Jesse Volk

NYLON Nineteen

Madelyn Cline's DMs Are Surprisingly Wholesome

The Outer Banks star on bad dates, good thrillers, and Hilary Duff.

One of the few good things to come out of 2020 was the arrival of Netflix's must-watch teen drama Outer Banks — and with it, a new set of hot young stars to obsess over. Chief among them: Madelyn Cline. As Sarah Cameron, the 22-year-old American actress portrays the show's good girl gone bad, and thanks to a central love story with Chase Stokes' John B, it's no surprise that she quickly became a fan favorite.

While Outer Banks season two is confirmed and in the works, Cline can next be seen taking on an even more dramatic role in this month's The Giant. The mystery/thriller, co-starring Odessa Young, follows a small town girl who gets caught up in a local murder when her ex-boyfriend suddenly reappears in town. Here, Cline takes on the NYLON Nineteen, talking bad dates, first concerts, and what makes a good thriller.

1. What’s your astrological sign (and do you believe in it)?

I’m a Sagittarius. I’m not sure. On one hand, I think that the human mind automatically searches for patterns in an attempt to find order in what it sees. On the other hand, the correlations in those patterns it finds are uncanny sometimes. I like to think there’s something to it.

2. Do you believe in ghosts (and have you ever seen one)?

This might sound strange, but there have been a couple circumstances where I’ve felt someone behind me and I’ve seen a shadow, as well and when I turned around, no one was there. I’ve also felt a hand on my shoulder or my back many times when no one was touching me. I definitely believe there’s much more than what we see.

3. What’s your go-to drink order? (And if it's boozy, what’s your go-to hangover cure?)

As of recently, a dirty martini! If I’m out out, a vodka Red Bull. For a hangover cure, if I know I’m drinking that night, I drink Pedialyte that day and before going to sleep—if I remember.

4. Who would be the three headliners of the music festival of your dreams?

Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, and Santana.

5. What's the weirdest snack that you make?

I don’t really have a weird snack. But I’m always eating Cheeto puffs on set.

6. What's a bad habit of yours that you've been meaning to fix?

Biting my nails. I’ve been meaning to fix that for 15 years.

7. What was the last internet rabbit hole you went down?

Declassified CIA documents about astral projection and consciousness.

8. Describe your worst date.

He took me on a date to Moe’s and then his card got declined, so he called his mom to ask for money and she said no. So I ended up taking him on the date.

9. What was the last DM you received?

My mom sending me dog videos. Love her.

10. If you could be in any music video, what would it be?

I feel like it would be so fun to be able to go back in time to when music videos were first premiering on MTV and be in one for Duran Duran.

11. What was your first concert, and what are your memories of it?

My first concert was Hilary Duff when I was seven and I ate so many funnel cakes and drank so many slushies that I threw up while I was there. I think she was singing “Come Clean.”

12. What was your favorite movie as a kid?

I just remember watching Mulan on repeat.

13. What was your teenage AIM screen name?

I think it was something like Skippypeanutbutter97. This is embarrassing.

14. What is your favorite meme/internet joke?

Most Tik Toks to the sound “shitty flute.” If you’re not familiar, please do yourself a favor and look up the sound and the videos under it.

15. What's your go-to breakup song?

"Short and Sweet" by Brittany Howard.

16. What is your favorite red carpet look of all time worn by someone else?

Rihanna’s 2015, 2017, and 2018 Met Gala looks.

17. What is one thing everyone should buy that is under $10?

Command strips?

18. What piece of clothing from high school do you wish you kept?

None of them. I don’t know what I was thinking. Bermuda plaid shorts and Sperry's???

19. What makes a good thriller?

In my opinion, anything layered that really gets inside your head and fucks with it. The Haunting of Hill House did that to me. I couldn’t stop thinking about it.