The Turks and Caicos Islands has been, in the words of Beyonce, “top 2 and ain’t number 2” for its world-renowned and pristine beaches. This allows us to remain a top tourist destination having thousands of travellers arriving and departing daily.
If that’s not enough, the ‘Beautiful by Nature’ Islands have also caught the eyes of many music artists including Drake, Megan Thee Stallion, and Rick Ross who have all name-dropped the TCI in their music.
However, interestingly over recent years, the Turks and Caicos Islands have also taken up space in the Film Industry. From movies to television and Netflix series, TCI is gradually taking the production world by storm.
Some of our local talents have been behind the scenes of some of these films and series, such as Rodney Rigby who worked as a camera assistant and grip assistant on an independent contractor basis for franchises such as HGTV House Hunters International, Keeping Up the Kardashians and The Fosters. Dom Rolle, director of The Emperor Swims, along with other locals also worked on the Netflix Series Too Hot to Handle Season 2.
This article will provide you with a synopsis of the most well-known films and television shows that were filmed in the TCI.
Turks & Caicos (2014)
The action and drama-filled film Turks & Caicos was released in 2014 and filmed, you guessed it, in the TCI. Turks & Caicos is about a retired spy, Johnny Worricker, who was hiding out from his work at MI5. Unfortunately, he encounters a CIA agent who forces him into an ambiguous American company. However, the mysterious Financial PR seems to know more than she’s letting on. Will she help Johnny understand the real reasons why these strange men are here or will she let him drown?
Too Hot to Handle (2021)
Too Hot to Handle is a Netflix Original Series where attractive singles meet and mingle in paradise for four weeks. However, there’s a twist. They all must abstain from all sexual activities to win USD100,000.00. It seems easy, doesn’t it? Well, we will find out if these gorgeous singles find it that way. Too Hot to Handle Season 2 was filmed on the island of Providenciales with local talents like Dom Rolle, Gabriel Saunders and Petula who assisted in the production of this season.
Keeping Up with The Kardashians (2019)
Keeping Up with The Kardashians (KUWTK) is a television series that follows the lives of the Kardashian-Jenner family, which includes Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, Kendal, and Kylie. In 2019, the KUWTK cast took a girl’s trip to the TCI. While here they were spotted at Da Conch Shack and the La Famille Express shipwreck taking a leap of faith off into our clear turquoise waters.
Real Housewives All-Stars (2021)
Peacock TV officially released the cast for the upcoming Real Housewives All-Stars. The cast includes Kenya Moore – a Real Housewife of Atlanta who is no stranger to the TCI- (Real Tea – She took a photo with me at Mango Reef at my 20th birthday celebration). Cynthia Bailey (RHOA), Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga from the Real Housewives of New Jersey. Luann de Lesseps and Ramona Singer from the Real Housewives of New York City, and Kyle Richards from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. From the casts’ Instagram, we can tell that they all enjoyed the sun, sand, and sea of TCI as well as their luxurious villas.
Which local Makeup Artists do you think were slaying the housewives faces?
The Fosters (2018)
The Fosters is a television series that gave insight into the life of a teenager named Callie Jacob who is placed in a foster home with a lesbian couple and their blend of biological, adoptive, and foster children. The series wrapped up with a three-part finale that was filmed at Beaches Turks and Caicos in 2018. Guests of the hotel were able to interact with the cast and TCI’s native, Rodney Rigby, assisted with the production.
Other Mentions
The Emperor Swims (2019)
We couldn’t let the moment pass without mentioning this locally produced short film. The Emperor Swims is about a man who learned to swim after nearly drowning as a child conquering his fears to win a new job and the girl of his dreams. This short film was directed, written, and produced by Dom Rolle with LeMens ‘Li’ Welch as the Director of Photography. The Emperor Swims first premiered at the Turks and Caicos Film Festival in 2019. They were voted fan favourite and won the Best Short Film Award.
Are you looking forward to seeing more locally produced films?
TCI has been featured in several series and films ranging from comedy to drama to horror to documentary. Other examples include Dante’s Cove, Honeymoon with Mom, Chupacabra Terror, HGTV House Hunters International, Long Lost Son, PolyLove, The Sisterhood, Ocean Treks with Jeff Corwin and many more.
TCI continues to take the world by storm and this is just the beginning.
