To reflect on the year, Chapelboro.com is re-publishing some of the top stories that impacted and defined our community’s experience in 2025. These stories and topics affected Chapel Hill, Carrboro and the rest of our region.
2025 was a big year for the Triangle in mainstream entertainment. From lovely islands to pretty summers and all the way to the Upside Down, people and places from the Triangle made their way onto the small screen in a big way this year. Here’s Chapelboro’s breakdown of our community in entertainment:
UNC-Duke Rivalry Prominently Featured In “The White Lotus”
Image via Fabio Lovino/HBO
HBO released the third season of its anthology drama “The White Lotus” starting in February of 2025. This season grabbed the attention of many in our community due to its portrayal of a North Carolina family split along the Tobacco Road Rivalry lines.
Taking place at the fictional White Lotus resort’s Thailand location, the third season once again fulfilled the series’ promise of dark comedy, witty dialogue, and incisive social commentary on the wealthy, all against a backdrop of crime, sex, and drugs. At the center of all that darkness is the Ratcliff family, hailing from Durham.
The Ratcliffs are a family of five consisting of father Timothy, played by Jason Isaacs, mother Victoria played by Parker Posey, older brother Saxon played by Patrick Schwarzenegger, middle sister Piper played by Sarah Catherine Hook, and youngest brother Lochlan played by Sam Nivola. They’re an old money Southern family, with Timothy and Saxon having graduated Duke, while Victoria and Piper are both Tar Heels. At the start of the season, a big point of contention is whether Lochlan will follow the footsteps of his father and brother or of his mother and sister.
Parker Posey’s portrayal of Victoria Ratcliff received extra attention due to her character’s thick North Carolina accent, which was made increasingly comical because of the way she frequently slurs her words due to a benzodiazepine addiction. Some called the voice cartoonish, while others called it accurate. Jason Isaacs’ attempt at a North Carolina accent was also scrutinized heavily because of his British origin, netting similarly mixed reactions. Posey received a supporting actress Emmy nomination for the role, and Isaacs received a supporting actor nomination. Neither won.
At the time of release, we published two thinkpieces on the deeper thematic significance of including the UNC-Duke rivalry as a part of the characters’ backgrounds. Read the first, written halfway through the season’s run, or read the second, published after the finale.
Local Chef Sera Cuni Competes On “Chopped”
Image via Matt Ramey/Chatham News + Record.
Chef Sera Cuni is no stranger to challenges on the Food Network. But on July 8, the nation watched her biggest competition yet.
Cuni — who owns and runs the Root Cellar Restaurant & Catering in Chapel Hill, as well as the Cafe Root Cellar in Pittsboro — taped an episode on the hit television show “Chopped,”which marked the acclaimed chef’s fourth Food Network appearance. She won in her 2023 episode of “Supermarket Stakeout” and competed in two editions of “Guy’s Grocery Games” in 2020 and 2021.
While she didn’t win the competition, she was able to use the platform to plug Feed-Well Fridges, a Chatham County food-assistance program she runs with her wife Susan White.
“She is our superhero and we’re so thankful for all of her efforts to address food insecurity in Chatham County,” a July 9 Facebook post from the Root Cellar read. “Interesting side note: Chef filmed this episode in October 2024 and if you watched last night, you heard her say at that time, Feed-Well Fridges had rescued about 25 tons of food and prepared about 40k meals. Well, here’s an up Feed-Well has now rescued about 73 TONS of food and Chef and volunteers have prepared and delivered about 65K meals to Chatham’s 6 fridges. And she’s not done! Stay tuned!”
Triangle Native Huda Mustafa Makes Waves On “Love Island”
A triangle native became the center of drama, national discourse and a few memes on the latest season of “Love Island USA,” which aired its finale on July 13.
Huda Mustafa, a Raleigh fitness coach who graduated East Chapel Hill High School in 2018, gained internet notoriety for a number of viral moments throughout her time on the show. Although she was not one of the winners, she did make it all the way to the finale.
“Love Island” is a reality dating show in which young single men and women spend six weeks at a camera-covered villa in Fiji, entering and exiting couples which are determined in part by voting viewers. Mustafa earned their attention early by revealing that she is a single mother, and then choosing to keep that fact a secret from the male contestants. The decision led to numerous viral moments, with the most popular arising when she tried to confess to contestant Nic Vansteenberghe, only for him to repeatedly misunderstand her admission of “I’m a mommy.”
After numerous switchups, plenty of drama and a twerk-off hosted by Megan Thee Stallion, Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales won the competition. Mustafa ended the competition in one of the final four couples, paired with contestant Chris Seeley. Mustafa and Seeley made Love Island history in the finale, being the first couple to make it to the end of the show and then decide to break things off on camera.
During her time as a student at East Chapel Hill High, Mustafa was a part of the Summer Youth Conservancy at Playmakers Theatre. She played Roxy in “Cabaret.”
Mustafa lives in Raleigh with her daughter Arleigh. She creates fitness content for social media and is a personal trainer. She was the second contestant of the season to hit one million followers on Instagram. Her most recent posts, made in October, were teasing a collaboration between herself and the game ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.”
“The Summer I Turned Pretty” Filmed Season 3 Scenes In Chapel Hill, UNC
Image via UNC/Jon Gardiner
“The Summer I Turned Pretty,” an Amazon original series, premiered its third season in 2025. The show features many scenes that were filmed in Chapel Hill and on UNC’s campus.
The series, which first started airing in 2022, is centered around a love triangle between a young woman and two brothers. The first two seasons focused on the characters’ time in high school. The third season, which had a two-episode premiere on July 16, begins as they enter college.
