Why Does Everyone On TikTok Think the OBX Cast Has Beef?

All the random rumours, explained.
Published November 25, 2024
rudy pankow at the premiere of outer banks season 3

(Image: Getty Images)

Off the back of a heart-breaking Outer Banks Season 4 finale—unfortunately for the fans wishing to preserve their sweet memories of Rudy Pankow as the endlessly loveable JJ Maybank—the hits just keep on coming. 

Warner: Spoilers for Outer Banks Season 4 ahead.

Rudy stole the hearts of fans around the world upon the Netflix series’ debut back in 2020. Fast forward to the end of 2024, at the actor is now at the centre of some wild TikTok allegations and rumours he actually *quit* the show, as well as speculation his relationships with his cast mates may have turned sour.

Despite the fact many of the rumours are unconfirmed (and some totally unsubstantiated), they have taken off on TikTok nonetheless. So, if you’re interested in keeping up with all the alleged tea, scroll on for a break down of everything being posited.

Did Rudy Pankow Quit Outer Banks?

One of the big fan theories to emerge on social media at the end of Outer Banks Season 4 was that JJ was only killed off because Rudy wanted to leave. There are also several TikToks that suggest (with no hard proof and often, a misogynistic tone) that he was “forced” or “made to leave by his girlfriend, Elaine Siemek. However… there is no evidence that this is the case.

In face, in a conversation with Netflix about his character, Rudy spoke about how JJ’s selflessness and devotion to his friends meant that his unfortunate fate was actually perfectly suited to his life story. The understanding that JJ’s demise was out of love for his fellow pogues  helped the actor come to terms with his death—because yes—it was written a while ago. 

“When I first found out JJ was gonna risk it all and not make it, I understood it,” Rudy shared with Netflix. “And the risks got bigger and bigger, and the stakes got higher and higher.” According to Netflix, OBX series creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate and Shannon Burke had always planned to kill off JJ. Josh explained that despite it being “a really hard decision” to say goodbye to JJ, his death “sets the stage for an epic fifth and final season.”

“We’re planning a story of redemption, and a season that embodies the friendship that JJ had come to represent,” Josh added. “JJ’s death was a hard but necessary piece of the architecture for the story, and we plan on honouring that as much as we can because we love the character as much as the fans do. And Rudy’s a great friend of ours.”

So no, despite the various rumours swirling around the interwebs, it seems Rudy did not quit the show.

Did Rudy Use a Stunt Double for *That* Hug Scene?

After the season finale, one of the more bizarre rumours to emerge online was that Rudy and co-star Madison Bailey—who plays Kiara—had used stunt doubles in a scene where they cuddled with the rest of the pogues by the fire.

Is that true? Nope, that really was Rudy’s chest that Madison laid on, according to an exclusive source at Life & Style at least.

“They are both adamant that the rumours about them having body doubles because they refused to shoot together is completely off base,” the insider says. “That hasn’t stopped the rumours from flying around, especially because the way certain scenes were edited, it really does seem suspect. It wouldn’t be the first time that trick was used for two co stars that weren’t getting along, but Rudy and Madison one hundred percent deny it.”

However, many fans still aren’t convinced. The camera cuts and conveniently-placed shots have fuelled the rampant rumours that there is some underlying tension between the two—and they’re working overtime to keep it out of the public eye. 

 

What Happened to Rudy Pankow & Ex-Girlfriend Teo Marcella?

Teo Marcella was dating Rudy while he was filming Season 1 of Outer Banks back in 2019. Although the exact timing of their breakup isn’t public knowledge, during OBX press in early 2020, Rudy mentioned he was single.

Chatter about the pair’s split popped up on TikTok this week, after a throwback photo from an Outer Banks cast dinner was posted to X. In the snap, Rudy sits alongside his now-girlfriend, Elaine, whose arm was comfortably resting on his back.

Afterwards, Teo took to TikTok to ambiguously address how the timeline of her and Rudy’s relationship compared to his and Elaine’s

Alluding to the throwback picture in her video, she was doing her makeup while lip syncing to an audio that states “I’m not just a b—-, I’m a b—- with a backstory.” The clip was captioned as, “Watching everyone guess what happened based of [sic] one photo from 6 years ago.”

More recently, she slipped in a statement about cheating in the middle of a makeup tutorial.  “Today I’m going to be using the Charlotte Tilbury lip liner in the shade ‘He Cheated,’” Teo said in her video, which was posted on November 18. She can then be seen quickly correcting herself, adding, “I mean, ‘Lip Cheat.’”

Despite then continuing with the video as if nothing happened, fans took note of the slip. However, Teo has never confirmed why her and Rudy split and there is no evidence infidelity occurred.

Has Madelyn Cline Unfollowed Rudy Pankow on Instagram?

Rumours something was awry within the OBX cast kicked into overdrive when fans noticed that Madelyn Cline—known for playing Kook Princess, Sarah Cameron—does not follow co-star Rudy on social media. This comes just over a year since Madison and Elaine reportedly unfollowed each other on Instagram, allegedly after an argument during a cast dinner in June 2023. 

As much as we would all love to hang onto the dream that everything is sunny in Poguelandia—recent rumours have ignited speculation there might be deeper cast tension that has flown under the radar… until now.

Check back here for more updates.

Bailey Finn
Bailey Finn is a Staff Writer at Cosmopolitan Australia. She has been passionate about the creative industries from an early age and her experience spans television, styling, writing, and costume design. When unplugged, she often finds herself surrounded by classic artwork, dabbling in modern photography, or with a route set to the nearest beach.
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