# Madison Bailey
**Madison Bailey** (born 1999 in Kernersville, North Carolina; birth name Madison Lilly Bailey) is an American actress best known for playing Kiara "Kie" Carrera in all five seasons of the Netflix series *[Outer Banks](https://www.edgepedia.org/outer-banks-tv-series)* (2020–2026)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6045536/bio/) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/56107/madison-bailey). She began working in television as a teenager, with early guest roles on *Constantine*, *Mr. Mercedes*, and *Black Lightning*, and has since appeared in films including *[Time Cut](https://www.edgepedia.org/time-cut)* and *The Painter* (both 2024)[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/56107/madison-bailey) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6045536/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1999, Kernersville, North Carolina; birth name Madison Lilly Bailey[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6045536/bio/) |
| Signature role | Kiara "Kie" Carrera on *Outer Banks*, 50 episodes from 2020 to 2026 across five seasons[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/56107/madison-bailey) |
| Early TV roles | Caroline on *Constantine* (2015), Chloe on *Mr. Mercedes* (2017), Wendy Hernandez on *Black Lightning* (6 episodes, 2018–2019)[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/56107/madison-bailey) |
| Film work | Lucy in *Time Cut* (2024), Sophia in *The Painter* (2024), Izzy in *Maintenance Required* (2025)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6045536/) |
| Award | 2023 MTV Movie + TV Award for Best Kiss, for *Outer Banks*[4](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/madison-bailey/bio/3000866637/) |
| Music | Debut single "The Grey" released in 2024[5](https://blancmagazine.com/madison-bailey-interview/) |
| Social reach | Close to 20 million followers across social media platforms as of 2026[6](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/features/outer-banks-season-5-madison-bailey-interview?inapp=true) |
## Early life and start in acting
Bailey was adopted as a baby and grew up in Kernersville, North Carolina, a town she has described as having a population of about 20,000, as the youngest of seven children, all of them adopted[5](https://blancmagazine.com/madison-bailey-interview/) • [7](https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/madison-bailey-interview/). She has spoken about growing up in a predominantly white household and town as a mixed-race Black woman, describing a long effort to connect with her Black heritage[7](https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/madison-bailey-interview/). Her mother has a thick Alabama accent, while her father's neutral accent came from a military lifestyle[5](https://blancmagazine.com/madison-bailey-interview/).
**Entry into the industry.** At 14 she signed with a modeling agency, and a year later she signed with an acting agency and began training[5](https://blancmagazine.com/madison-bailey-interview/). Her first television role came quickly: she played Caroline in the episode "Waiting for the Man" of NBC's *Constantine*, broadcast February 13, 2015, and began homeschooling to pursue acting full time[5](https://blancmagazine.com/madison-bailey-interview/) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/56107/madison-bailey). Guest parts followed on *Mr. Mercedes* (2017), *Murder Chose Me* (2017), and *Creepshow* (2019)[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/56107/madison-bailey).
## Outer Banks
Bailey's breakout role is Kiara Carrera, known as Kie, one of the self-proclaimed "Pogues" hunting treasure on North Carolina's Kildare Island in Netflix's *Outer Banks*, alongside castmates [Chase Stokes](https://www.edgepedia.org/chase-stokes), Madelyn Cline, Jonathan Daviss, and [Rudy Pankow](https://www.edgepedia.org/rudy-pankow)[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/56107/madison-bailey) • [8](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/netflix/outer-banks-season-5). She appeared in 50 episodes across the show's five-season run from 2020 to 2026[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/56107/madison-bailey). The fifth and final season premiered on Netflix on August 20, 2026[9](https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3364769/meet-madison-bailey-who-plays-kiara-outer-banks-now-its-final-season).
She has described the role as formative: she was 21 when fans first began approaching her on the street about the character, and she was 27 when the series ended[6](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/features/outer-banks-season-5-madison-bailey-interview?inapp=true). In a 2026 interview she said, "Playing Kiara as a 26-year-old woman – it was like we were outgrowing each other," and told *L'Officiel* she was happy for her character to get an ending that completed her story[5](https://blancmagazine.com/madison-bailey-interview/) • [9](https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3364769/meet-madison-bailey-who-plays-kiara-outer-banks-now-its-final-season). In the season 4 finale, her character's storyline included JJ Maybank's death in Kiara's arms and her subsequent pursuit of her dream of becoming a marine biologist[10](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/tv-shows/jj-outer-banks-death-rudy-pankow-depature-explained/).
