The popular Goosebumps franchise, based on R.L. Stine’s books of the same name, is ushering in a new era of a serialized-anthology genre of storytelling. And with that, Goosebumps: The Vanishing season two, consisting of eight episodes, is out now on Disney+ and Hulu! Before the season release, we chatted with Jayden Bartels and Sam McCarthy as they play fraternal twins Cece and Devin to learn more about their characters and their acting processes.
The second season of Goosebumps: The Vanishing follows Jayden’s character Cece and Sam’s character Devin as they adjust to life with their recently divorced dad, Anthony. When the duo discover a threat in their home, it sets off a chain of events that unravel a mystery. As they delve into the unknown, Cece and Devin find themselves caught up in the story of five teenagers who mysteriously vanished in 1994. Friends star David Schwimmer plays Anthony and Ana Ortiz, Elijah M. Cooper, Galilea La Salvia, and Francesca Noel also make up the cast.
Jayden: “When you are doing a show like Goosebumps, there are very physical [scenes].”
Goosebumps: The Vanishing is part of a new wave for the franchise, as it focuses on anthology seasons rather than stand-alone episodes. The first season starred Justin Long as a new teacher who became involved in a decades-old supernatural murder.
Both Jayden and Sam are no strangers to television as Sam is known for his roles as Sam Barber Jr. in the drama series Condor and as Charlie Harding in the Netflix series Dead to Me. You may recognize Jayden from her roles on Disney Channel’s Coop & Cami and Nickelodeon’s Side Hustle, as well as her large social media presence at @jaydenbartels.
Both Jayden and Sam said they came into this project with different acting processes. Jayden said she had often been very organized and analytical when prepping for a role whereas Sam tended to stay in the moment and trust his gut so they learned a lot from working closely with each other.
Jayden: “I learned [from Sam] how to be a little less planned and organized and so perfect and just let loose and do what my gut is telling me.”
While playing siblings in a supernatural horror series, there were a lot of physical scenes, from running and jumping to catching one another so Jayden and Sam became close friends. This friendship is also so evident in how much fun they have doing interviews together!
Sam: “If there was a secret potion for connection, everyone in the world would be best friends.”
Jayden said David Schwimmer was so great to work with and he was a master at improv, ad-libbing some of his scenes and both actors learned a lot about trusting themselves and their abilities from him.
Sam: “You’re in good hands. With this scene partner I can trust and rely on.”
Thank you, Jayden and Sam, for chatting with Young Entertainment! Watch the rest of the interview where we ask both to describe each other’s characters and about their firsts on set. While you’re there, be sure to like and subscribe to our channel for the latest news in young entertainment.
Consider this:
- Every actor has a different process for preparing for their roles. Some like to be very analytical and plan ahead whereas others like to stay more present and trust their gut in the moment. There is no one right way to act, so follow your instinct and strengths!
