Madelyn Cline spent five seasons playing Sarah Cameron in Outer Banks. As the Netflix adventure series came to an end, she looked back on the people she met, the work she learned to do, and what she hopes viewers keep from Sarah.
Cline says the series taught her how to work at the pace of television. She had appeared in Vice Principals, The Originals and Stranger Things before joining Outer Banks, but playing Sarah across five seasons gave her time to grow with one character.
From first season to final farewell
The show premiered in 2020 and quickly brought Cline a new level of attention. She recalled one of her first encounters with fans: a group recognized her in a park and asked for a photo. What began as a small role in a new adventure drama had become a series people wanted to talk to her about in everyday life.
The friendships behind Outer Banks mattered as much to her as the attention. Cline lived with Madison Bailey, who plays Kiara, during the first month of filming. She later named Bailey and Carlacia Grant, who plays Cleo, as the castmates who made her laugh most on set.
What she wants viewers to remember
Cline hopes Sarah remains a character people return to when they rewatch the show. Sarah starts on the wealthy Kook side of the island and becomes part of the Pogue group; that change gives Cline years of friendships, family conflicts and adventures to play without reducing Sarah to one romance.
All five seasons, including the ten-episode final season, are available on Netflix. This look back avoids the ending’s plot details, so viewers can read it before finishing the show.
