Chase Stokes, known for his remarkable portrayal of John B Routledge in the hit series Outer Banks, is a rising star and heartthrob capturing the attention of fans everywhere.
Amidst his skyrocketing success in showbiz, the charming actor has set the world abuzz with his newfound romance with the country singer Kelsea Ballerini.
In the middle of their flourishing careers, Kelsea and Chase have ignited a fan frenzy with their enchanting love story.
As curiosity surrounding their relationship grows, we’re here to bring you everything you need to know about Chase Stokes – from his sensational rise to fame to the captivating tale of how he and Kelsea Ballerini got together.
Chase Stokes: Rising Star of Outer Banks and Beyond
Chase Stokes, whose full name is James Alexander Chase Stokes, is an American actor who gained fame for his outstanding portrayal of John Booker Routledge, also known as John B, in the widely acclaimed Netflix teen drama series Outer Banks.
Chase Stokes as John B Routledge in the action-adventure mystery teen drama streaming television series Outer Banks (Credit: Netflix)
His life journey began in Annapolis, Maryland, as the only child of Jeff Stokes and Jennifer Canning. However, his parents divorced when he was just a few months old.
Following this, Chase and his mother relocated to Canton, Georgia, and later to Orlando, Florida, during his teenage years, where he attended Timber Creek High School. His early aspirations revolved around becoming a professional ice hockey player.
After completing his bachelor’s degree at Valencia College, Chase pursued higher education at the University of Central Florida and Seminole State College.
Despite his initial focus on sports, the acting world summoned him, leading him to take on minor television roles in shows like Stranger Things, Daytime Divas, and Tell Me Your Secrets as he embarked on his acting career.
Chase Stokes initially focused on sports, but he eventually caught the acting bug and started getting minor roles on television shows (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages / Cover Images)
Chase’s path to success took an unexpected turn when he declined an audition offer for Outer Banks in February 2019. Eventually, he reconsidered, trying out for the roles of Topper Thornton, portrayed by Austin North, and his role as John B.
His decision turned out favorable, as Outer Banks received rave reviews upon its release on April 15, 2020, and a second season was confirmed shortly after in July.
While Chase’s success continued to grow, he also dabbled in other projects, landing the role of TJ in One Of Us Is Lying. Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts with Outer Banks’ second season, he had to step away from the project, and his role was recast.
How Tall Is Chase Stokes?
Born on September 16, 1992, Chase Stokes stands tall at an impressive 6 feet and 1 inch (185 cm). In the Pogue crew in Outer Banks, the 30-year-old actor claims the title of the tallest cast member among the male characters.
At 6 feet and 1 inch, Chase Stokes is the tallest among the members of the Outer Banks cast (Credit: Sara De Boer / Startraksphoto)
Comparing him to his co-stars, Chase’s height surpasses Rudy Pankow (JJ) by one inch, as the 24-year-old star stands at 6 feet (183 cm). Additionally, he is 1 ½ inches taller than Jonathan Daviss (Pope), who is 5 feet and 11 ½ inches (181.6 cm) tall.
Despite the slight height advantage over his fellow Pogues, Chase’s closeness with Jonathan and Rudy makes it challenging to notice the difference in their heights when they stand together in scenes.
Meet Kelsea Ballerini: Talented Country Pop Sensation
Kelsea Nicole Ballerini, born on September 12, 1993, and is 5 feet and 7 inches (170.2 cm) tall, is an American country pop singer and songwriter with a passion for music that began at a young age.
In 2014, the 29-year-old signed a contract with Black River Entertainment, paving the way for her debut studio album, The First Time, released the following year. Following the success of her debut, Kelsea released her second studio album, Unapologetically, in 2017.
Kelsea Ballerini is a popular American country pop singer and songwriter with several hit records under her belt (Credit: Brandi Benton / Startraksphoto / Cover Images)
As a rising star in the country music scene, Kelsea has achieved remarkable chart success, with seven songs making their mark on the Hot Country Songs.
Impressively, she boasts of five No. 1 singles on the Country Airplay chart, starting with her debut single, Love Me Like You Mean It, making her the first female artist since Carrie Underwood in 2006 to achieve this feat.
Her subsequent hits, Dibs and Peter Pan solidified her position as the first female country artist to have her first three singles reach the top of the same chart since Wynonna Judd.
