The Outer Banks star Madelyn Cline slams all possibilities of Rafe and Kiara romance, details explored 

Recently, there has been a lot of talk among fans concerning the possibility of a romantic relationship sparking between Kiara (Madison Bailey) and Rafe (Drew Starkey) in Outer Banks. Madelyn Cline, playing Sarah Cameron and the face of several of the biggest twists in Outer Banks, has strongly denied the notion that Rafe and Kiara are headed towards a love story, explaining to interviewers that she does not see the arc as a logical progression between the two characters.

It does not come out of nowhere: cast interviews and on-set clips have demonstrated that the actor is urging the fans not to look for a Riara (Rafe+Kiara) endgame and to remind the audience that the emotional elements like grief, loyalty, and betrayals still take precedence in Outer Banks.

What Madelyn Cline said

In a recent conversation with Variety, Madelyn Cline admitted the creativity of the fandom but emphasized that not all characters require a love interest, and in particular, Kiara does not require the psychotic older brother. She says that while shipping characters can be fun, there is also a distinction between playing around with fan edits and plots that seem to resonate with a character's experience.

"I really don’t want to yuck anyone’s yum, but I actually think that that’s really yuck. Just because there’s a single character doesn’t mean she has to get with anyone, especially not the psychotic older brother. But maybe that’s just me! I understand — I, too, am a girl who looks and says, 'I can fix him.' I get it. I’ve been there. We’ve all been there. But I just don’t think Rafe Cameron is for Kiara. She deserves better. He deserves a therapist."

How other Outer Banks co-stars/members feel and fan reaction

Madison Bailey (Kiara) has squashed the hopes of fans for a Riara arc out loud on social media and in interviews and reminded her audiences that Kiara is loyal and grieving in ways that mean something to her character.

“No endgame. There's no time for Riara. So sorry,”

Bailey told Teen Vogue in an interview.

Other cast members, including Drew Starkey (Rafe), have also protested, as a sudden romantic twist would be unjust to Kiara, considering all she had gone through. The co-creator of Outer Banks, Josh Pate, also stated in an interview with Cosmopolitan:

“It’s a hard turn to go straight to a Rafe and Kiara ’ship given where they’ve been in the past.”

The online response has been ambivalent, as some of the fans expressed disappointment, while many admired the storytelling choices. It is precisely the kind of emotional response the cast wanted the showrunners of Outer Banks to be after; the series has never been anything but a treasure-hunt drama and an emotional soap opera.

What this means for Outer Banks season 5

The opinion expressed by Madelyn Cline is important since Outer Banks is entering its final season, and the stakes are already high. The fact that Sarah is pregnant, JJ is dead, and the group's dynamic feels shakier now more than ever provides the story with a decent amount of emotional weight. Amidst all that, a Riara romance would be completely out of place. Rather, Cline’s perception is in line with what most fans desire: relationships and connections that are real and earned, not ones that are added in as fan service.

Her comment about the “therapist” also underscores yet another larger aspect: Rafe’s troubles may be demonstrated through healthier and more profound ways than through clichés like a random romance. Cline is not just rejecting a fan-based romantic pairing, but she is assisting in establishing the tone of the way Outer Banks would like to bring its story to an end.

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