Madison Bailey discusses near-drowning and representation

Madison Bailey, star of the Netflix series ‘Outer Banks’, has shared details regarding a near-drowning incident during filming near Barbados. While performing an underwater scene, Bailey struggled to breathe and was unable to return to the boat. Her co-star, Chase Stokes, realized the situation was a real emergency rather than acting and jumped into the ocean to rescue her.

Separately, Bailey has addressed the lack of queer representation within the series. Despite being pansexual herself, she noted that her character, Kiara, has only participated in heterosexual storylines. Bailey expressed a desire for her character to have had a coming-out arc but noted that she hopes her real-life visibility provides an anchor for queer fans, particularly through the show’s themes of ‘chosen family’ and community support.