In July of 2024, principal photography took place on UNC’s campus, transforming key locations into parts of the fictional “Finch College” in Rhode Island. Showrunners even put out a call to UNC students and faculty, inviting them to apply to be extras.
Attentive viewers can catch sights from across UNC-Chapel Hill campus. While the season opens with an establishing drone shot of somewhere that clearly isn’t Chapel Hill, it immediately cuts to more familiar locales. Columbia Avenue, Swain Hall, and Old East dorm are all visible within the first minutes of the season’s opening episode.
“The Summer I Turned Pretty” is the story of Belly, who is pulled back and forth between brothers Conrad and Jeremiah. The latest season features a time jump, cutting from the end of Belly’s time in high school to the start of her junior year of college. She’s now in a relationship with one of the brothers, but secrets and past decisions immediately spark drama between the two. The season’s description promises the other brother will reenter the picture, reigniting the show’s central love triangle.
In August, the UNC Visitors Center launched a free campus tour inspired by the show which wrapped up at the same time as the series’ finale. The hour-long walking tour both highlighted the spots seen in the Prime Video series and included behind-the-scenes stories from the filming process in 2024. “The Summer I Turned Pretty” author and series creator Jenny Han is a UNC alumna, and the tour was both a celebration of the series and a nod to how her creative journey began at Carolina, according to the release.
“Carolina’s campus has long been admired for its beauty and charm, so it’s no surprise that Jenny wanted to return to her alma mater to film the last season of ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty,’” UNC Visitors Center Director Rhonda Beatty said in a release at the time. “We’re excited to invite fans and guests to see these beloved locations in person and discover the magic of Carolina through a new lens.”
As of Dec. 2025, the third season will serve as the show’s final run of episodes, with Amazon releasing the finale on Sep. 17. The full series is viewable with an Amazon Prime subscription.
Hulu Cancels Docuseries On Belichick’s First Season At UNC Football
In August, Front Office Sports reported that Hulu would produce and air a docuseries providing a behind-the-scenes look at Bill Belichick’s first season as Carolina football’s head coach. By October, Inside Carolina reported the docuseries would not be released.
The news of a Hulu series focusing on the Tar Heels was originally reported by Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports in July. At the time, Glasspiegel said early-stage production on the series had already begun, and that the two sides were finalizing an agreement. A spokesman for the football program declined to comment on the situation.
The initial announcement came roughly six months after separate reports linking Belichick’s Tar Heels with the HBO docuseries “Hard Knocks.” The two sides were reportedly close to agreeing to a deal before it fell through. The rumored reason for the talks stalling was Belichick’s 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson, who wanted creative control over the series.
While an official reason for canceling the docuseries was never publicized, fans have speculated it was due to Carolina football’s less than stellar season, which saw the team go 4-8 overall. Check out our full recap of Bill Belichick’s first season at UNC here.
Comedian Marc Maron Donates $32,000 Of Game Show Winnings To Carolina Tiger Rescue
Marc Maron, a popular stand-up comic and podcaster, appeared on ABC’s “Celebrity Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” in September. Prior to playing, he announced his potential prize money would be donated to the Carolina Tiger Rescue in Pittsboro.
“We are incredibly grateful that Marc has chosen Carolina Tiger Rescue as his charity of choice for the episode,” read an Instagram post from the animal sanctuary. “His generous support will make a real impact for the tigers, big cats, and other rescues in our care.”
Maron competed on the game show on Sep. 25, where he went head-to-head with fellow stand-up comic Sarah Silverman. Both won a total of $32,000 to donate to their respective chosen organizations. To celebrate his appearance, Carolina Tiger Rescue hosted a watch party at Pittsboro’s Havoc Brewing Company, which later announced its closure.
Carolina Tiger Rescue is a nonprofit organization that cares for animals from various sources, such as wild animals that were previously pets or housed in less reputable sanctuaries. This also isn’t their first time in the limelight. After Tiger King Park, subject of the Netflix documentary series “Tiger King,” was shuttered, four of their big cats were given new homes at the Carolina Tiger Rescue. The group also engages in advocacy, fighting for animal rights and against illegal breeding practices and pet sales. The rescue is open for ticketed tours.
CHCCS Teacher Featured On Final Season Of “Stranger Things”
Image via Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools on Facebook.
The fifth and final season of the Netflix drama Stranger Things features a familiar face from the Chapel Hill Carrboro community.
Miss Harris, a new teacher character, was portrayed by Hope Hynes Love of East Chapel Hill High School. Love is a longtime theatre teacher and has been the school’s artistic director since 2005. She was included because during her time as a teacher at Jordan High School in Durham, she taught a young Matt and Ross Duffer, the creators of Stranger Things.
“High school was rough for me and my brother,” Ross Duffer wrote in an Instagram post. “But Hope saw something in us we didn’t see in ourselves — and she helped give us the confidence to not only survive those four years, but to move to LA and chase our dreams.”
In the new season, Miss Harris fulfills an important side role, serving as one of the adults who notices strange behavior in the young Holly Wheeler, portrayed by Nell Fisher. Holly Wheeler is the little sister of main characters Mike and Nancy Wheeler, and she took on a more prominent role in the fifth season.
“Shoutout to all the teachers out there making a difference,” Ross said. “And please… let’s prioritize the arts in schools.”
Part one of Stranger Things 5 was released Nov. 26, consisting of four episodes. Part two was released Dec. 25, consisting of three episodes. The series finale is streamable on Netflix Dec. 31.
Featured images via Fabio Lovino/HBO, UNC/Jon Gardiner, and CHCCS on Facebook
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