Chase Stokes knew he needed a break after years of working on Outer Banks.
When the series came to an end, the actor took some time off and found out he had several serious health issues to deal with.
“I had so much s*** wrong,” Stokes told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published on Friday, August 21. “I left that show … [and] my liver was failing, my kidney was failing. I had so many health issues that I had to figure out, and my brain was all out of whack.”
Health first
Stokes chose to take his time instead of jumping back in to work. He made his health a priority and had blood tests every other week as part of that process.
The actor received transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy, which the Mayo Clinic describes as a “procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of major depression.”
Stokes also said his testosterone levels were “alarmingly low” for someone his age.
‘Find myself’
“It was a really important time for me to get my bearings right versus just go back into work and mask it,” he said. “It’s been a lot of work to get back to baseline and it was definitely scary for a little bit.”
Stokes said being away from Outer Banks helped him figure out who he is when he isn’t playing John B.
“I’ve been John B more than I’ve been Chase,” he reflected. “At 33, playing a 19, 20-year-old kid who’s been who he is, I needed to go find myself.”
‘Hindsight is 2020’
The actor said focusing on himself has really helped, and he feels more like himself again. He’s also continuing to prioritize his mental health, including sticking with therapy.
“Unfortunately, we’ve seen great people leave this earth too soon for just continuing to go [on], and I have a lot to live for,” Stokes noted. “I have a lot that I want to do and a lot I want to accomplish.”
“Hindsight is 2020, but I probably, unfortunately, wouldn’t have been around much longer if I didn’t take care of my body, which is a really jarring thought,” he added.
New project
Now that Outer Banks has come to an end, Stokes is looking forward to what’s next. He’ll star as Ronnie Whitlock in AMC’s upcoming NASCAR drama Thunder Road alongside Dennis Quaid.
Stokes said he’s heading into the project feeling better than he has in years. “I feel great for the first time in a long time,” he claimed.
According to Deadline, Thunder Road comes from Marco Polo creator John Fusco and is expected to premiere on AMC and AMC+ in 2027.