IN CONVERSATION WITH THE RUNAROUNDS
interview by JANA LETONJA
photography PAMELA LITTKY
The Runarounds are a rising band born from the screen and destined for the stage. From ‘Outer Banks’ creator Jonas Pate, the upcoming series ‘The Runarounds’, which is premiering on 1st September, follows a diverse group of high school grads who form a rock band during a life-changing summer, blending friendship, music, and coming-of-age energy in equal measure. What makes this project truly unique is that the band in the show has evolved into a real-life band, set to hit the road on tour in Fall 2025.
The Runarounds’ follows a group of teens forming a band right after high school. How much of the show mirrors your real-life experiences as a band?
The show borrows somewhat from real-life, but many of the individual characters' experiences are fairly different than what appears on screen.
What was the first moment on set when you all felt like, “Whoa, this chemistry is real”?
For me, it was back in 2020 on the day we first met in Charleston as part of the casting process. A few weeks before the meeting, we made a group chat and discussed a few songs to learn on our own, including Jet's ‘Are You Gonna Be My Girl’, Iggy Pop's ‘Billy Is A Runaway’, Briston Maroney's ‘I've Been Waiting’, and a few others. The energy was great from the moment we first plugged in.
How did it feel working under Jonas Pate, especially coming from the success of ‘Outer Banks’?
It was the opportunity of a lifetime, Jonas and his team truly led with love. We got incredibly lucky to fall into the Pates' orbit.
The fact that a fictional band turned into a real one is so rare. When did the switch flip? When did it go from “We’re acting” to “Let’s actually make music together”?
When we were cast together in 2020, the end goal was to shoot a season of television. However, in the years between our meeting in Charleston and filming the first season, we wrote songs together and played 23 live shows. Although we had always hoped that we would get to film a season, the acting skillset came much later in our journey, and is of course still evolving.
What’s your creative process like as a band?
Everyone brings something to the table. There is no consistent process.
This fall, you’re going on tour. What are you most excited about this next chapter?
I'm very much looking forward to visiting a number of places that are home to many. Of course, I can't wait to spend a ton of time with the crew.
How do you keep your bond strong while balancing acting, music, and everything else that comes with the spotlight?
After all of these years, us cast and crew have become quite close. There's nothing quite like friendships.
What’s the first thing you want fans to feel when they hit play on Episode 1, or when they see you live on tour?
Bands are very, very fun.
As a band, what can the fans expect next from you besides the tour?
Hopefully, many more shows are to come.
