The Hardy Boys Exclusive Interview: Cast Reveals Novel Research To Prep For Their Characters

The cast of The Hardy Boys reveals whether they had to research the original novels to prepare for their characters.

The sleuthing Hardy brothers of Bridgeport are back for a brand new season! This time, the brothers must solve a new mystery involving the mysterious disappearance of their classmate Dennis. To help solve this latest case, the brothers must rely on their friends and new allies to find Dennis. 

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Hulu’s adaptation of The Hardy Boys has been a favorite among fans of the franchise. The show is based on the book series created by Edward Stratemeyer. With audiences and critics giving Season 1 positive reviews, the series was renewed for a second season.

The Hardy Boys’ Detective Team Returns!

Season 1 focused on the brothers investigating the tragic death of their mother, Laura, and moving to the mysterious town of Bridgeport. During their investigation, they met new friends and discovered a sinister organization. One of the notable highlights of the first season was the main cast’s incredible performances. Season 2 of The Hardy Boys will feature the main cast’s return.

The returning prominent cast members for the second season are Rohan Campbell, Alexander Elliot, Keana Lyn, Riley O’Donnell, Adam Swain, Cristian Perri, and newcomer Krista Nazaire. The characters the mentioned main cast portrays are based on the original books. We at The Illuminerdi had the opportunity to talk with the cast of The Hardy Boys at Wondercon 2022!

We asked the cast if they had to do any research after landing their roles for their characters. The cast revealed they did research the books. They also explained that their book counterparts have some differences in how they portrayed them in the show. 

The Hardy Boys Cast Reveals If They Researched Their Book Counterparts After Landing Their Roles

The Illuminerdi: When you received your characters, did you have to do research on the books to do your characters?

Rohan Campbell: I definitely did. Yeah I mean I had read the books. But I guess setting a show in the 80s and how old the books are. I kind of wanted to have like a 50s version of the character, which I found in some of the earlier books.

Alexander Elliot: I think with Joe, he’s been so modernized from the books. He’s really like perfect for his era for the 80s. The books were really a good launching off point. But I think the key was really the script and going from there.

Keana Lyn: I think in terms of the female characters on this side, Callie was definitely like one of the friends. It went a little bit back and forth, you know around if she was the actual girlfriend. There was some storylines there, but her role in the detective work wasn’t large as it is in the show. I think that was really nice I got to expand to where it came from and add my own twist to it. 

Riley O’ Donnell: Yeah, some of the characters don’t actually really exist in the book. My character the name, exists in the book. But the character is actually some dude (laughter). He’s like this tall blonde dude! (laughter)

Rohan Campbell: That’s the exact description, right? (laughter) Page four some dude! (laughter)

Riley O’ Donnell: Yeah, It’s cool to be able to create a character alongside characters that already existed.

Adam Swain: I think for me, I read a little bit about Chet and I wanted to keep the essence of it. Wanted to keep the essence of the OG version, but also kind of blend it in with the new. At the end of the day he’s still a dude that’s going to ride or die with his friends. But also, I think you will see it in Season 2 that he is taking care of himself, which is something I didn’t fully find in the book. I think it’s a nice fresh take we going to explore now.

Cristian Perri: Yeah like Adam said, I had to go back and read a little to know the character a little better. But I also think between the scripts and my brain (laughter), Phil built the character a little bit yeah!

The Hardy Boys Cast | Wondercon 2022

Besides its detective aspects, the main cast’s chemistry in Season 1 is what made me fall in love with the show. The writers did a fantastic job developing each prominent cast member, especially the two main leads. With Season 2 further exploring the backstories of some of the main characters, my hype for the second season has intensified. However, I am more curious about how the new characters integrate into Season 2’s plot or storyline. All episodes of The Hardy Boys Season 2 are now available for streaming on Hulu. 

ABOUT THE HARDY BOYS SEASON 2 

Executive Producers: Athena Georgaklis, Joan Lambur, Doug Murphy, Pam Westman, Chris Pozzebon, Jason Stone, Madeleine Lambur.
Co-Executive Producer: Ramona Barckert.
Cast: Rohan Campbell, Alexander Elliot, Keana Lyn, Adam Swain, Cristian Perri. Riley O’Donnell, Krista Nazaire and Sadie Munroe.
Synopsis: The second season picks up six months after the events of Season 1, building on the mystery and drama of the inaugural season and welcoming new friends and suspects.

In Season 2, when a Bridgeport classmate mysteriously disappears, Frank (Rohan Campbell) and Joe Hardy (Alexander Elliot) drop their new normal routine to get back to detective work. But when they discover the mystical relic they destroyed last year is still in play, it becomes clear their simple missing person case is actually part of something far more sinister. The Hardy boys and their friends must quickly learn who they can and can’t trust as they race against time to unravel the truth, and ultimately realize that no one is safe from their past.

Who is your favorite character in Hulu’s The Hardy Boys? Did you read the original books series? Who is your favorite character from the books? Let us know what you think in the comments below, or let us know on Twitter.

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