Madison Bailey Shares a Sun-Soaked Post as Life After ‘Outer Banks’ Begins

Life after ‘Outer Banks’ is already taking shape for Madison Bailey. The fifth and final season of the Netflix drama premiered on Aug. 20, closing out a run that began in 2020 and made the North Carolina native a household name as Kiara “Kie” Carrera.

The farewell was an emotional one. Speaking to L’Officiel, she said she wanted to “give everything that I could to this character for the last time.” She also said she was happy her character got an ending that completed her story, adding that the cast “finished strong.”

Now Bailey has fans talking again, thanks to a new photo. The actress shared new images on Instagram showing her lounging outdoors in the sun, wearing a leopard-print look. It’s a simple, relaxed image, but it arrives as she is stepping into an entirely new phase of her career.

The last season followed Kiara, John B, Sarah, Pope and Cleo on one final adventure to track down the Blue Crown from Chandler Groff. Instead of grieving JJ’s death in the traditional way, Kiara jumps straight into revenge mode, and the finale gives her the catharsis she’s been chasing.

The show isn’t ending the story entirely, either. A prequel called ‘Kildare’ is already in the works, so fans of the franchise have something to look forward to even as the main series wraps.

Bailey doesn’t appear to be in any rush to define what comes next. In a new interview with Schön!, the 27-year-old describes closing one chapter while resisting the urge to neatly define the following one. She says there’s a new independent film she can’t talk about yet, along with new music she’s waiting for the right moment to release.

She also reflected on being known for early success. “I had a breakthrough when I was really young,” she told Schön! and said it feels like people can be stuck on that version of her. That perspective helps explain why she’s now branching out into so many areas at once.

Behind the camera, she has founded a production company. It currently has a one-person play running in Switzerland, and the team is developing a series for a streamer that she co-wrote with a man in prison. She says being a producer has shown her the industry from the other side.

Her acting slate looks busy too. She is part of a vampire thriller called ‘Flesh of the Gods,’ and another upcoming film, ‘Geister (Ghost Song),’ is set to open at the San Sebastian Film Festival. She also has a project called ‘A Winter’s Journey’ on the way.

Music remains a major priority. In her L’Officiel profile, she looks back on a “once-in-a-lifetime” journey with ‘Outer Banks’ and ahead to her next chapter in music.

For now, the picture doubles as a snapshot of someone enjoying a break between big projects. Whatever she reveals next, she has plenty lined up, from film and music to her work behind the scenes.

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