Carlacia Grant portrays Cleo in Netflix’s Outer Banks. All episodes of season 4 are currently streaming and the series has already been renewed for a fifth and final season.

Following last season’s 18-month flash-forward showing Wes Genrette’s proposal for the Pogues to find Blackbeard’s treasure, Season 4 takes us back in time to the lead-up of that moment. After finding the gold at El Dorado, the Pogues return to the OBX and commit to having a “normal” life. They’ve built themselves a new safe haven, officially dubbed “Poguelandia 2.0”, where they live together and run a fairly successful bait, tackle, and charter tour shop. But after some financial setbacks, John B, Sarah, Kiara, JJ, Pope, and Cleo take Wes up on his offer, drawn back into the “G” game for a whole new adventure. But before they know it, they’re well in over their heads, with dangerous new enemies hot on their heels racing them to the treasure. Meanwhile, their problems are only growing, and they’re forced to question their past, present, and future – who they really are, has it all been worth it, and how much are they willing to risk?

I had the chance to ask the actress about the events of Part 2, her hopes for the last season, getting to develop the character throughout the show, and more. Keep reading for everything she shared!

Cleo overhears Heyward saying to Pope that she is “a tough cookie” and it clearly hurts her. Can you tell me more about how that scene affects her outlook?
Carlacia Grant: I believe Cleo was already grappling with her own feelings of “did she do the right thing” after she left Terrance and Stubs back in the Bahamas. She wanted to avenge Terrance’s death but didn’t want to leave her newfound family in the process. That conversation made her feel isolated and further confirmed that she should go after Terrance’s killer.

She gives Pope a bracelet that Terrance gave her to hold on to until they see each other again, which was a sweet sentiment. What was the significance of that for her and what was she trying to say to Pope? 
No matter what, she will try to come back to him. Cleo knows how dangerous this mission is [that] she is trying to attempt, and she knows [going] solo puts her even more at risk. I think she is attempting to comfort Pope’s worries and also offer a symbol that she will be thinking of him. 

Cleo stops JJ so that she and Pope can take the gun and hold the bad guys off since he’s hurt, which is one of my favorite friendship moments for them. How is she going to handle his death?
I don’t exactly know the answer to that yet but I think it will stir up a lot of unresolved trauma, which I think the writers will get to explore in the next season.

Pope shoots the man who killed Terrance instead of Cleo, what did that mean to her and what did it prove about their relationship? 
It further confirms that Cleo and Pope are Bonnie and Clyde. It ended in a way that she didn’t prefer because she wanted to protect Pope and the bright future that he has in front of him, but circumstances caused him to do the deed, which Cleo isn’t happy about. I think it will make their relationship get even deeper. We both know that there isn’t anything we won’t do for each other and there is an inner peace about that. 

When we did our Season 4 Part 1 interview, you and Jonathan couldn’t really tell me about improv moments in Part 2 due to spoilers. Can you share those now?
There were a lot of improv moments when Cleo sneaks into Heyward’s house to visit Pope once when he’s on house arrest. We played a lot with the banter that happens before Cleo makes it up the stairs. hiding behind the tree and seeing him before he sees Cleo is there. 

The show has already been renewed for a fifth and final season with the theme seemingly being revenge. What other themes would you like to see explored, especially for Cleo? 
Firstly, Cleo needs her last name to be revealed, lol. Fans have been wanting to know that since Cleo was introduced. Also, I would like to see more of a fully fleshed-out backstory for her complete with flashbacks of her earlier life. I would also love to see another Caribbean lineage.

What has been your favorite part of developing this character throughout the seasons?
Cleo has an inner strength that is admirable. To be so young and to have experienced that amount of trauma, she still exhibits hope, love, and laughter. That’s something that inspires me. I love that people can see that and find those parts of themselves. 

Is there a smaller detail that helps inform the way you play Cleo that audiences might not notice? 
The way Cleo walks and the way she sits in a chair. She steers away from crossing her legs, she is always ready for battle and always has her knife on her even if it’s not seen – it’s in her pocket or in her sock. 

This season we see the Pogues all wearing orange friendship bracelets, is there a story behind that? 
Our costume designer Emmie Holmes has had the Pogues wear these bracelets since season 1. When Cleo officially becomes a Pogue, she starts wearing her Pogue bracelet. They have even changed colors over time. It’s been a mix of bandanas and past shirts we wore. I find it amazing that it took a few years to notice that.