Paradise isn’t so peaceful in the Outer Banks universe. Following the shocking death of fan-favorite character JJ Maybank in season 4, speculation about behind-the-scenes tension between stars Rudy Pankow (who portrayed JJ) and Madison Bailey has reached a boiling point, with recent social media moves adding fuel to the fire.
In the latest development, cast member Madelyn Cline, who portrays Sarah Cameron on the Netflix hit, unfollowed Pankow on Instagram. It’s a move that comes approximately one year after she allegedly severed social media ties with his girlfriend, Elaine Siemek.
Videos by PopCulture.com
The drama reportedly traces back to June 2023, when a seemingly innocuous cast dinner in Charleston, South Carolina, sparked a chain reaction of social media unfollows. Following the gathering, which included Pankow, Siemek, Bailey, and Bailey’s partner Mariah Linney, relationships appeared to fracture. Both Bailey and Linney reportedly unfollowed Siemek, who reciprocated by removing them from her social media circle. Soon after, Siemek unfollowed Linney, while the latter also cut her social media connections with Pankow.
Fan theories gained momentum when viewers noticed what appeared to be the use of body doubles during an intimate fireside scene between JJ and Bailey’s character Kiara in season 4. “The camera cuts. Making it so obvious she was laying on that stunt double,” one fan pointed out on X, while another added, “This is just insane, the fact that Rudy and Madison refused to record it together and they had to use stunt double just shows their unprofessionalism to their work.”
However, inside sources paint a different picture. “They are both adamant that the rumors about them having body doubles because they refused to shoot together is completely off base,” an insider revealed to Life & Style. “That hasn’t stopped the rumors from flying around, especially because the way certain scenes were edited, it really does seem suspect. It wouldn’t be the first time that trick was used for two costars that weren’t getting along, but Rudy and Madison one hundred percent deny it.”
The speculation has intensified following JJ’s dramatic death in the season 4 finale, where the character meets his end, confronting his biological father, Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane). While show creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke maintain this was always the intended storyline arc, fans aren’t convinced.
“We were pretty sure early on that this was where it was going,” Burke told Cosmopolitan. “We thought that one of the Pogues would die almost in the very beginning in season 1, and we were pretty sure it was going to be JJ. We just weren’t sure when we were going to play that card. We knew this would be JJ’s season—this is JJ’s story. And we realized pretty early on, like, Okay, we’re going to play this card now.”
Despite the swirling rumors, PEOPLE reports that Pankow and Bailey are not feuding, though representatives for Netflix, Pankow, and Bailey did not return requests from the publication for comment. The tension allegedly stems from early seasons when fans began shipping their characters, creating uncomfortable situations for their real-life partners, according to the outlet.
Further complicating the narrative, sources suggest Bailey was deeply affected by Pankow’s departure from the series. “Madison seemed very broken up when it was time to say goodbye to Rudy,” an insider shared with Life & Style. “Regardless of what drama went on between them, they shared a very special moment in time, and at one point they were very close, so to have him leaving is shaking her up and the rest of the cast.”
Pate addressed the situation in recent statements, per PEOPLE: “It was a really hard decision because he’s such a great piece of the ensemble. It sets the stage for an epic fifth and final season. We’re planning a story of redemption, and a season that embodies the friendship that JJ had come to represent.”
He added meaningfully, “JJ’s death was a hard but necessary piece of the architecture for the story, and we plan on honoring that as much as we can because we love the character as much as the fans do. And Rudy’s a great friend of ours.”