And the accolades didn’t stop there, as her fourth No. 1 single, Legends, further cemented her status as a country music powerhouse.
Kelsea Ballerini started out as a rising star in the country music scene, and it only took her a few years to become a country music powerhouse (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages)
Continuing to create music that resonates with her fans, she released her third studio album, Kelsea, and an acoustic counterpart album, Ballerini, in 2020. Building on her success, she unveiled her fourth studio album, Subject to Change, in 2022.
Beyond her musical achievements, Kelsea Ballerini’s personal life has also garnered attention. She previously dated Australian country singer Morgan Evans, and in a heartwarming twist of fate, Kelsea found love again, this time with Chase Stokes.
Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini’s Love Story
Their love story started in January 2023 when rumors began swirling about a possible romance between Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini, although the couple reportedly began dating in December 2022.
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The speculations were fueled by a cuddly photo of the two posted by Todd Graves at the Georgia vs TCU game at SoFi Stadium in California, where they stood with their friends, including Jonathan Daviss, Austin North, Dylan Sprouse, and Zack Bia.
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Meanwhile, the sparks were undeniable as Chase “soft launched” their relationship, sharing a heartwarming photo of them cuddled up at the football game in a carousel of images with a simple caption, “lil recap.”
Kelsea playfully commented on the post with “go vols 🙈” supporting her hometown team.
@kelseaballerinii’m about to break up with the internet 5 sure 😂♬ original sound – Kelsea Ballerini
However, Kelsea subtly addressed the dating rumors on TikTok, playfully responding to a screenshot from a celebrity gossip account that mentioned her and Chase.
Repeatedly, she acknowledged she should “stop reading [and] stop looking” at the comments made about her and continued, asking, “But what is happening you guys? What? What? No. Let’s not do this, you know?”
Kelsea wrote in the caption, “I’m about to break up with the internet 5 sure 😂”
In February 2023, Kelsea appeared on Alex Cooper’s podcast Call Her Daddy, revealing for the first time how she met Chase. After following each other on Instagram, Kelsea boldly slid into Chase’s DMs, initiating their connection.
She shared, “I’ve never seen his show, but I just knew of him, and I just swan dove right on in,” adding, “His handle is ‘@hichasestokes,’ and I said, ‘Hi, Chase Stokes.'”
Their romance continued to thrive, and Kelsea expressed her happiness, saying she was “just vibing” with Chase. “I was ready to open back up. I just felt, why not? I’ve never really dated; I don’t know how it works. I’m like, ‘Let’s just put ourselves out there; let’s just vibe.’ And it’s been fun.”
Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini made their red carpet debut at the 2023 CMT Music Awards held at Moody Center in Austin, Texas, on April 2, 2023 (Credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock)
The couple took a significant step together on April 2, 2023, as they walked their first red carpet at the CMT Awards, where Kelsea co-hosted alongside Kane Brown.
Kelsea recently shared in a July cover story interview with Stylecaster that they felt secure and proud to be together, openly embracing their relationship.
She said, “The thing that we’ve decided, and to each their own, is when you’re with someone that you feel secure with and that you’re proud to be with, why not share it? He’s also a Virgo; we’re both Labrador Retrievers in human form. It doesn’t take much conversation to be on the same page. It’s been half a year and it’s been great.”
Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes’ Past Relationships
Before finding love with Chase Stokes, Kelsea Ballerini was married to 38-year-old Australian country singer Morgan Evans for nearly five years. They started dating in March 2016, engaged on Christmas Day that same year, and exchanged vows in December 2017.
Kelsea Ballerini was previously married to Australian country singer Morgan Evans for nearly five years before they called it quits (Credit: Abby Grant / Cover Images)
However, in August 2022, Kelsea took to social media to announce their decision to call it quits and officially filed for divorce that same month. They reached a settlement agreement, and their divorce was finalized after 3 months.
Meanwhile, Chase Stokes had his share of public relationships. He was previously linked to his Outer Banks co-star, Madelyn Cline.
Chase Stokes and Outer Banks co-star Madelyn Cline started dating in June of 2020, but their relationship ended after over a year (Credit: Jack Hammer / Startraksphoto)
The former couple starred in the music video for Kygo and Donna Summer’s single Hot Stuff. However, after over a year of dating since June 2020, their relationship ended in November 2021.