A Johnston County resident is featured in a film being released Tuesday called “Blue Mountain State: Rise of Thadland.” Set to premier on digital HD and video on demand, the Kickstarter funded comedy film features the original cast from the popular cult TV series as well as local North Carolina talent.
Filmed in Wilmington in 2014, “Blue Mountain State: Rise of Thadland” picks up with the original cast preparing for the biggest party they’ve ever thrown. As a right-to-work state, production hired local actors for smaller roles within the movie. William Frasca, an UNC-Wilmington Film Studies alum and up-and-coming actor was hired as such and was cast in a supporting role as the “nerdy-looking student.”
“Movies and T.V. shows filmed in North Carolina like ‘Blue Mountain State’, give non-union actors like myself, the ability to move up to the next tier in our careers as a supporting actor or co-star,” said Frasca. “This role granted me the opportunity to get Taft-Hartleyed, making me eligible to join SAG. This opportunity would not have been possible for me had the movie been filmed in California or New York, where the majority of the casting takes place for union workers.“
Will is a 2007 graduate of West Johnston High School and grew up in the Cleveland community near the I-40/NC42 interchange. Growing up Will worked at Sam Ash Music on Capital Boulevard in Raleigh.
In addition to Frasca’s supporting role in “Blue Mountain State: The Rise of Thadland,” the aspiring actor co-starred in season two of MTV’s “Finding Carter” and was most recently a guest star on Investigation Discovery Network’s “Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda,” as David Bowman, a fugitive on the run for first degree murder. Frasca has also appeared as featured background and stand-in roles in Marvel’s “Iron Man 3,” “Anchorman 2,” “Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “Hunger Games: Mockingjay,” NBC’s “Revolution,” CBS’ “Under the Dome,” HBO’s “East Bound and Down,” and Fox’s “Sleepy Hollow.”
Born in Texas and raised in the Cleveland community in western Johnston County, his passion for film led him to UNC-Wilmington where he majored in Film Studies.
“If North Carolina wants to see local actors on the big screen, they need to continue to support film/TV programs, so that union shows can be produced in our state and can give opportunities to North Carolina actors,” continues Frasca. “I know it’s a long road to success, but I am proud to have begun my professional acting career in my home state of North Carolina.”
William Gabriel Frasca was born in Fort Worth, Texas, but was raised in Johnston County. Known as “Billy” by his family and friends, he was raised with southern values and Italian traditions.
He went to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and graduated with a bachelors degree in Film Studies in 2011.
William is a screenwriter and director, but is best known for his Film and TV acting. William was very recently a guest star in an episode of Investigation Discovery Network’s Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda, as a David Bowman, fugitive on the run for 1st degree murder. In the Fall of 2015, he had a co-starring role in MTV’s Finding Carter Season 2 as a “Sketchy Guy” who roughs-up Carter’s brother (Ben Winchell, Max Steel) over money. In the Spring of 2015, William was in Smithsonian Channel’s Lincoln’s Last Day, as first responder to Abe Lincoln, Dr. Charles Leale.
William has also appeared as featured background in Marvel’s Iron Man 3, Anchorman 2, Hunger Games: Catching Fire, NBC’s Revolution, CBS’s Under the Dome, HBO’s East Bound and Down, and Fox’s Sleepy Hollow. He has also worked as a stand in on Iron Man 3, Revolution, and all three seasons of Sleepy Hollow.
For more information and to view video clips of Will Frasca, visit www.WilliamFrasca.com and www.imbd.com/williamfrasca.
