How Madison Bailey’s Unique Family and Late Mother Shaped the 'Outer Banks' Star

Known for her role as Kiara on Outer Banks, Madison Bailey has charmed audiences not only with her acting but also with her authentic, inspiring background. Her story goes beyond the screen, rooted in the values and love of a supportive family. Raised by adoptive parents who fostered and adopted children, Madison’s journey is a testament to resilience and diversity.

Fans of Outer Banks often relate to her character, Kiara, who faces identity struggles — a parallel to Madison's personal life, shaped by being adopted into a multiracial family in the South. Madison's parents, whom she describes as "angels," have deeply influenced her identity and outlook on life. She was raised in a loving, multiracial home and often speaks fondly of her family’s decision to foster and adopt. But who are Madison’s parents?

Madison has opened up about her unique experience of being adopted by a white family and growing up in a small Southern town. This upbringing offered her a perspective that she once didn’t fully grasp. In an interview with Seventeen, she explained how being part of a white family shielded her from certain societal biases as a child. "As a kid, you don’t realize that you’re riding on a privilege that doesn’t belong to you,” she shared.

Moving out and encountering the world alone made her aware of racial dynamics she hadn’t experienced in her home life, giving her a stronger connection to her character Kiara's sense of feeling "in-between" social groups. Her family’s structure also helped Madison discover herself. "My parents are angels,” she told V Magazine. “They had one kid after trying multiple times, fostered dozens of kids, and then adopted six.” With three boys and four girls, her family of seven siblings is as balanced as it is unique.

When Madison was just 19 years old, her mother passed away. In 2018, Madison wrote about her loss on X (formerly Twitter) in a since-deleted tweet. While little is known about Madison’s mom, Madison has always talked highly about her parents and family in interviews. In 2024, according to one of her sibling's Instagram accounts, Madison spent Mother’s Day with her family.

After Madison's mother passed away some time around August 2018, Madison shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram: "The most loving, the most caring,the most honest and kind. The purest soul, the most genuine laugh. The biggest heart I’ve ever known. Thank you for raising me with more love than anyone truly deserves. The world will never be as bright. I hope I see you again some day. I love you Mom."

After going through a difficult time in losing one of her parents, Madison is still incredibly close to the rest of her family, especially her father. In 2021, she wrote on Instagram, “Dad!!! Wow…this is something so many people dream of doing for their parents and words can’t express how grateful and blessed I am to be able to give you this gift. you deserve far more than any material item but they just don’t make things that would even out all that I owe you.

“But this at least makes up for wrecking your last car when I was younger. I love you more than anything. Merry Christmas daddio.” While Madison hasn’t shared exactly how her mom died, it’s clear that family and her relationships are incredibly important to Madison, whose girlfriend makes frequent appearances in her social media. While Madison keeps her cards close to her chest, we know the people she loves most have her back.