Madison Bailey Spills on Time Travel, ‘Craziest’ Outer Banks Stunt, Social Media & Music (Exclusive)

In fact, while sitting down with TooFab ahead of the upcoming release of Netflix’s Time Cut, Bailey was adamant she’s set on staying in the present.

“I think if I learned anything from this movie, it’s best to just stay in the present and not change a thing and trust that everything happens for a reason,” she told TooFab, before adding, “I think everything led me to where I am now. I’m super happy and grateful for that part.”

In the film, the 25-year-old actress takes on the role of Lucy Field, a teen in 2024 who accidentally time-travels to 2003, days before a masked killer murders her sister. Bailey leads a cast that includes Antonia Gentry, Michael Shanks, Griffin Gluck and more.

“I think that she [Bailey] is just inherently street smart and book smart and has the whole package,” director of Time Cut, Hannah Macpherson, told TooFab of Bailey. “She’s number one on our cast list because she sort of sets the tone for showing up and doing the job, also knowing how to have fun while doing it.”

Referring to Bailey as an “old soul,” Macpherson said she knew the actress was right for the role of Lucy as she needed someone with a “strong presence.”

“I really wanted to stay away from any victim tropes or meek young woman trying to figure herself out tropes,” Macpherson said. “She still has a lot to learn about herself but she’s not someone who is afraid to look hard at herself and look at her surroundings and make tough choices. Once I knew that about the character, Madison Bailey was the obvious choice. She brings that to all of her roles. Yet she has this really amazing vulnerability. Which makes her very accessible and relatable.”

The young actress has been getting her feet wet in the film industry, after catapulting to fame as the free-spirited Kiara on Netflix’s Outer Banks alongside Madelyn Cline, Chase Stokes and more.

Along with Time Cut, Bailey starred in The Painter and is set to star in Maintenance Required, as she continues to add more feature films to her resume. And with that transition, Bailey is already noticing the differences between filming the mediums, while also insisting she has no preference just yet.

“It’s a different thing. I feel like with being on a series it’s a different type of family. I’ve seen them for five years and for six to seven months at a time. Working on a movie, creates this family in a really fun and short way. You’re like building chemistry so quickly. So, it’s definitely different. I enjoy popping in a couple weeks and then out in a project. Both are fun,” she explained.

“I have one series to compare it to,” she said, before sharing that her Outer Banks “family” holds a special place in her heart. “So, I mean I would take my family cast. [But] No, no preference yet,” she added.

Season 4 Part 1 of Outer Banks premiered on the streaming giant in October of 2024, with Part 2 coming November 7 — and it’s clear the cast has once again upped the ante when it comes to stunts.

“My most exciting and craziest thing that I was doing this season is I get to do a little bit of scuba diving this year. That’s something I thought I’ll never do otherwise. It’s so crazy and so excited about that,” she recalled.

While Bailey does a lot of her own stunts, in past seasons she has enlisted the help of her older sister Katie for Season 1 and 2.

“She popped in and out. She’s now in her family era and she has two babies,” Bailey said of her sister.

Since starring in Netflix’s hit series, the Time Cut star’s social media following has grown exponentially, with her Instagram sitting at 8.5 million followers and TikTok at 8.7 million at the time of writing.

Bailey admitted while she does “enjoy” social media, she has gone through a rollercoaster of emotions with the apps.

“I think I’ve definitely gone through a mix of emotions over the past few years I’ve had this platform. I think I’m in a really good position now where I think I have a good relationship of take what you want and leave what you don’t,” Bailey said, before revealing how he handles social media when it gets overwhelming.

“I think if anything is too much, just log out. But I really do enjoy being on social media,” she said, before adding, “I will be lying if I said I didn’t.”

Just when you thought Bailey couldn’t get any more talented, the star reached for an even higher note, dropping her first single in September entitled “The Grey.”

Bailey sings to her younger self in the tune, starting the song with, “If I could go back to when I was little / I’d say it’s alright to be stuck in the middle.”

“A huge part in my career. I think it’s my younger self. There is a part of that, that’s just a driving force that like reminds me of how early these dreams started and it’s just keeping me pushing through to what I want,” Bailey told TooFab exclusively of her songwriting.

Bailey isn’t new to the music space, she revealed singing has always been a dream of hers, writing on Instagram, “I’ve been singing to myself for 25 years and it’s finally time to share my first song ever.”

While Bailey is juggling a few hats right now, happiness still remains her top “priority.”

“I’m working hard but at things that are making me so happy. Definitely still my focus as far and as taking care of myself doing that, it’s like we’ve gone from taking things a day at a time instead of doing things hour by hour. It’s really about listening to myself when I need the time, stepping away from everything and knowing that it’ll be there when I’m ready again,” Bailey explained.

Time Cut is streaming on Netflix starting October 30, 2024.