Madison Bailey and Rudy Pankow in ‘Outer Banks’. JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX
Warning: This story contains spoilers from season 3 of Outer Banks.
Pogue-on-Pogue macking! JJ Maybank (Rudy Pankow) and Kiara Carrera (Madison Bailey) finally took their relationship to the next level during season 3 of Outer Banks.
In the new season of the hit Netflix series, which premiered on Thursday, February 23, JJ and Kiara’s friendship turned romantic after they developed a deeper bond on Poguelandia. However, obstacles including Kiara’s kidnapping and JJ’s decision to steal from her dad prevented the pair from initially making things official.
After revealing to Kiara that he doesn’t think he is good enough for her, JJ went on a rescue mission to save her when she is sent away. He tracked her down at wilderness camp Kitty Hawk — where the couple addressed their feelings for each other.
“You know how you asked me what I was going to say last night? Kie, I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I’m sorry Kie,” JJ told Kiara in the penultimate episode of the season. In response, Kiara said “I love you” and the twosome shared a kiss.
When Outer Banks first debuted on Netflix, Pankow, 24, hinted that he could see a romantic future for JJ and Kiara. “But I think the endgame, the endgame of the OBX, I can see JJ and Kiara being like, ‘All right there’s something here,’” the actor exclusively told Us Weekly in April 2020. “Because it starts out with JJ saying that he had tried getting with Kiara. So, who knows?”
‘Outer Banks’ stars Rudy Pankow and Madison Bailey on set. JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX
Bailey, 24, for her part, also admitted she would like to explore the chemistry between JJ and Kiara.
“I’m on the edge of my seat with where the writers are going to take this. I’m honestly so passionate about Outer Banks,” the American Horror Stories actress shared with Us in December 2021. “I feel like they can’t go wrong with the story line anywhere, and if me and Rudy teamed up as actors, I think [it] will be really sick.”
Earlier this month, creator Josh Pate weighed in on the narrative choice to have the longtime friends grow closer.
“We didn’t want to do it too fast, so we thought season 3 would be a good time to explore that, and I’m really pleased with the way that came out. It’s some of my favorite scenes of the whole season,” the screenwriter detailed to Entertainment Weekly, to which Pankow added, “It’s one of those things where you see fans want something so bad, and the writers clocked that. It was interesting to finally get to explore that as an actor.”
Meanwhile, Bailey teased that the romantic arc between JJ and Kiara would be “worth the wait” for viewers. “Kiara is not waiting for a knight in shining armor,” she said. “I think both of them being independent and free-spirited is what brings them together. It’s a natural progression forward for them. I was excited to explore that, and to work with [Pankow], and see our friendship on screen more this season.”
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Outer Banks is currently streaming on Netflix.