Chase Stokes helped Madison Bailey after she nearly drowned during Outer Banks filming

Chase Stokes says he stepped in to help his “Outer Banks” co-star Madison Bailey after he realized she was in danger while filming a water scene. Multiple outlets report that Bailey struggled to stay afloat during an underwater sequence in Barbados, and other people initially believed she was acting.

In Stokes’ account, the scene involves Bailey having to hold the character JJ Maybank (played by Rudy Pankow), creating a situation that he describes as unexpectedly difficult and unsafe. ComingSoon.net and The Oregonian both frame the moment as a near-drowning incident tied to production filming conditions rather than a scripted performance.

While the outlets differ slightly in wording—one emphasizes Stokes’ reaction (“That’s not acting”) and the other highlights that Bailey nearly drowned—both describe the same core event: Stokes notices Bailey’s distress, intervenes, and helps her get through the scene safely. The reports do not provide additional details on how the scene was ultimately adjusted, but they consistently portray the incident as serious and real.