The role brought industry recognition: she won the 2023 MTV Movie + TV Award for Best Kiss for the series[4](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/madison-bailey/bio/3000866637/).
## Other screen work
Beyond *Outer Banks*, Bailey's credits include recurring guest roles as Jules on *Council of Dads* (2020) and Kelley on *American Horror Stories* (2021)[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/56107/madison-bailey). Her film work includes Lucy in the science fiction film *Time Cut* (2024), Sophia in the action thriller *The Painter* (2024) opposite [Jon Voight](https://www.edgepedia.org/jon-voight) and Charlie Weber, and Izzy in *[Maintenance Required](https://www.edgepedia.org/maintenance-required-film)* (2025)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6045536/). Upcoming projects listed on her IMDb page include the completed television movie *Constance*, in which she plays Sasha, and *Baby, You're a Star*, which was filming[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6045536/).
## Public identity and music
Bailey came out as pansexual on TikTok in 2020 and has since been a visible queer voice in the industry[7](https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/madison-bailey-interview/). She began dating former college basketball player Mariah Linney in 2020, a relationship she revealed through a TikTok video[11](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/madison-bailey-hollywood-role-model-120000577.html). She has also spoken publicly about her borderline personality disorder diagnosis, saying the diagnosis made daily life easier to navigate[11](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/madison-bailey-hollywood-role-model-120000577.html).
**Music.** Acting was not her first interest; she has said her first love was music and that she tried singing before choosing acting[12](https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/madison-bailey-kiara-outer-banks-music). She formally began a music career with her debut single "The Grey" in 2024, and after *Outer Banks* ended she said she was putting music more at the forefront creatively while continuing to act[5](https://blancmagazine.com/madison-bailey-interview/).
Her visibility extends to fashion and brand work: she was named a Tommy Girl ambassador for [Tommy Hilfiger](https://www.edgepedia.org/tommy-hilfiger), citing Zendaya, a previous Tommy Girl, as one of her biggest inspirations[7](https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/madison-bailey-interview/), and appeared in a back-to-school campaign for the footwear retailer Journeys alongside [Anna Cathcart](https://www.edgepedia.org/anna-cathcart)[9](https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3364769/meet-madison-bailey-who-plays-kiara-outer-banks-now-its-final-season).
## Notes on the name
At least two other performers share the name. An English dancer named Madison Bailey is a First Artist of The Royal Ballet, having joined the company's Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme in 2019/20 and been promoted to First Artist in 2024[13](https://www.rbo.org.uk/people/madison-bailey). A separate actress credited as Madison Bailey (V) on IMDb appears in short films including *Smyrna* (2020) and *How to Tell Anything* (2021)[14](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10988587/). IMDb also notes that the *Outer Banks* actress is sometimes confused with actress [Bailee Madison](https://www.edgepedia.org/bailee-madison) because of their similar names[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6045536/bio/).
## References
1. [Madison Bailey – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6045536/bio/)
2. [Madison Bailey – TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/56107/madison-bailey)
3. [Madison Bailey – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6045536/)
4. [Madison Bailey Biography, Celebrity Facts and Awards – TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/madison-bailey/bio/3000866637/)
5. [Madison Bailey is Free to Choose – Blanc Magazine](https://blancmagazine.com/madison-bailey-interview/)
6. [Madison Bailey Is Outer Banks' Biggest Fan – Netflix Tudum](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/features/outer-banks-season-5-madison-bailey-interview?inapp=true)
7. [Madison Bailey Amplifies Herself – Highsnobiety](https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/madison-bailey-interview/)
8. ['Outer Banks' season 5: Everything we know so far – Tom's Guide](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/netflix/outer-banks-season-5)
9. [Meet Madison Bailey, who plays Kiara in Outer Banks – South China Morning Post](https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3364769/meet-madison-bailey-who-plays-kiara-outer-banks-now-its-final-season)
10. [Does JJ Come Back in 'Outer Banks' Season 5? – Marie Claire](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/tv-shows/jj-outer-banks-death-rudy-pankow-depature-explained/)
11. [Madison Bailey Is the New Hollywood Role Model – Elle via Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/madison-bailey-hollywood-role-model-120000577.html)
12. [Madison Bailey On 'Outer Banks' Season 3, Making Music, and Privacy – Nylon](https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/madison-bailey-kiara-outer-banks-music)
13. [Madison Bailey – Royal Opera House](https://www.rbo.org.uk/people/madison-bailey)
14. [Madison Bailey (V) – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10988587/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Au to Ba*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license