Auditions in North Carolina: How to Find Casting Calls in Wilmington, Charlotte and the Triangle

What is happening with North Carolina’s film grant?

The grant is the state’s main incentive, and this year it is shaky. The Department of Commerce says the Film and Entertainment Grant gives producers rebates of up to 25% on qualified in-state spending and is funded at $31 million per fiscal year with no sunset date. In July, Commerce said the funding model in the state budget would mean little to no program activity for the coming years. WHQR explained that grants are agreed up front and paid after production, so years of commitments are already on the books. It also reported that some production companies announced they were cancelling or relocating projects.

State leaders have responded. On September 15, Governor Josh Stein and Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley toured Cinespace Wilmington to discuss changes to the incentive, and Lilley said Commerce is committed to working with the General Assembly on a solution. On October 6, legislative leaders promised an extra one-time $31 million, to be directed toward the Wilmington area, with a vote planned for mid-November, WHQR reported. Until lawmakers vote, that money is a promise, so check the NC Film Office’s incentives page for updates. In practice, spread your credits across theater, commercials and independent film instead of waiting on one big set.

Where are North Carolina casting calls posted?

Casting directors post many principal roles on the national platforms. Our Los Angeles guide explains how breakdowns, submissions and self-tapes work, and Actors Access vs. Backstage vs. Casting Networks compares the platforms. The Wilmington Regional Film Commission adds, in its FAQ, that actors should start by getting an agent through a reputable talent agency and that productions do not hire actors directly. It will email a list of North Carolina talent agencies if you ask, does not endorse them and does not review photos. Add these local sources:

• Charlotte Regional Film Commission: its Current & Recent Productions page says cast and crew opportunities may be listed under current productions.
• North Carolina Theatre Conference: its Jobs & Auditions page posts audition notices from across the state and requires each listing to say whether actors will be paid, unpaid or a mix. When we looked, it carried calls from Davidson Community Players, Three Bone Theatre and Justice Theatre Project and a Blumenthal Arts call for local swings.
• Film festivals: the NC Film Office keeps a festival list. The Cucalorus Film Festival in Wilmington runs November 18 to 22, 2026, and festivals are where you can meet independent filmmakers.

A subscription pays for a platform’s service, never for an audition. If a call asks you for money, read how to spot a fake casting call.

Can you work as a background actor in North Carolina?

Yes, and it is a practical way to learn how a set runs. The Wilmington Regional Film Commission’s FAQ lists five companies to contact about extra work in local productions: Cherrix Casting, MartySiu Casting, TW Cast & Recruit, Kimmie Stewart Casting and The Casting Office, Inc. The commission says it does not hire or recommend extras, so check each company’s current website or social pages before you email, and make sure registering is free. Never pay to join a background list. Our guide on how to become a background actor covers sign-up, vouchers and what to expect on set.

What about Charlotte and the Triangle?

The Charlotte Regional Film Commission says its region covers 16 counties across both Carolinas, and its production page names recent projects such as The Hunting Wives, Top Chef, Roofman and Bad Counselors. Check that page before you search elsewhere. The NC Film Office’s list of regional commissions covers Charlotte, the Piedmont Triad and Wilmington, so in the Triangle the clearest door is theater.

How do theater auditions work in North Carolina?

Stage credits are a practical way to be seen by people who live where you do. Three examples from the companies’ own pages:

• Thalian Association Community Theatre (Wilmington): its audition notices give the date, what to prepare and a link to book a time. For Dracula, actors prepared a memorized monologue of up to two minutes, and for Miracle on 34th Street they prepared 16 bars of a musical theatre song. The theatre says people new to the association are always welcome and that it cannot guarantee everyone will be cast.
• PlayMakers Repertory Company (Chapel Hill): the professional theater at UNC Chapel Hill holds open auditions each spring for Triangle-based Equity and non-Equity performers and posts the details on its auditions page.
• Burning Coal Theatre (Raleigh): it says on its auditions page that it is a professional theatre that pays its artists and auditions local and national talent every year. Auditions for 2026-27 have ended and it will post 2027-28 details in early 2027. It keeps the resumes of actors who are not cast on file.

