Madelyn Cline Reflects on Her Breakup With Chase Stokes
Madelyn Cline is looking back on one of the more complicated parts of her Outer Banks experience: continuing to play Chase Stokes’ romantic partner after their real-life relationship ended.
Cline and Stokes became a couple while working on the Netflix drama. Their romance began during the show’s early years, but they split in November 2021. Their characters, Sarah Cameron and John B, remained romantically connected on screen.
That meant the former couple had to keep working closely together even after their personal relationship changed.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cline acknowledged that the situation was not always easy. However, she said the two eventually found their way back to the friendship they had before they started dating.
Madelyn Cline Says Working With Chase Stokes Was Difficult at Times
Cline did not pretend that filming romantic scenes with an ex was effortless.
She described the experience as difficult at certain points. Still, she said that after some time, the tension eased and she and Stokes were able to reconnect as friends.
The actress explained that there eventually came a point when both of them recognised they did not want to remain unhappy while working together.
Her comments offer a more personal look at how the two actors handled a situation that could have affected one of Netflix’s most popular shows.
Rather than allowing their breakup to define their professional relationship, they chose to focus on their work and their long-standing friendship.
Chase Stokes and Madelyn Cline Put Outer Banks First
The decision to remain professional was not entirely new.
In a 2023 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Stokes explained that he and Cline had already agreed that their work would come first. He said the pair had made that commitment before they even began dating.
Cline expressed a similar view at the time. She pointed out that their professional relationship existed before their romantic relationship.
That distinction became particularly important after their breakup because Sarah and John B continued to share a major romantic storyline in Outer Banks.
Their approach also helped keep the focus on the series rather than their private lives.
When Did Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes Date?
Cline and Stokes met while working on Outer Banks, which premiered in 2020.
Their on-screen characters, Sarah Cameron and John B, quickly became one of the show’s central couples. The actors also developed a relationship away from the cameras and publicly confirmed their romance in June 2020.
Their relationship lasted for roughly a year and a half before they separated in November 2021.
Despite the breakup, neither actor left the series. Instead, they continued portraying Sarah and John B as a couple.
Their Professional Relationship Continued Through the Final Season
The story has now reached an important point for the Outer Banks cast.
Netflix released the show’s fifth and final season on August 20, 2026. The final season marks the end of the original series after five seasons.
That makes Cline’s latest comments especially relevant. The actors were able to work through their personal history while remaining part of the same ensemble for years.
Their experience also reflects a broader reality of television production. Actors can face the unusual challenge of separating personal relationships from demanding professional commitments, particularly when their characters remain romantically involved.
Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes Chose Friendship
Cline’s latest comments suggest that rebuilding a friendship was ultimately more important than allowing an uncomfortable past to affect their work.
The former couple had already spent years building a professional partnership before they became romantically involved. After their breakup, they returned to that foundation.
That approach appears to have helped them continue working together while keeping Outer Banks moving forward.
The show’s cast has frequently described the production as a close-knit group. As the series comes to an end, Cline’s reflections provide another glimpse into the relationships behind one of Netflix’s biggest teen dramas.
Why Madelyn Cline’s Comments Matter to Outer Banks Fans
Fans have followed Sarah Cameron and John B’s relationship since the show’s first season. Knowing that the actors behind those characters had already ended their real-life romance adds another layer to their on-screen partnership.
However, Cline’s comments also make clear that the situation was handled as a professional commitment.
Instead of turning their breakup into a public feud, the two actors continued showing up for the series. Their ability to maintain a working relationship allowed Sarah and John B’s story to continue without the actors’ personal history becoming the focus of the show.
With the fifth season now serving as the series finale, that chapter of their careers has officially come to a close.