The crew of OBX is poised for the next chapter in their thrilling narrative. After all, Chase Stokes recently shared that he and the rest of the Outer Banks cast, including Drew Starkey and Madelyn Cline, aren't mired in sadness over the Netflix series' impending conclusion after its fifth season. "We're grateful for the ride, and we're ready to wrap it up," Chase explained in an interview with People published on December 27th. "We want the story to end on a high note."
Indeed, the 33-year-old, who stars as John B. in the Netflix teen drama, underscored that it's best to conclude on a triumphant high rather than stretching the plot into "season nine and we're chasing after aliens or something." As he put it, "We want to cut the cord before we lose the plot's thread." Although the newest season isn't slated to air until next year, Chase already had his final prance with the Pogues, as filming has already wrapped. "There's just so much gratitude," he said. "I've checked so many boxes that I thought it would span the course of the next 40 years of my career."
Meanwhile, Madelyn, who dated Chase from 2020 to 2021, shortly after meeting on season one of the series, has explained that the show remained her "safe space," despite navigating a breakup with her costar. "We've said from day one, our job is always to leave the show and the season better than when we left it last," she told People in 2023. "And everybody is still very much a family. Outer Banks has always been a family. And I'm just happy that we are able to remain professional."
Of course, Madelyn and Chase—who went on to date Kelsea Ballerini for two years before the former pair split earlier this year—also had to weather the storm that came with their breakup following such a public romance. "I think at the time I didn't realize what the repercussions [were] of inviting so many people into something intimate," Madelyn reflected during a March appearance on Jake Shane's Therapuss podcast. "I didn't understand. I was just so in love."
But the former couple realized they could channel the public's response to their breakup into their Outer Banks characters' love story. As Madelyn put it, "I think they loved it because of us, but they also loved John B. and Sarah, first and foremost."
