Madison Bailey Says The Outer Banks Set Is “So Funny This Year”

Madison Bailey is having a bittersweet time filming the final season of Outer Banks. “The vibe on set this year, in the beginning, was very emotional,” she says over Zoom. “We were hyper-aware that this is our last season.”

Now that the cast and crew have hit the halfway point of shooting Season 5, she admits things have gotten “tough” to process. “The other day, we were filming on a boat, and I was like, ‘Wait, is this our last boat day? Is this our last sunset ride in?’ We’re just really taking in all of the final milestones, like this is our last time at this location or my last scene with my parents,” she says. “It’s been an emotional year, I’m not going to lie, but it’s been a good one.”

Despite those sentimental moments and being without Rudy Pankow — whose character, J.J. Maybank, died at the end of Season 4 — Bailey says filming for the upcoming installment has been a blast. “J.D. [Jonathan Daviss] is so funny this year. I’m like, why is everybody so funny right now? We’ve really, really had a great time on set this year,” she says. “Between J.D. and Maddy [Madelyn Cline], they’re hilarious.”

The 26-year-old actor is also starring in Prime Video’s Maintenance Required. The romantic comedy, which drops on the streaming platform Oct. 8, features Bailey alongside Madelaine Petsch, Jacob Scipio, and Katy O’Brian in an enemies-to-lovers story similar to You’ve Got Mail, but with car mechanics instead of bookstore owners.

It’s the second film for Prime in 2025 that brings together actors from OBX and Riverdale — the first was The Map That Leads to You with Cline and KJ Apa. Bailey and Petsch bonded over coming from two teen shows with huge fandoms, and she calls the crossover a “happy coincidence.”

“I wish we were still in those days of doing That’s So Suite Life of Hannah Montana,” Bailey says. “I wish we could do a mashup of all the shows. Why don’t people do that anymore?” If anyone from the town of Riverdale were to end up in the Outer Banks or vice versa, she says it would “be like Teen Beach Movie,” where fans get sucked inside a movie musical.

As far as her next chapter, Bailey is hoping to take some time to focus on music. She released two singles, “The Grey” and “Honestly” in 2024, before dropping her most recent song, “Raincheck,” in June. A full album is on the way, but she wants to find the right sound first. “When I put out something and it feels right and it sticks, that’s what I’m going to curate the album around,” she says. “I’m still playing around, and I don’t want to commit to one thing right now. I’m like one song at a time. I have a lot of music in the folder.”

Below, Bailey shares her favorite OBX fan theories, her relatable comfort watch, and more.

Elite Daily: Did you learn anything about mechanics for your role of Izzy, the best friend to Petsch’s Charlie, in Maintenance Required?

Madison Bailey: No, I didn’t learn a thing about cars in the whole process. I think Katy looked the most natural in the cast at doing anything mechanical, and I would trust Katy to fix my car, but I could not change my oil if I tried.

ED: This movie follows the enemies-to-lovers trope, which you've famously been against when fans ship your OBX character, Kiara, with Rafe (Drew Starkey). What is it about this story that makes it different from that one?

MB: I think having a bond already, and it being unbeknownst to them makes it more special. Plus, I don’t think Beau in Maintenance Required ever killed anybody like Rafe. Just laying it out there. He’s a stand-up guy.

ED: What is your favorite romance trope?

MB: Enemies to lovers. That’s a fun one to root for. I don’t like it to be too obvious.

ED: IRL, are you more like Izzy or Kiara?

MB: It changes depending on the day. Right now, I would say Izzy, because I’m in a very bubbly mood. At the end of the day though, Kiara’s spirit is more true to me.

ED: Favorite OBX fan theory?

MB: There are sibling theories, like so-and-so is related to so-and-so. That would have been an interesting tie-in, so I like those.

ED: What’s your go-to comfort watch?

MB: Love on the Spectrum. I watch that every day.

ED: What’s your go-to karaoke song?

MB: “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

ED: Favorite corner of TikTok?

MB: Hopecore, but right now, my TikToks are very political, and I’m really into it.

ED: Dream co-star?

MB: Ayo Edebiri.

ED: Inspired by Izzy’s nail tech skills, what’s your favorite nail trend?

MB: I’m so sad because I can’t get it right now. I’m in Kiara mode for the next few months, but it’s the long acrylics with the bangles style. It’s supposed to look like bracelets on the nail, and it’s so cute.

ED: What are you manifesting for yourself next?

MB: Peace.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.