Mia Challis on Her Chaotic Outer Banks Character
interview
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interview ✦
Mia Challis has burst onto the scene as Ruthie in the latest season of the hit Netflix series Outer Banks, injecting a dose of unpredictable energy into the Pogues' world. And from the jump, we discover that Ruthie is a whirlwind, a character who immediately disrupts the established dynamics with her bold personality and penchant for stirring the pot. She's a force to be reckoned with, and Challis embodies her with a captivating blend of intensity and vulnerability.
Photography: Jovon Roberts
Given all of those components, Ruthie's arrival in the Outer Banks isn't just a simple addition to the cast; she throws a wrench into the carefully constructed ecosystem of relationships and rivalries. Her connection with Topper, in particular, is a complex and often volatile dance, adding another layer of drama to the already turbulent lives of fellow Outer Banks characters.
While Ruthie's actions often have significant consequences for the others around her, Challis manages to imbue her with a sense of relatable humanity—bringing complexity to a character who could easily have been one-dimensional. Now, Challis is delving deeper into her character’s inner workings and diabolical tendencies.
Ruthie is a new and quite disruptive force in the Outer Banks world, with a wild and unpredictable personality. How did you approach developing this character, and what aspects of her personality did you find most interesting to explore?
Mia Challis: Ruthie is such an unpredictable, chaotic character, and playing her really pushed me to think outside my usual approach. Ruthie doesn’t care about consequences—she’s all about living in the moment and stirring things up, which made her so much fun to explore. I’ll never forget during the chemistry read, the director, Jonas Pate, said, ‘Okay, let’s just go even more!’ That really clicked for me, because with Ruthie, there are no limits so I had to approach playing her like that.
What I found most interesting about her was how she completely throws caution to the wind. She doesn’t worry about what might happen next, and that’s so different from how I live my life. I’m more cautious and think things through, so stepping into Ruthie’s world, where there’s no second-guessing, was a refreshing challenge. It let me really dive into something new and exciting.
Photography: Jovon Roberts
Photography: Jovon Roberts
Ruthie has a complex relationship with Topper. How did you and Austin North work together to build that on-screen dynamic, and what were some of the challenges in portraying such an intense and sometimes volatile relationship?
Mia Challis: Austin and I have a natural trust as friends, so we were able to improvise and try different things in each scene. He’s such a fantastic scene partner, which made it so much easier to bounce off each other. The only challenge was keeping up the stamina—those intense moments can take a lot out of you! It’s all just so much fun—even in those intense moments, it’s all laughs between the scenes.
Ruthie's actions often have consequences for the other characters, and she's not afraid to stir the pot. Did you find it challenging to play a character who is so unapologetically disruptive, and how did you balance that with trying to make her relatable to the audience?
Mia Challis: Gosh, I hope she’s not too relatable! Ruthie is written to be unapologetically disruptive—she doesn’t care about the consequences, and that's a huge part of her character. But I did try to show small moments where she might feel a hint of remorse, even though she deflects and covers it up. It's challenging, especially in scenes like the turtle scene, where she's just pure chaos. Ruthie is relentless—there's really no stopping her. Finding those small moments of vulnerability while keeping her true to her wild, chaotic nature was tough, but I think it added a layer of depth to her character. She is sure fun to play!
From your perspective, how would you say Ruthie changes the dynamic of the group?
Mia Challis: I think Ruthie really shakes things up within the Kooks. She pushes the boundaries so much that it forces Topper’s character to see the consequences of when things go too far. Her presence challenges the status quo, and she pushes those limits to the point where the dynamics within the group can completely shift. She even challenges Topper’s authority, and that’s saying something! Ruthie’s unpredictability forces everyone around her to reevaluate their choices and the power structures they’ve relied on.
Photography: Jovon Roberts
Photography: Jovon Roberts
Outer Banks has clearly generated a dedicated and passionate fanbase. What kind of reactions have you seen to Ruthie so far—and did joining this series create more nerves or excitement due to that pre-existing following?
Mia Challis: Oh, the fans hate her! Which is fabulous—that’s exactly how they should feel! I think it means I did my job, so I’ll take it! But seriously, the fans have been really supportive and lovely about my acting, which honestly surprised me. Sometimes it’s hard to separate the character from the actor, but they’ve been great. It really speaks volumes about the amazing fanbase the pre-existing cast has built. Joining the series definitely created more excitement than nerves for me because of that incredible following—they’re so passionate and invested, which made it even more thrilling to be part of this world.
In closing, what has been the biggest lesson you've learned, or the most significant takeaway, from working on this project?
Mia Challis: Firstly, thank you so much for this interview! I had never been on a set like that before—four cameras on you, drones flying around, and scenes with 300-plus people on set. It was a whole new experience, and I learned so much about performing at that level. But honestly, my biggest takeaway was the fantastic cast and crew. They are all such hard-working, talented individuals, and they welcomed me so warmly. The support and camaraderie on set made the whole experience unforgettable.
