'Outer Banks' Season 3: Meet the Cast of the Netflix Adventure Series

The tropical, young adult drama Outer Banks came roaring back with its third season — and like the first two, it was full of exotic ocean shots, steamy teenage love and action-packed gunfights. 

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Set on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the show follows a group of unlucky, self-proclaimed Pogues (a play on pogies, a small fish) as they try to track down a mysterious old treasure. They're part of the island's working class who live on the "wrong side" of the island and routinely clash with the wealthy, seasonal residents, the Kooks.

The Pogues are led by John B. Routledge (Chase Stokes), who kicked off the adventure after his father disappeared at sea looking for the hidden gold. But the unlucky teenage clan must fight off corrupt law enforcement and tricky Kooks who also have their sights set on the treasure.

Netflix released the third season in February, and fans were eager to dive back into the revenge plots and ruthless bounty hunting. Outer Banks racked up nearly 155 million hours of views in the first few weeks. Luckily for fans, the network has already renewed the show for a fourth season. 

The third season lands fans back where season 2 left off, with all of the Pogues stranded on a Caribbean island off the Bahamas. Most of the previous season's cast returned to the islands, but there are a few new enemies who want to get their hands on the mysterious gold. 

If you need a reminder about the characters, here's a roundup of who's who on the third season of Outer Banks: 

Chase Stokes as John B. Routledge

Every group needs a fearless, bold leader. And for the Pogues, John B. is that guy, constantly spurring his friends to take action or accidentally getting them into trouble. 

Though it was his breakout role, Chase Stokes almost didn't take on the headstrong lead role. He told Jimmy Kimmel he thought Outer Banks was a take on The Goonies and didn't want to mess with that legacy. However, he was eager to make his mark on Hollywood and decided to audition for the role of Topper. After thinking he bombed the audition, the show's casting director asked if he'd consider reading for John B.'s part. 

Since landing the role a few years ago, the blond heartthrob has landed a few other gigs, including small roles in Stranger Things and Daytime Divas. Stokes will soon star in Netflix's adaption of The Uglies alongside Laverne Cox and in a new feature film called Music Got Me Here. 

Rudy Pankow as JJ Maybank

Every leader needs a loyal sidekick, and for John B., that right-hand man is JJ Maybank, played by Rudy Pankow. JJ is John B.'s reckless, childhood best friend and says he comes from a long line of "salt-lifers who made their living off the water."

That's similar to Pankow's real childhood. He grew up in the fishing and tourism town of Ketchikan, Alaska, so he was already comfortable on the water before he took on the role of JJ. 

As with many of the show's young stars, booking Outer Banks was Pankow's breakout role. Since, he earned a spot in the adventure film Uncharted (2022) and starred in the dramedy Space Waves (2022) as a mischief-seeking podcaster. 

Madelyn Cline as Sarah Cameron

Madelyn Cline brings just the right amount of grace, humor and determination to the princess-Kook-turned-honorary-Pogue, Sarah. Plus, her star-crossed relationship with John B. keeps fans swooning for more romantic oceanside kisses. 

Before Outer Banks, Cline had only appeared in recurring roles in other Netflix shows such as Stranger Things and The Originals. But since booking Sarah in the treasure-hunting drama, Cline's career has entered a new form.  

Just before filming season three of Outer Banks, Cline flew to Greece to star as the vape-smoking Twitch streamer girlfriend of John Bautista's character in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022). She told Entertainment Weekly that working with big Hollywood names such as Daniel Craig and Kate Hudson allowed her to hone her craft and bring what she learned back to the island. 

"It was really, really such an eye-opening and wonderful experience," Cline said. "I felt like a sponge."

Jonathan Daviss as Pope Heyward

If John B. and JJ are the brawn of the Pogues, Pope is the brains. While maybe he once tried to use his curious and high-achieving intelligence to get out of the Outer Banks, Pope now uses his powers for the Pogues.

Jonathan Daviss brings humor and hope to the role of the cautious and loyal friend, despite his character having a rough second season. Before Outer Banks, he earned minor roles in films such as Deliverance Creek (2014), Edge of the World (2018) and Age of Summer (2018). 

And after proving his acting prowess, Daviss also booked a role alongside Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke in the teenage comedy Do Revenge (2022).

Madison Bailey as Kiara

Just like her Outer Banks character Kiara, Madison Bailey is also a native of North Carolina. Before taking on the treasure hunting world as the rebellious but empathetic member of the group, Bailey pocketed more acting experience than most of her co-stars.

