Just because Outer Banks is coming to an end doesn’t mean there can’t be — and won’t be — spinoffs to look forward to.
After season 4 came to an end on Thursday, November 7, Austin North exclusively told Us Weekly whether he would be interested in expanding his character Topper’s story beyond the already-renewed fifth and final season of Outer Banks.
“This show is just so special and I am just so grateful to be a part of it. It’s always fun to see where they take these characters so it would be cool to continue the journey in a spinoff,” North, 26, admitted about the future of the show. “I would definitely be open to that. That would be a lot of fun and I could continue to do other projects on the side.”
North noted that Outer Banks is unlike any other production he has been involved in.
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“The environment on set is very unique and different from anything I’ve ever done. That holds a special place in my heart. There is a freedom they give us creatively,” he explained. “They allow us to just improv, bring our own to scenes and collaborate with the writers and the director. It’s unique. To be able to continue that would be amazing. But we’ll see what happens.”
The hit Netflix series, which premiered in 2020, follows a group of teenagers in a coastal town in North Carolina, which is divided into wealthy and working-class sides. The Pogues accidentally find themselves at the center of a dangerous treasure hunt while simultaneously at ongoing odds with the Kooks.
Outer Banks catapulted stars Chase Stokes, Madelyn Cline, Madison Bailey, Jonathan Daviss, Rudy Pankow, Drew Starkey, Carlacia Grant and North to fame before Netflix confirmed earlier this month that season 5 will be the show’s last.
“We are excited for season 5, and we’re excited for other stories in this universe down the line,” executive producers Jonas Pate, Josh Pate and Shannon Burke said during an interview with Deadline about the future of Outer Banks. While the trio wouldn’t elaborate on their plans for the fictional universe, the outlet reported that no projects are currently in the works but offshoots are being explored.
With a potential spinoff centered around North’s character, Topper, there could be an opportunity to explore the Outer Banks world through the eyes of a Kook. Topper was usually at odds with the Pogues on Outer Banks, but he redeemed himself in the eyes of the fans when he would help his ex-girlfriend Sarah (Cline) and the rest of her friend group.
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“In season 4, some time has passed and Topper is trying to get over his love for Sarah. He’s trying to move on,” North said about Topper’s most recent on-screen trajectory. “He’s got a new girlfriend, Ruthie (Mia Challis) and she’s probably not the best influence on him. I don’t know if she’s the best fit for him but he’s trying to move on.”
The actor was especially proud of Topper’s personal progress throughout the seasons, “He has definitely matured a lot and he’s figuring out what he wants in life. He’s always been pressured from his mom to go into medicine. But he’s always felt like he doesn’t really have a say in what he wants to do. So he’s finally branching out and becoming his own person. He’s involved in this business venture now — and the war between the Kooks and the Pogues is back on.”
North went on to point out that Topper still has room to evolve as a person.
“I definitely try to justify every decision that he makes. I try to humanize every character that I’m playing. Obviously the world of Outer Banks can be a little extreme,” he told Us. “This guy has just been going through it and love can make you do some pretty crazy stupid stuff. … But I try to humanize everything.”
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Playing Topper the past four — nearly five — seasons allowed North to grow as well. “It would be amazing to continue to work with the cast on other projects [after Outer Banks ends],” he added. “But it’s always fun playing the antagonist, the villain and a part that people don’t like. It’s so different from who I am as a person and when people meet me in person, they’re like, ‘That is not how I thought you were going to be.’”
He continued: “It’s fun to dive into more stuff in that realm to show the audience just different sides of me. But at the end of the day, work is work. I’m going to take whatever opportunity comes to me and commit to it 100 percent. So we will see but with season 5, you never know what route they’re going to take with the character. Maybe it’ll just be a whole other side of Topper to show the audience.”
Outer Banks is currently streaming on Netflix and has been renewed for a fifth and final season.
