Are you a Pogue or a Kook? How many times have you heard the name “John B”? Do you have a loyal squad like Pope, Kiara, and JJ that helps you hunt for $400 million in gold? Do you wish you had eyebrows like Sarah Cameron? (Dede does!)
If you are wondering what the heck we are talking about, then we can make the assumption that you haven’t binge-watched Netflix’s Outer Banks. What’s that you say? Only the NUMBER ONE Netflix series that was released during South Carolina’s “Stay-at-Home” order for the Covid-19 Pandemic.
The show and its actors are gaining popularity at warp speed due to the entire series being released for consumption at once. The ten-episode, first season dropped and was an instant hit across all demographics. (Season two?! Please?!) This show is PG-13, so it’s not for the young ones. But it is perfect for teens and adults, and there’s a little something for everyone: adventure, romance, action, treasure hunting, rich vs. poor, crooked cops, and lots of fun with a great looking cast carrying the whole thing. AND it’s filmed in the beautiful Lowcountry.
We know this is Charleston Moms, but we like to break the rules, so we are featuring a DAD! He’s one of the stars of Outer Banks, and he’s representing Charleston in a big way. We had a chance to interview the Charleston resident… the good cop/bad cop Officer Shoupe, the one and only Cullen Moss! Cullen took time away from his busy life of acting and family to talk to us about all things Outer Banks, Lowcountry, and parenting. The video link for the interview can be found at the bottom of this post, but read through for some tidbits before watching it!
Cullen Moss may be a new face to some but has an acting career that spans almost two decades. A North Carolina native, he has been a part of the Wilmington, North Carolina, filmmaking scene and has enjoyed what the Southeast has had to offer to an upcoming actor. Moss’s extensive acting credits include One Tree Hill, The Righteous Gemstones, Mercy Street, Hidden Figures, The Walking Dead, and the blockbuster hit Ironman 3. He’s been “that guy” from “the thing,” but those days are over for Moss. After years of hard work and perseverance, it has all paid off. Acting is officially his only gig!
We asked Cullen deep, thoughtful questions like, how could Officer Shoupe turn a blind eye to all of the underage drinking and drug use that took place on Kildare Island? Were only great-looking actors chosen for roles in the show? And is it possible that Shoupe had a softening of his heart toward the Pogues? He answered these questions and more in our (unedited) recorded Zoom interview. Moss acknowledges Officer Shoupe’s initial unsavory character traits and gives credit to the writers of Outer Banks, Josh and Jonas Pate, for giving him the chance to give Shoupe some growth and dimension.
He also answered the question on everyone’s mind: Why is it called Outer Banks and filmed in Charleston?! Well people, it’s fiction! (Ok, his answer is better than that. You’ll have to check it out.)
And then we got personal. We asked Cullen about his family life. He married an actor, Madison, and is the father of three boys. His oldest son is a teenager and the youngest two are preschool-aged, so Moss’s hands are quite full. Shooting Outer Banks in Charleston allowed him the ability to work and also be present at home, which we learned was important to him.
When Moss was asked to share about what he deemed important about parenting, he expressed that teaching his children empathy is key.
“Humans can boast that we have empathy and when people lose that, that’s when stuff kind of falls apart,” Moss said.
He explained that having kids is like having a mirror up to yourself, seeing yourself in your kids, and reconciling things about your own parents. He also suggested maintaining a sense of self. Take a break. Reset. “Self Care.”
If you haven’t seen Outer Banks on Netflix, we highly recommend that you do. And if you see Cullen Moss around, give him some Charleston Moms love. We are super excited to have the Moss family, and their talent, here in our city. And we can’t wait to see what comes next from Outer Banks. As we sign off, we wanted you to know what Cullen’s favorites are in our great city!
Park – Wannamaker Park and Alhambra Hall
Restaurant – Leon’s, Basil, and Husk
Beach – Sullivans Island (It’s where his wife grew up.)
Coffee Shop – Kudu
Friday Night Spot – At home with the family if he’s not working
Music Venue – Performing Arts Center in North Charleston
Date Night – Doing comedy improv at Theater 99 with Madison and dinner at Husk
Place(s) to Take the Kids – South Carolina Aquarium and the Battery
 Cullen Moss shares about the show and parenting.){kind=link}