memories. "When I'm riding, I feel very centered — but also very alert, because I'm trying to figure out what the horse is telling me and what's around us," she shared. "If you stay calm, they'll stay calm." Cline may seem like she's a lifetime away from her days of doing equine chores, but as she made abundantly clear in the aforementioned Vogue video, her connection with horses has not faded.
Cline sure seems to have a knack for bonding with animals. In a March 2022 Instagram post, Cline shared a photo of herself cozying up to a monkey, as well as a video clip of a monkey stealing a rum punch from castmate Drew Starkey. Cat got your tongue, or monkey got your rum?