If there’s one thing we know about Outer Banks, it’s that chaos, drama, and wild twists are always on the menu—on and off-screen.
With Season 4 officially wrapped up and Season 5 confirmed as the last chapter of the Pogues’ wild adventures, fans are absolutely buzzing about what’s next.
Season 4 was packed with high-stakes treasure hunting, as the crew chased after The Blue Crown, just after the epic showdown over El Dorado in Season 3.
But beyond the treasure hunts and plot twists, one of the real reasons we’re all tuning in is for the ships.
And finally, after seasons of will-they-won’t-they tension, JJ (Rudy Pankow) and Kiara (Madison Bailey) got together in Season 4, bringing one of the show’s favorite romances to life.
JJ and Kiara’s relationship has been a long time coming, and their chemistry was one of the core reasons so many fans tuned in.
But, fast forward to Season 4, and the vibe between the two feels… different. While they definitely shared their fair share of swoon-worthy, high-seas romance, the fan-favorite duo’s dynamic suddenly feels a little off, TheyGossip.com reports.
According to some eagle-eyed viewers, it’s not just a shift in the characters’ relationship—it’s something more.
Fans have started speculating that there might be some real-life tension between Rudy and Madison. Could it be a behind-the-scenes feud?
Season 4 spoilers ahead, but let’s break it down: JJ and Kiara’s journey from friends to something more was chef’s kiss on paper, but some fans are convinced there’s more to the story between Rudy and Madison IRL.
Could their on-screen tension be hinting at real-life drama? It’s giving “friends to lovers to maybe frenemies”—and honestly, with Outer Banks, anything is possible.
Rudy and Madison
What The Feud Between Rudy Pankow and Madison Bailey Is Really About
In the past two seasons of Outer Banks, rumors have been swirling about potential tension between Rudy Pankow and Madison Bailey—and it’s not just about their characters, JJ and Kiara.
Fans think some off-screen drama might involve Pankow’s partner, Elaine Siemek, and Bailey’s partner, Mariah Linney.
With Outer Banks fans passionately rooting for JJ and Kiara to be endgame, it seems that this on-screen ship might be causing a bit of turbulence in IRL, especially in their respective relationships.
According to fan theories, things escalated in 2023 at a cast dinner when Siemek, who originally joined Outer Banks as a set assistant, reportedly clashed with Bailey and Linney.
Following that dinner, both Bailey and Linney unfollowed Siemek on social media, sparking serious speculation among fans about a falling-out.
With JJ and Kiara’s romance finally heating up in Season 4, some fans believe this off-screen drama might be creating tension on set, especially since Bailey and Pankow don’t interact as much online anymore—a noticeable shift from their more frequent posts during Seasons 1 and 2.
During those early seasons, Bailey and Pankow seemed to be close friends, sharing plenty of behind-the-scenes moments with fans.
But as their characters’ chemistry grew, fans noticed a drop-off in their online interactions. Some believe the off-screen distance reflects a growing divide in real life, which they feel translates into subtle changes in JJ and Kiara’s on-screen dynamic in Season 4.
The Feud Is So Big They Used Body Doubles
In Season 4, fans got the romantic JJ and Kiara moment they’d been waiting for—a cozy scene by the fire after a long day of hunting down The Blue Crown.
The scene used split cuts to show close-ups of Pankow and Bailey’s faces, but never actually showed them physically next to each other.
At first, it seemed like an editing choice. But fans noticed that a body double for JJ was used during this scene, sparking theories that Pankow and Bailey may not have filmed the moment together at all.
When the clips were analyzed the clips side-by-side, it became clear that the actors were cut separately and edited together to make it appear as though they were in the same space.
This unusual editing choice has only fueled speculation that there may be some behind-the-scenes tension affecting how their characters interact on screen.