Tip: Read each theater’s audition page before you go, because policies differ, and never pay to be seen.

Do you need to join SAG-AFTRA to work in North Carolina?

You can start without joining. SAG-AFTRA’s Washington-Mid Atlantic Local covers North Carolina, and our guides to union vs. non-union acting and how to join SAG-AFTRA explain the trade-offs.

North Carolina is a right-to-work state: G.S. 95-78 declares it public policy that the right to work cannot be denied or abridged because of membership or non-membership in a labor union. That limits what an employer can demand. It does not turn off the union’s own rules for its members. Under Global Rule One, members generally may not work for employers that have not signed a SAG-AFTRA agreement, so once you join, assume the rule applies in North Carolina.

How do you find a legitimate agent in North Carolina?

The Association of Talent Agents’ state-by-state guide (May 2024) says a license is required for employment agencies in North Carolina, including talent agencies and artist managers, and it points to the state Department of Labor, which posts the private personnel services license forms. So do these checks:

• License: ask for the license number and confirm it with the Department of Labor before you sign anything.
• Franchise: SAG-AFTRA members can work only with franchised agencies, and the union’s Franchised Agents List can be searched by Local.
• Track record: the Federal Trade Commission advises you to ask for a list of the actors an agency has placed, get references, search the company’s name with words like “scam” or “complaint” and get every promise in writing (FTC).
• Fees: the FTC says real agencies get paid when you get paid, so never pay an agency up front.

Our guide on how to get a talent agent has the full plan.

Where can you train in North Carolina?

Training is optional, but classes are where you meet scene partners and directors. Two places whose sites we checked:

• Actor’s Arsenal calls itself a professional film and TV acting studio in Wilmington and lists group classes, private coaching, audition taping and reel creation.
• Burning Coal Theatre’s Uta Hagen class in Raleigh is an eight-week scene study class for adults 16 and older, taught by artistic director Jerome Davis. The page lists the next session for July 5 to August 23, 2027.

Tip: Audit or take a single workshop before you commit to a longer course, and walk away from any class that promises you an agent or a role.

What does a realistic first 90 days look like?

Budget a few hours every week: time to read calls and submit, time to record self-tapes when invitations arrive and one class or workshop session. Pick one base, either Wilmington, Charlotte or the Triangle, and start there.

Keep going after day 90: auditioning is a habit you build.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to live in Wilmington to get auditions there?

You can begin from anywhere, because many auditions start as self-tapes. Still, extras calls and theater auditions are local, and you need legal authorization to work in the United States. Move when you have materials, momentum and a plan.

Is North Carolina still a good place for actors while the film grant is uncertain?

It is a smaller and less certain market than it was in 2024. State-reported spending fell from more than $302 million in 2024 to $185.5 million in 2025, and new grants have been in doubt this year, although legislative leaders have promised extra funding and a vote is planned for mid-November. Build credits in theater, commercials and independent film as well, and compare markets in our guides to auditions in Atlanta and auditions in New Orleans.

Do I need an agent to get auditions in North Carolina?

The Wilmington Regional Film Commission advises actors to start with an agent, and an agent can submit you for roles you cannot see. You can still submit yourself on the platforms, answer theater calls and register as an extra. When you look for an agent, ask for the license number and run the franchise and FTC checks above.

Is Wilmington or Charlotte better for an actor starting out?

It depends on the work you want. Wilmington has the studio campus, a film history that goes back to 1983 and a community theater that posts each audition. The Charlotte region hosts series and features across both Carolinas. Pick the one where you can show up often.

Do I have to pay to audition or to be an extra in North Carolina?

Going to an audition does not cost anything. The FTC says that paying to get a job is always a sign of a scam, and the same goes for joining a background list. Platforms charge subscriptions for their own services, which are optional.

Reviewed in October 2026.