She started acting when she was 16 after landing small roles in the television dramas Mr. Mercedes and Constantine. Her career started to gain traction once she played Wendy Hernandez on The CW's Black Lighting for two seasons. Bailey will also star alongside Antonia Gentry in the upcoming Netflix horror film Time Cut.  

Austin North as Topper Thornton

Austin North may be best known for playing a laid-back high schooler on Disney's series I Didn't Do It, but he expertly embraces playing the jealous and brash Topper in Outer Banks. 

Before landing the gig as Sarah's ex-boyfriend, North also took a small role on Hulu's school comedy All Night. Next, he'll star alongside fellow Disney alum Dylan Sprouse in the romantic comedy Beautiful Disaster, which premieres in April, as well as its already-announced sequel, Beautiful Wedding. 

Drew Starkey as Rafe Cameron

Drew Starkey, who takes on the role of Sarah's drug-addicted and manic brother Rafe, may have the most acting experience among his young co-stars. Before Outer Banks, Starkey grabbed a few small roles in notable TV series such as the award-winning Ozark with Jason Bateman, The Resident, Scream: The TV Series and Prime Video's The Terminal List with Chris Pratt. 

Starkey has also embraced feature films after nailing gigs in the popular teenage coming-of-age film Love, Simon (2018), the drama Just Mercy (2019) and the thriller The Devil All the Time (2020). 

More recently, he starred as Trevor alongside Odessa A'zion in Hulu's Hellraiser reboot. And he'll try his hand in the romantic comedy world in the upcoming Netflix film The Other Zoey next to Josephine Langford. 

Carlacia Grant as Cleo

Though Carlacia Grant only starred in a few episodes as the former cargo ship crew member Cleo, she has a much larger role in season 3. Not only has Cleo caught Pope's eye, but now she's the newest member of the Pogues. 

Grant got her start in the entertainment industry through plays and pageants, after begging her West Indian parents to let her pursue her passion for acting. She made her television debut as Irene in History Channel's Roots remake before landing small roles in shows such as Greenleaf and The Resident.  

Charles Esten as Ward Cameron

Though Charles Esten brilliantly takes on the cutthroat and calculated villain role of Ward Cameron, Esten actually started out in Hollywood as a comedian. He got his footing in the industry as a recurring cast member of the improvisational series Whose Line Is It Anyway? hosted by Drew Carey. 

Early in his career, Esten nabbed a number of roles on episodes of various television series such as Married with Children, ER and The Office. But he received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Deacon Claybourne on the country drama Nashville alongside Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere. Now, he embraces being somewhat of a father figure to his younger co-stars in Outer Banks.

Charles Halford as John Routledge

After two seasons of believing John. B.'s dad had died at sea, it was finally revealed in the season 2 finale that Big John is actually alive. Charles Halford has a much larger role in the third season, finally appearing in the present rather than just in flashbacks. 

Though Halford has a string of acting credits, the television veteran is best known for playing Chas Chandler on the short-lived NBC series Constantine.  He's also ventured onto the silver screen with his role as Sammy Wilds in Bad Times at the El Royale (2018) and into video games by voicing characters in popular games like Rise of the Tomb Raider and The Walking Dead: A New Frontier. 

Andy McQueen as Carlos Singh

The Caribbean madman Carlos Singh, played by Andy McQueen, chases the Pogues throughout the third season, ruthlessly threatening the teenagers at every turn.

Before he was a treasure hunter, McQueen starred in the HBO film Fahrenheit 451 as Gustavo and as Sayid in the apocalypse drama limited series Station Eleven. McQueen will also star as Jay in the upcoming sci-fi drama series Mrs. Davis, which is set to premiere in April.  

Minor Characters

While the Outer Banks island has a number of other neighbors and teenagers who roam the island and interact with the Pogues, here are a few notable characters in season 3:

Caroline Arapoglou plays the ruthless and loyal wife to Ward, Rose Cameron. Though this is her first major role, Arapoglou has also played small parts in Netflix's Stranger Things and Atlanta. 

Julia Antonelli encapsulates the innocent but sometimes-clueless younger sister of Sarah and Rafe, Wheezie Cameron. Before Outer Banks, Antonelli grabbed small roles in films such as Trouble (2017) and Alex & Me (2018).

Fiona Palomo landed the role of Sofia, another new character to the third season who desperately wants to leave her Pogue life behind to get closer to Rafe. Palomo is best known for playing Vivi San Román in the teen drama Gossip Girl: Acapulco and María in the Mexican drama Control Z.

Stream the entire third season of Outer Banks on Netflix now.

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