GREENVILLE — Forty years ago, Nate Bynum got his start as an actor in police training videos for South Carolina ETV.
It was his first on-camera experience — and last in South Carolina.
It took more than 40 years to find his way back.
The world-traveling actor returned home for a recurring role on season four of the hit Netflix show, “Outer Banks,” which shoots in Charleston.
He plays a menacing groundskeeper, Demp, one of the most consistent roles yet for the 65-year-old.
“He was totally different for me, and I loved it,” Bynum said of his character. “I relished the opportunity.”
The TV show follows a group of working class kids from the Outer Banks beach town as they search for lost treasure. The teen drama has been a major hit on Netflix, regularly topping the streaming service’s most-watched list. Season 4 ranked first with more than 23 million views in its first two weeks.
South Carolina has traditionally lagged behind neighboring states in funding for film, but it has tried to bolster its coffers in recent years — with “Outer Banks” as its flagship production.
South Carolina roots
Bynum grew up with his grandparents near the Roosevelt Village community in Columbia. No one worked in the arts. His grandfather was a laborer and loved to fish. His grandmother cleaned houses.
But his grandparents wanted him to see the world, to read books and enjoy experiences that they never had. They encouraged him to pursue the arts.
“They wanted more for me,” Bynum said. “They saw a way out that I didn’t even think about.”
Despite starting on the varsity football team as a defensive back, the arts had a way of finding him. As early as elementary school, teachers put books in his hands. Later, they took him to a Columbia art gallery. He sang in the high school choir and performed in plays, winning best actor.
“My high school teachers were saying, ‘there’s a world out there I want you to know about,’” he said.
After graduating from Columbia High School in 1977, he received scholarships to multiple colleges for acting. He recorded the nationally broadcast SC ETV training videos for the police department, where he pretended to be an attorney or witness.
He aimed to become a singer and dancer on Broadway — until he realized the competition was even stiffer than he imagined.
“Man, these Broadway actors, they can sing and dance like nobody,” he said.
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So he attempted a different route. He tried to “backdoor into the industry.”
He became a teacher. An acting professor. First at the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Later at Mississippi State University. Now at University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
He has served as a tenured professor in Las Vegas for over 25 years now, where he became the first Black professor in the theater department and founded the school’s camera acting program. He has won screenwriting awards for his scripts.
He never stopped acting, though. When he wasn’t teaching, he traveled to Wilmington, N.C., to audition or Atlanta to film.
Since 1987, he’s appeared in popular movies and TV shows, including “The Rainmaker,” “Crash” and “Iron Man 3.” More recently, he’s earned roles in “How to Get Away with Murder,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “Wu-Tang: An American Saga.” He regularly performs in commercials, whether it’s for FedEx or Sears.
Then “Outer Banks” came along. His students freaked out. The school newspaper wrote a story. And Bynum got ready to work.
Joining “Outer Banks”
Demp was a new character for Bynum, who had never seen the show before. He specializes in medical and legal terminology. He’s often clean-shaven. Sometimes he has a Caribbean accent.
But this unshaved character with a gravelly voice, limp and semi-closed eye was mysterious. Brooding. Ominous. Bynum researched the eye condition and practiced it in the mirror.
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Because Bynum only appears in a handful of scenes, he had minimal time to share the backstory of Demp. Each second counted. In the show, Demp not-so warmly welcomes the teenagers as they arrive at an eerie island mansion.
“You’re developing a relationship with these (actors) but also a character relationship with their characters and how does it fit in,” Bynum said. “So with me, I just thought, ‘OK, they’re coming to (Demp’s) world. This is his island. He works there. He knows it. They need more from him than he needs from them.’”
Actor Nate Bynum (center) with “Outer Banks” actors Chase Stokes (left) and Madison Bailey (right).
The bulk of the cast is in their 20s and 30s, reminding Bynum of his students. Despite their age, he was impressed by the acting stars’ professionalism.
“When it’s time to do the work, they’re ready,” he said. “But once the camera is off, you can see their ages.”
His role changed over time. At first, Bynum was only cast for one episode. Then they called him back. And called him back again. Until he landed in six episodes.
That was all good with Bynum, who plans to retire from teaching and act full-time next year. It was his first time shooting in South Carolina in more than 40 years. During the filming, he visited Columbia twice.
He still calls it home.
