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Outer Banks Star Drew Starkey Says He Has a “Little Bit of Troy Bolton in Me”
The Outer Banks Star Reflects on Balancing His Two Loves Growing Up.
Drew Starkey, known for his breakout role in Netflix's Outer Banks, recently revealed he has his own real-life High School Musical story. Drawing parallels to Troy Bolton, Zac Efron’s character in the Disney classic, Starkey shared how his passion for basketball and acting shaped his early life and career.
Starkey grew up immersed in basketball, influenced by his father, the head women’s basketball coach at Kent State University. Yet, like Bolton, he eventually discovered his love for the arts. He pursued acting in college, double majoring in English and theater performance at Western Carolina University in North Carolina.
Reflecting on his journey, Starkey told Dazed Magazine, “Basketball was my first love. And then I was like, ‘No, Dad, I want to sing and dance. I’m meant to be an actor.’”
He described the transformative experience of acting, “Sometimes you hit a flow where it feels like this is what I’m meant to be doing. It’s unconscious in some way, and it makes the process so addictive.”
Since gaining fame as Rafe Cameron on Outer Banks, Starkey has become a fan favorite, solidifying his place as a rising star. Beyond the Netflix series, he has taken on a variety of roles and is set to appear opposite Daniel Craig in Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming film Queer, based on William Burroughs’ novel.
In preparation for his role as Eugene Allerton, Starkey described his immersive approach to understanding the character, “It was a process of osmosis… I spent four or five months meditating on it. The real work, though, began on day one of filming with Craig.”
He further explained Allerton’s dynamic with Lee (played by Craig), saying, “He only reveals himself as a counterpart to Lee, and that felt like his truest form—what he was afraid of showing.”
With his multifaceted talents and dedication to his craft, Drew Starkey continues to carve out a unique space in Hollywood. Whether playing a troubled bad boy on Outer Banks or stepping into more nuanced roles in films like Queer, the actor proves he’s just getting started. From the basketball court to the big screen, Starkey is thriving in the spotlight.
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