Myrtle Beach locals extras on Netflix’s ‘Outer Banks.’ Episode filming in Socastee
When agreeing to work as an extra on the pilot “Outer Banks” in 2019, Kimberly Cairnes-Elliot did not realize how large the show would become.
The Myrtle Beach area woman can be spotted minutes into the show’s pilot standing next to Chase Stokes, who played John B, as they learn a horrible hurricane is supposed to hit the North Carolina islands soon.
“Standing beside (Stokes), he smelled so good. I asked him what cologne he was wearing because he smelled so good,” Cairnes-Elliot said with a laugh. “(Stokes) really has got a fun personality, and he’s really a nice guy.”
“Outer Banks” is filming near the Socastee Swing Bridge on July 29, The Sun News reported. Dick Pond Road will close for several blocks from about 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., wrote Horry County spokesperson Thomas Bell in a text to The Sun News.
The Netflix teen adventure drama follows a group of working-class friends, known as the Pogues, in coastal North Carolina as they uncover secrets, clash with wealthy rivals called the Kooks and hunt for a legendary lost treasure linked to the disappearance of the main character’s father
After working on the first episode, Cairnes-Elliot and her son, Brandon Cairnes, both went on to work as extras for multiple seasons. Cairnes-Elliot could not confirm if she will be on set Tuesday, but said she has worked as an extra for season five and filmed in other parts of South Carolina.
When living on Harbor Island near Hunting Island State Park, Cairnes-Elliot said she got a call from a friend saying Netflix was looking for background extras to work on a new TV show. She sent information and photos of her and Brandon Cairnes, into the casting director and both were hired.
Cairnes-Elliot said working on the pilot was her favorite day on set. The show and the actors were relatively unknown, which made the atmosphere on set more laid-back.
“We all did have fun, you know, playing football on the beach. It was a lot of fun. Everybody was relaxed and very chill,” Cairnes-Elliot said. “It was the starting of something big, but we didn’t know it at the time.”
As the show got bigger, security became tighter. The crew and actors have to be careful when sharing information about where they are, and there are more guards on set than before.
“Security is around the main cast at all times, and they have to not only secure them, but they have to secure the perimeter of where we’re filming at. And it was not like that with the first season,” Cairnes-Elliot said.
What it is like working on set
Working as an extra is not an easy task, Cairnes-Elliot said. Working on a Netflix show, there is a rigid schedule and tight guidelines on how to dress.
When “Outer Banks” is filming and the production company wants her to work, Cairnes-Elliot said the casting director will give her a 24- to 48-hour notice that they want her on set. If she accepts, Cairnes-Elliot has to be on time or risk losing her spot as a background actor.
“You have to be available for that whole day until that scene is cut. So it could be a 12-hour day, it could be less than a 12-hour day, or it could be longer than a 12-hour day,” Cairnes-Elliot said.
She has had call times as early as 4 a.m. or sometimes later in the day such as 12 p.m. for “Outer Banks.” She also had to work as late as 4 a.m.
For a typical day on set, Cairnes-Elliot said she first checks in with security and then goes to costume and makeup. She brings three outfits that match the description the crew sent her and lets the costume team decide what to dress her.
“If you’re not bringing in exactly what they have an idea of what the set requires, then they will give you the clothing,” Cairnes-Elliot said.
.jpg "IMG_0942 (1).jpg")
She will then head into hair and makeup. The “Outer Banks” show crew does the makeup based on the episode. For example, in the pilot, Brandon Cairnes played a tourist, so the team added color to his face to make him appear sunburnt. In later seasons, Brandon Cairnes played a Pogue so the crew made him look tan and beachy.
Once ready, the background characters will wait until their names are called to join the set. Cairnes-Elliot said she has been filmed on the beach, on a boat and a boardwalk among other filming locations.
Cairnes-Elliot said she is excited to see “Outer Banks” come to the Myrtle Beach area.
“It’s exciting to see the whole (show) come together like it has,” Cairnes-Elliot said. “It’s a part of my life that I’m not going to forget because I was involved in something that actually took off.”
This story was originally published July 29, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
