“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, let’s be honest, something that’s 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.”

Outer Banks’ final season is just one series to add to your watchlist, keep reading for more…