Madelyn Cline Says Public Chase Stokes Romance Wasn't For Her As He Heats Up With Kelsea Ballerini

"Outer Banks" star Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes were one of TV's most closely followed romances in recent years, both on and off-screen. The pair first confirmed their relationship via a since-deleted June 2020 Instagram post by Stokes. Prior to dating, the two had actually quarantined together alongside other cast members amid the coronavirus pandemic. Needless to say, the cast all bonded pretty intimately, not least of all Cline and Stokes — who play star-crossed lovers Sarah and John B. on the Netflix series. In May 2020, Stokes told Nylon that he and Cline "did a lot of research" to ensure they delivered an "authentic love experience" for fans. Mission accomplished... "OBX" fans rabidly shipped the actors off-screen before they ever went Instagram official. 

Hearts broke in November 2021 when Stokes and Cline reportedly broke things off. An insider close to the couple shared that they had actually separated months ago, despite "trying to work things out privately." Although some fans hoped for reconciliation, both actors were photographed with others by summer 2022. Cline was spotted with singer-songwriter Jackson Guthy that May, while Stokes reportedly got "really flirty" with model Izzy Metz that July. 

Most recently, Stokes' reported romance with Kelsea Ballerini has been at the forefront of public scrutiny. First seen publicly holding hands in January, Stokes' arm appeared to make a telling cameo in one of Ballerini's February TikToks. As for Cline, she is making it clear she'll do anything to keep her relationships private going forward.

Madelyn Cline has learned a few things about love since her Chase Stokes breakup. During a recent interview with Today, Cline mused that she finally understood "why people in the public eye keep their circles small." Conceding that, while some public figures can handle the scrutiny on their personal lives, Cline said, "I can't. If you give everything — like, 100% of your energy — away, where's the rest for yourself?"

Also speaking to Hoda Kotb on "Today" on February 13, the "Glass Onion" star reflected that fame has only made her cherish "how much I value privacy and anonymity." As Cline told Today, "There are parts of my life that only me or one other person are entitled to." After all, as she reasoned, isn't that part of what makes any relationship special? 

True to her word, Cline revealed to The Cut last December that she was off the market — and his identity remains a closely sealed mystery. As interviewer Hannah Jackson simply put it, she met up with Cline "at the Malibu home she shares with her boyfriend and dogs." Meanwhile, in a February interview with Cosmopolitan, Cline let slip that her new man "makes me incredibly happy," emphasizing that when she finds "something like that, you fight for that s***."