Finding Carter

Did You Know?

• Milena Govich's character Lori is revealed in the first episode of season 2 to be the biological mother of Carter and Taylor, having been an egg donor for Elizabeth and David.
• Alex Saxon's character Max Wagner was only a recurring role in season 1 but was promoted to main cast for season 2.

Plot

The show focuses on 16-year-old Carter Stevens, who lived an idyllic life in Pennsylvania as a popular, smart, and pretty girl with a close relationship with her single mother. However, after getting arrested for breaking and entering, her life is entirely flipped upside down when she discovers the horrifying truth—that she was abducted from Virginia 13 years ago, by the woman who claims to be her mother. She is swiftly forced to adjust to her former family – including her parents, her goody-two-shoes twin sister Taylor, and her overlooked younger brother Grant – while also uncovering dark secrets that make her abduction more complicated than it appears.

Cast

Kathryn Prescott plays Carter Wilson (born Lyndon Wilson, previously Carter Stevens), who was kidnapped at age 3 and reunited with her birth parents after being arrested. Carter is rebellious, sneaky, and fun-loving; she initially despises Elizabeth for taking her away from Lori, but after realizing the truth, she comes to accept Elizabeth as her mother. Cynthia Watros plays Elizabeth Wilson, Carter, Taylor, and Grant's mother and a detective with the Fairfax, VA police department.

Elizabeth is dedicated to finding common ground with Carter, sacrificing time and resources. She had slept with Kyle extensively before her family found out and forced her to come clean to David. Alexis Denisof plays David Wilson, Carter, Taylor, and Grant's father and a writer. He is pressured by his agent to write the book 'Finding Carter' and lies about it, having already completed the memoir before telling Carter the truth.

He had an affair with Lori Stevens prior to Carter's abduction. Anna Jacoby-Heron plays Taylor Wilson, Carter's fraternal twin sister and Max's off and on girlfriend. Taylor is intelligent, thoughtful, and caring, often giving Carter advice and later becoming romantically involved with Max, Carter's ex. Zac Pullam plays Grant Wilson, Carter and Taylor's younger brother who sees himself as the 'replacement child' and rarely receives attention.

Alex Saxon plays Max Wagner (season 2; recurring, season 1), Taylor's boyfriend and Carter's best friend. Max is compassionate and understanding; he had a friends with benefits relationship with Carter before meeting Taylor. Milena Govich plays Lori Stevens, who kidnapped Lyndon when she was three and raised her as Carter Stevens. It is revealed in the first episode of season 2 that she was an egg donor for Elizabeth and David, and is Carter and Taylor's biological mother.

She is delusional and sent to a mental institution, later becoming suicidal. Vanessa Morgan plays Beatrix 'Bird' Castro, Carter's best friend. Bird reveals she was assaulted by a guy in a mask; after her parents skip town, their home is foreclosed on. She has a brief relationship with Madison before dating Seth, who overdoses and dies; Bird finds out she is pregnant and has an abortion.

Jesse Henderson plays Gabe Medeiros, Carter's friend and Taylor's best friend/former crush. He is the son of Elizabeth's partner, Kyle, and has a one-sided interest in Carter. Jesse Carere plays Ofe, Carter's friend and Taylor's former love interest, a drug seller who leaves for a rehab program. Caleb Ruminer plays Cameron 'Crash' Mason, an ex-juvenile delinquent and drug dealer who is Carter's boyfriend; he shot Max in season 1, later reforms, but leaves town to enlist in the army after trouble with his Uncle Shay.

Eddie Matos plays Kyle Medeiros, Gabe's father and Elizabeth's partner with whom she had an affair; he is shot by Crash's uncle in season 2, episode 11, and dies. Meredith Baxter plays Grandma Joan, Elizabeth's mother, who disapproves of David. Robert Pine plays Grandpa Buddy, Elizabeth's father. Stephen Guarino plays Toby, David's literary agent.

Molly Kunz plays Madison, one of Carter's old friends who later tells Bird that Lori sent her. Erin Chambers plays Hillary, David's assistant and love interest. Mason Dye plays Damon. Elizabeth Hunter plays Reagan, Grant's internet friend and love interest.

Ben Winchell plays Benjamin Wallace, Lori and David's biological son. Madison McLaughlin plays Olivia, Ben's foster sister. Jackson Rathbone plays Jared, a bartender who hired Carter as a waitress.

Production and development

Finding Carter was written as a writing sample by Emily Silver, who then shopped it around to networks such as ABC Family and MTV. Shortly after, Terri Minsky was brought onto the project as an executive producer and the pilot went through a re-write. On September 12, 2013, MTV placed a pilot order. Scott Speer then signed on to direct the pilot.

On January 30, 2014, Finding Carter was given a 12-episode series order. Filming takes place in Atlanta, Georgia, in Westlake High School's old facility. In April, it was announced that Jesse Henderson would play Gabe, the role in which Nolan Sotillo was previously cast. On August 19, 2014, MTV renewed the show for a second season containing 12 episodes.

On January 10, 2015, it was announced that Season 2 would premiere on March 31, 2015. On May 18, 2015, it was announced that there would be a 12 episode extension to season 2 which premiered in October. The season finale of season 2 was on December 15, 2015. On January 29, 2016, MTV announced the show's cancellation because of a drop in viewers.

Casting announcements began in October 2013, with Cynthia Watros first cast in the role of Elizabeth Wilson. Shortly after, Kathryn Prescott, Anna Jacoby-Heron, Zac Pullam, and Jesse Henderson were cast in the series. Prescott signed onto the role of Carter Stevens.