Actor Chase Stokes says that some of his organs were “failing” after he finished filming Outer Banks.
The Maryland-born star played John B in the Netflix series, which released its fifth and final season this week.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Stokes, 33, said there was “so much s*** wrong” with his body after filming wrapped.
“I left that show … 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,” he told the publication.
“It was a really important time for me to get my bearings right versus just go back into work and mask it.”
The actor said that he discovered he had “alarmingly low” testosterone levels and started undertaking blood tests twice a month, along with transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy, a non-invasive form of brain stimulation.
open image in galleryHe also entered into “deep, intensive therapy work”, he said.
“Hindsight is 20/20, 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.
“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. I have a lot that I want to do, and a lot I want to accomplish.”
The actor added that he now feels “great for the first time in a long time”.
In the interview, Stokes also admitted that the success of the show and his resulting fame left him facing a “really hard time”.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day
New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
open image in galleryHe remembered a time when he was walking his dog in Los Angeles and a tour bus stopped next to him.
People were “just taking photos of me”, he said.
“There isn’t really an idiot’s guide of how to navigate success in this space.”
Outer Banks, which was first released in 2020, is set in a community in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and follows two groups of teenagers as they search for a lost treasure.
Before being cast, Stokes previously had small roles in other shows including Stranger Things, Daytime Divas and Tell Me Your Secrets.