James Alexander Chase Stokes, better known professionally as Chase Stokes, is an American actor who shot to fame for his role in “Outer Banks”. He was born on September 16, 1992, in Annapolis, Maryland, and moved to Florida after his parents’ divorce. He finished secondary school at Timber Creek High School and received his bachelor’s at Valencia College. Although Stokes originally wanted to become a professional ice hockey player, fate had other plans in store.
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In 2014, Stokes officially started his acting career. He snagged a minor character in Netflix’s hit series “Stranger Things” and went on to star in minor roles for “Daytime Divas” and “Tell Me Your Secrets”. In 2019, he was offered a role in the then-upcoming show “Outer Banks”. Stokes initially turned down the offer but eventually auditioned for the role of Topper before settling down on the character of John B.
The first season of “Outer Banks” was released in April 2020 and was received with positive reviews, launching Stokes to stardom. Shortly after the premiere, a second season for the show was confirmed, securing the actor’s bag for several more years. Around the same time, Stokes starred in a music video for the single “Hot Stuff” by “Queen of Disco,” Donna Summer, and Norwegian DJ, Kygo. The actor was also in line to play TJ in “One Of Us Is Lying” but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.
Despite being new to the spotlight, Stokes has acquired millions of fans thanks to his good looks and superb acting talent. Controversies have also followed the young star, whether it’s about his relationships or his sexuality. With the resurfacing of tweets from the past, many fans can’t help but speculate: is Chase Stokes gay? Let’s take a look at the facts below.
VOTE: What is Chase Stokes’s Sexuality?
Chase Stokes’ Relationships
Ever since his debut in the public eye, Stokes has only been in a handful of relationships. The actor is notoriously private about his love life, so there are not a lot of details that spill into the tabloids. Let’s take a look at his brief dating history.
Chase Stokes and Xiomara Montalvo (2010-2020)
Before he became famous, Stokes was reported to be in a relationship with a long-term girlfriend, Xiomara Montalvo. It’s believed that the couple dated for about a decade, which is a very long time in the Hollywood years. While the reason for their breakup was never revealed, Stokes did acknowledge the pairing in an interview with New York Magazine’s The Strategist:
I went through a breakup a little bit before quarantine, and it was with somebody I’d been with for almost ten years.”
Chase Stokes and Madelyn Cline (2020-2021)
The actor’s first public relationship was with Outer Banks co-star, Madelyn Cline. The duo met in April 2019 after being cast for the hit Netflix show. Their characters were paired together as each other’s love interests, so it’s possible that their on-chemistry felt a little too real. Around the same time in the following year, Stokes and Cline sparked dating rumors after mentions of quarantining together and leaving flirty comments on Instagram.
In June 2020, Stokes and Cline finally made their relationship official by posting photos on social media. Fans were ecstatic about the news and their co-stars left supportive messages in the comments. In an interview with Today, the actor opened up about his relationship with his on-screen love.
It was cool to work with somebody you’re really good friends with. To take the time to fall for each other after the show had wrapped was really cool. I was talking to my mom about it … it was cute and fun and it’s super cool to be a part of something with your partner and watch the success of it altogether.”
Chase Stokes to Today, 2020
Cline was also open about the whole relationship. During her interview with Entertainment Tonight, she shared her thoughts about working with her real-life boyfriend.
I think because we were friends before this, we understood how we worked as individuals before we were seeing each other. We knew how we worked professionally and we knew each other’s personal boundaries. As a rule, we never bring anything negative to set. If there’s a disagreement or a conversation that needs to be had that could potentially rain on the parade for that day, that’s never something that happens before work.”
Madelyn Cline to Entertainment Tonight, 2020
Unfortunately, the pairing wasn’t meant to be. In November 2021, People Magazine reported that the couple had broken up. Stokes then deleted all traces of their relationship on his social media. Despite their separation, both actors insist that they remain good friends.
Mads and I have been working together now for 30 episodes, and we made a promise to each other before we even started dating that the work was always going to come first. And that no matter what happens in our personal lives, and the ways that life sometimes takes you in different directions, that we’re always going to honor the work. That stayed 100 percent truthful this season.”
Chase Stokes to Entertainment Weekly, 2023
Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini (2023-Present)
At the beginning of 2023, Stokes was spotted getting cuddly with American singer and songwriter, Kelsea Ballerini, at a football game. The actor posted pictures of the event and included a snapshot of the duo and even tagged the singer. After several instances of flirtatious back and forth, Stokes finally confirmed their relationship to TMZ:
She’s a sweet girl. We’re having a good time and that’s all I’ll say.”
Stokes and Ballerini are currently dating and are said to be smitten with each other.
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The Actor’s Deleted Tweets and Hacking
Shortly after the premiere of “Outer Banks”, several tweets resurfaced from the actor’s Twitter account. The posts consisted of racist, ableist, and homophobic statements which garnered tons of outrage online. What made the situation even more confusing was the series of actions that followed.
The actor released an apologetic statement regarding the tweets. However, it was quickly taken down and he later revealed that his account had been hacked and he had no idea about the ongoing issue. This drew a lot of criticism towards Stokes and the way he handled the matter. The actor has not issued any further statements, so it’s unclear where he stands regarding the LGBTQ community.
Is Chase Stokes Gay?
No, Chase Stokes is not gay. He has been in long-term relationships in the past with women and is currently dating Kelsea Ballerini. Since the emergence of problematic tweets in 2020, Stokes hasn’t commented on his sexuality or the LGBTQ community. Based on his dating history, it’s safe to assume that the Outer Banks star is straight.