McCarter appeared in such films as Thrashin' in 1986, Wired in 1989, The Uh-oh Show in 2009, and made television appearances in shows such as The Twilight Zone. McCarter began his career in the entertainment industry as a model with the prestigious Ford modeling agency in New York City after winning a national talent search right out of college. He soon began doing major campaigns for companies such as Levi's and JC Penney. He engaged in a performing arts curriculum of voice, dance and acting. He then studied exclusively with acting coach icon Stella Adler. Upon completing his New York education, he moved to Los Angeles and began working immediately, booking national commercials for major products such as Pepsi, Miller and Chevrolet.