Disney Channel fans may have spotted Landon Gordon in a few episodes of Coop & Cami Ask the World, but his role as Wyatt Campbell on Secrets of Sulphur Springs has caught the attention of millions of viewers. As one of Griffin’s two fraternal twin siblings, Wyatt and Zoey search The Tremont for Savannah’s ghost while their brother travels back in time to try and stop the camper from disappearing in the first place. I got the opportunity to talk to Landon about his role on Disney’s new paranormal mystery series and what he likes to do for fun when he’s not working. Check it out!
Christopher Shintani
Alex: What was the audition process like for Secrets of Sulphur Springs?
Landon Gordon: The audition process for Secrets of Sulphur Springs was a rollercoaster. When I got the first self-tape audition, I remember my mom saying to me, "Even if you don't book this role, this is a show you are going to want to watch!" I love all things mystery, spooky, and Disney, so a show that combines all of that was perfect for me. I didn't hear anything for a while after I submitted my tape. But then one afternoon, my manager called to tell me that casting wanted to see me in person. After that audition, I was called to the Disney Channel building for a producer session. Having the opportunity to audition at the Disney Channel building is always really exciting. In the waiting room, they have posters from all of their shows and I was just sitting there hoping one day I'll be in one of those posters. At the producer session, I was called in over and over again to read with different actors. Each time they released more and more actors auditioning for Wyatt. By the end of the evening, I was the last Wyatt standing. I had a pretty good feeling this role was mine. The last step was a screen test. I went back to the Disney Channel building to chemistry read with Preston [Oliver], who had already booked the role of Griffin, and other actors auditioning for the rest of the Campbell family. A few days later, my agent and manager called to give me the good news! I headed straight to Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream for a double scoop to celebrate.
Alex: A lot of your scenes are with your on-screen twin sister Zoey, played by Madeleine McGraw. What kind of fun do you two have when the cameras stop rolling?
Landon Gordon: Oh, Maddy and I have so much fun together. We became instant friends the day we met and pretty much spent every second together when we weren't shooting. We brought our scooters to New Orleans so we would ride everywhere in the city. Our parents also became good friends and thankfully we all like adventures. We tried all sorts of restaurants, went to Mardi Gras parades, taste tested to find the best Snow-Balls in New Orleans, and went on a quest to find the best cheeseburger. We went to the Zoo and on a swamp tour and listened to plenty of Jazz. Our favorite spot for Jazz is The Ritz with a bowl of gumbo, a Shirley Temple, and beignets for dessert.
Alex: The show films in New Orleans. What was your favorite part about filming there? Did you learn to love any New Orleans foods?
Landon Gordon: Food is like one of the major things to do in New Orleans. One of our first nights in New Orleans when we were shooting the pilot, we met an Uber driver who gave my mom the ultimate New Orleans list of places we had to try. We checked off most of those places. My favorite New Orleans specific foods are gumbo, drum fish, and beignets. New Orleans is so different from Los Angeles, where I'm from. It was really fun filming there, especially since the show has this spooky haunted feel. New Orleans has a spooky haunted feel too, especially with all of the above ground graveyards and historic old buildings.
Alex: Wyatt and Zoey are on a mission to prove that The Tremont is haunted. Do you believe in ghosts or do you think you've ever seen one?
Landon Gordon: I think it'd be really cool if ghosts were real, but I've never seen one. We went on a ghost tour in New Orleans and I was hoping the tour guide would convince me or show me something that I just couldn't explain, but that didn't happen. Maybe I need to hold a real seance!
Alex: The show also deals with time travel. If you could go any place in time, where would you go and why?
Landon Gordon: There are a lot of exciting places that I could go to, but I think first I'd like to go back to the 80's to see my parents as kids. I would also like to see my grandparents younger and see what they were like as parents. I wonder how my parents survived without a smartphone! I'm a big fan of 80's movies and going to a mall in the 80's would be fun!
Alex: Outside of acting, what do you like to do for fun in your free time?
Landon Gordon: I spend my free time riding my bike, hanging with my two brothers, hiking, camping, fishing, and building LEGOs. I also really enjoy drawing and usually sketch every evening.
Alex: Since we're a Disney fan site, what is your favorite Disney thing and why? It can be a movie, TV show, theme park or ride and that can include things like Star Wars and Marvel.
Landon Gordon: I have spent every birthday since I turned two going to Disneyland. This was the first year I didn't go because the parks are closed. So I'd have to say, Disneyland is definitely one of my top Disney things. It really is the happiest place on earth! At Disneyland, Space Mountain is my favorite ride but a close second is a tie between Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Indiana Jones. For treats at Disneyland, I'll never turn down a Mickey soft pretzel or a Dole Whip and at the end of the evening, we always make a stop at the Candy Palace for something sweet. When we do Disneyland, we are the first to arrive and the last to leave.
You can catch Landon Gordon on Secrets of Sulphur Springs on Disney Channel and catch up with past episodes on DisneyNow and coming to Disney+ starting February 26th.