Is Madelyn Cline in 'Cruel Summer'? Here's why fans are seriously confused

Is there an 'Outer Banks' crossover we don't know about? Is Madelyn Cline in 'Cruel Summer'? Here's what to know

Is Madelyn Cline in Cruel Summer? Pictured: Madelyn Cline arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's "Outer Banks" Season 3 at Regency Village Theatre on February 16, 2023 in Los Angeles, California
(Image credit: Steve Granitz/FilmMagic/Getty)

Hold up—is Madelyn Cline in Cruel Summer?!

The teen anthology series Cruel Summer season 2 premiered on Freeform on Monday, June 5, and the second installment features not only a brand-new storyline—"the season twists and turns as it tracks the early friendship between Megan, Isabella and Megan’s best friend Luke, the love triangle that blossomed, and the mystery that would impact all of their lives going forward," reads the official synopsis—but also a set of fresh faces portraying its young characters. 

However, one such face has viewers very confused and wondering if Outer Banks leading lady Madelyn Cline is the one playing the role of Megan Landry this season. Here's what we know. (And here's how to watch Cruel Summer no matter where you are in the world, if you want to catch up on the series before diving into season 2.) 

Is Madelyn Cline in 'Cruel Summer'? Why fans are confused

No, Madelyn Cline is not the new star of Cruel Summer's second season. That would be 21-year-old American actress Sadie Stanley playing Megan Landry in the Freeform series. You might recognize her from playing the titular character of the Disney Channel Original Movie Kim Possible, as well as roles in TV series like ABC's The Goldbergs and Netflix's Dead to Me, and films including The Sleepover, Let Us In and Somewhere in Queens.  

It's not much of a surprise that folks are confusing Stanley with Cline. Though the latter is a few years older, at 25, the two beauties look remarkably similar, with their almond-shaped eyes and fuller pouts. The natural brunettes dye their locks blonde for their respective series and, funnily enough, both even hail from the state of South Carolina. 

Their resemblance is so uncanny that many Cruel Summer fans are shocked to find out the actresses are not related. 

Fans react to that Madelyn Cline 'Cruel Summer' lookalike

Along with Madelyn Cline, other fans have said that Sadie Stanley also resembles another rising star: Euphoria actress Sydney Sweeney. Personally, we also see a little '90s-era Julia Stiles thrown into the mix, too! 

Catch Sadie Stanley (not Madelyn Cline) in Cruel Summer season 2, which airs on Monday at 10pm ET on Freeform and is available to stream next-day on Hulu. 

Christina Izzo

Christina Izzo is the Deputy Editor of My Imperfect Life. 

More generally, she is a writer-editor covering food and drink, travel, lifestyle and culture in New York City. She was previously the Features Editor at Rachael Ray In Season and Reveal, as well as the Food & Drink Editor and chief restaurant critic at Time Out New York

When she’s not doing all that, she can probably be found eating cheese somewhere.