Rudy Pankow and Madison Bailey in 'Outer Banks'
(Netflix)

‘Outer Banks’ fans more invested in off-screen drama as season 4 approaches

As October 10, 2024 approaches, the news and rumors around Outer Banks‘ fourth season have started to heat up, with fans worried about one possible departure.

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As per rumors, Rudy Pankow, who plays JJ Maybank on the show as a part of the main cast, is thought to be leaving the Netflix series after the fourth season. The rumors stem from social media activity and a few now-deleted social media posts, all of which suggest that this season could be the last time fans see the troubled, reckless Pogue on screen.

The rumors intensified after Pankow’s comments in a recent magazine interview, during which he explained that he knew his Outer Banks stint wasn’t “going to last forever.” Fans of the show believe that a major reason why Pankow wants to quit is because of the fans’ overboard reactions to the onscreen relationship between his character JJ and Madison Bailey’s Kiara. It has reportedly affected both the actors’ off-screen relationships, especially Pankow’s, whose girlfriend Eliane Siemek has been a showrunner assistant on the series since the first season.

The drama only intensified when tea-obsessed fans noticed that co-creator Jonas Pate had unfollowed both Pankow and Siemek on Instagram. There are also rumors about Bailey wanting an out from the show, but like Pankow, there’s no official confirmation yet. As the fourth season’s premiere date inches closer, fans may be more curious to find out about Pankow and Bailey’s real-life futures rather than the characters’ on-screen ones.

Outside of Outer Banks, Pankow is mostly known for his appearance as Sam Drake in the Uncharted film adaptation, which proved to be a box-office success despite middling reviews. The 27-year-old’s other acting credits include roles in 2023 films Accidental Texan and The Crusades. Meanwhile, Bailey was seen in action thriller flick The Painter earlier this year, and her next feature film appearance will be in sci-fi slasher Time Cut, which is getting a Netflix release on October 30, 2024.


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Evan Tiwari
Evan is a staff writer at The Mary Sue, contributing to multiple sections, including but not limited to movies, TV shows, gaming, and music. He brings in more than five years of experience in the content and media industry, both as a manager and a writer. Outside his working hours, you can either catch him at a soccer game or dish out hot takes on his Twitter account.