WILMINGTON, N.C. — “Wilmywood” and “Hollywood of the East” are two of many nicknames for Wilmington, and for good reason: The city is having its best year for filmmaking in 10 years. 

What You Need To Know

  • Toochukwu “TC” Anyachonkeya has been in the film industry for over 10 years

  • He started as a model and worked his way into acting

  • Now, with the boom in the industry, more jobs have allowed him to get his family involved as well

Meet Toochukwu Anyachonkeya — or TC. He’s been in the film industry for years.

“I started modeling in college, and then from there I did some print work and got picked up by an agency and I did a commercial,” TC said. “And from doing a commercial I was like, ‘I can do this acting thing.’”

Now, he’s been in countless productions: “Iron Man 3”, “Florida Man” and “Our Kind of People”, just to name a few. The jobs keep coming.

Related: The state of North Carolina's film industry

This is the biggest year in film in Wilmington in the past 10 years, something that TC said is thanks to the people behind the scenes.

Toochukwu "TC" Anyachonkeya and his son. (Photo: Natalie Mooney)

“I was there early when it first started and it boomed with 'Iron Man 3,' and then they took out the film incentives and all of that shut down, politics got involved, and then we suffered,” TC said. “And then, you know, I think with new people in office things turned around and we got things going again and it’s been booming”

With that boom comes more jobs — including for people closest to TC’s heart.

“Shout out to Blue Forest Studios, they were able to use my wife and twins so that was a great opportunity,” TC said. “I’ve been doing this for so long, I’ve built a lot of great relationships and connections, so now that I have a family ... it’s a blessing to have them involved in different productions with me.”

Those opportunities not only allow TC to do what he loves, they enable the family to bond, as well.

Toochukwu "TC" Anyachonkeya and his family. (Photo: Natalie Mooney)

“It sucks being away from them, and I wanted to keep them involved,”  TC said. “And I want them to be a part of the whole experience.”

Having them share that with him makes it all worth it.

“It’s a blessing to, you know, get this far in the industry. It hasn’t always been easy — it has been a tough road. I don’t recommend it for everyone,” TC said. “But because of my drive — I have no quit in me — I just keep going and going, and keep growing, and to pass that onto my family, and to share my journey with them, and then to have them be on the journey with me, man, I can’t even put it into words.

"It’s a blessing, that’s the best way to put it.”