“Secrets of Sulphur Springs” Is Disney’s Supernatural New Series
Featuring secret portals, time travel and sudden disappearances, Secrets of Sulphur Springs is one of Disney Channel’s most mysterious installments to date. The new series—which premiered on January 15—surrounds classmates Griffin (Preston Oliver) and Harper (Kyliegh Curran), who discover a portal that transports them back to a previous era. The duo embarks on an adventure dedicated to solving the disappearance of a young girl named Savannah (Elle Graham), using clues from the past to piece the mystery together. Below, the show’s core characters describe what it’s like to be a part of Disney’s latest hit.
What was the audition process like for Secrets of Sulphur Springs?
Preston Oliver: It was pretty long. I had to do about seven auditions to get the role of Griffin. Four of them were callbacks and different readings, and the last three were chemistry reads.
Kyliegh Curran: The audition came back to me three times until I was finally called to L.A. for a chemistry read with Preston. We had a lot of fun and great energy in the audition room, and in the end, I was so grateful to be cast as Harper.
Elle Graham: I had one audition that I submitted and one in person in Los Angeles. It was so much fun. Preston was in the L.A. audition with me, and we had a blast reading together.
What makes the show different from previous projects you’ve worked on?
Oliver: Secrets of Sulphur Springs has a little spookiness to it. I've mostly had serious roles in the past, but Secrets of Sulphur Springs has it all!
Curran: First off, Secrets of Sulphur Springs is a Disney series! My last film was a psychological thriller called Doctor Sleep that’s a part of the Stephen King and The Shining universe. Also, this is the first time I've worked with a large group of kids my age, so that's exciting!
Graham: The shows I’ve been on have been all adults and much darker. This is the first show I’ve worked on with kids, and I love it.
What does it mean to you to join the Disney family?
Oliver: I think it's awesome that I joined the Disney team. It's such a huge company, and to be in a starring role in a new series is absolutely amazing!
Curran: I'm excited to join Disney and be a part of something so big and unique. I grew up watching Disney shows with Zendaya, China Anne McClain, Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus. Now I'm playing in the same sandbox as they did, which is pretty awesome. Secrets of Sulphur Springs is sort of like the beginning of a new era for Disney Channel. Playing Harper and contributing to such a special series feels surreal at times. I'm excited to share in the Disney magic that the show brings.
Graham: I love being a part of a community like this. It’s a real family. I feel safe and cared for, and I love everyone.
How are you and your character similar? How are you different?
Oliver: Me and Griffin Campbell are similar in some ways. We both love music and rock. The only difference is that Griffin is a little more worried to do things than I would be in real life.
Curran: We're both very artistic, inquisitive and adventurous, and we both absolutely love unsolved mysteries. As far as differences go, Harper is much more spontaneous than I am!
Graham: Savannah and I are similar in that we’re both bubbly, funny and happy, and we’re both pranksters. We’re different because she’s a rule breaker, and I tend to follow the rules most of the time.
Who were some of your favorite cast members to work with and why?
Oliver: I love the whole cast. It's hard for me to pick a favorite person, but I did enjoy filming scenes with the twins [Madeleine McGraw and Landon Gordon]. They were so energetic and funny and always made my day.
Curran: I love working with Elle because she has an amazing sense of humor, a great work ethic and is like a sister to me.
Graham: Kyliegh is my best friend. We’re dance partners and have a blast on and off the set. Jake Melrose [“Young Ben”] is another good friend, and we had so much fun going around New Orleans together. But I really love everyone—we all get along so well.
What was it like working with the wardrobe department on the show? Did you have any say in what your character wore?
Oliver: The wardrobe department was amazing. They were all so nice, and the clothes were pretty cool. I didn't have much of a say in what I wore. They asked me what I liked, but it all came down to the bigger people working on the show.
Curran: Our wardrobe department is the best! They have such a great grasp of who Harper truly is, and it really shows when you see the outfits throughout the series. Obviously, we do quite a bit of time travel, and it's so much fun to wear all the stylish wardrobe pieces that our costumers put together. I had some say in certain accessories that Harper wore, especially the earrings!
Graham: I didn’t really have a say in what I wore, but they definitely listened to what I liked. I love everything they gave me, and I love everyone in the whole department!
Any memorable behind-the-scenes moments you can share?
Oliver: When we were filming a dinner scene, every time they said “cut,” we would start making jokes and eat the food. We even tried throwing the potatoes into each other's mouths from across the table.
Curran: When we filmed exterior scenes at The Tremont, in between takes, Elle, Izabela and I would have massive TikTok dance sessions and play Concentration 64 and Shame-Shame-Shame to distract us from the giant spiders that would randomly appear where we had to work!
Graham: When we were told production was being stopped for COVID, that was a scary moment. Not knowing if we were going to be able to return was so sad, but when we came back to the set in October, it was the best reunion ever. I love the crew of this show so much.
What message do you hope viewers will take away from the series?
Oliver: Don't be scared. It's always exciting to do things you might be scared to do, and that's what we do in the show. We were nervous to mess with the past, but we end up doing it, and it gives us a whole new view of our lives. Take risks, because you might like what's on the other side of them.
Curran: Value your relationships with family and friends. Honesty, trust, facing your fears and moving on from traumatic events of the past are also big themes in Secrets of Sulphur Springs.
Graham: Don’t skip school! Also, you should always tell the truth….unless you’re time traveling. And lastly, remember that family and friends are the most important part of life.
Follow the Cast on Instagram:
Preston Oliver: @preston_oliver
Kyliegh Curran: @kylieghcurran
Elle Graham: @ellecharlottegraham
Photo Credit: Disney Press