Unraveling the Enigma: Discovering the Mysterious Skyler Samuels of ‘Aurora Teagarden Mysteries’

Skyler Samuels steps up to the plate as the lead in the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries franchise, taking over the role previously held by Candace Cameron Bure. After Bure's departure from Hallmark Media last year, Samuels was announced as the new Aurora Teagarden for the upcoming film, Something New.

According to Emily Merlin, the Development Manager of Programming at Hallmark Media, there is great anticipation amongst viewers for more adventures featuring Aurora and her friends. To satisfy this demand, they have decided to take the audience back to Aurora's early days as an amateur sleuth. The Aurora Teagarden series has a strong following and the team is thrilled to present this new installment to fans. The lead actress, Switched Before Birth star, confirmed her role via social media with an enthusiastic post about joining the mysterious and enjoyable world of Aurora Teagarden.

The recasting of the lead role caught many viewers off-guard, particularly since Cameron Bure, who had originally played the part, had announced her departure from Hallmark in April 2022 to join Great American Media. This competing network, which was headed by former Hallmark executive Bill Abbott, had launched just a year earlier in the fall of 2021. In a statement given to Us Weekly, Hallmark Media expressed gratitude for the more than a decade of collaboration with Cameron Bure, while acknowledging and respecting her decision to move on.

The Aurora Teagarden franchise boasts a remarkable 18 films for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, with the latest addition, Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Haunted by Murder, released in February 2022 and starring Natasha Bure, the daughter of Cameron Bure. Despite a Hallmark spokesperson confirming in April 2022 that there were no plans for new Aurora Teagarden movies, the franchise has recently experienced a resurgence due to overwhelming fan demand for more adventures featuring the beloved librarian turned amateur detective.

Samuels will be playing the role of young Aurora in the first installment of the revived franchise, set to premiere on June 9th. The official synopsis reveals that Aurora has returned home to Lawrenceton after completing college to pursue her post-grad degree. However, she soon finds herself entangled in a mystery surrounding her friend Sally's fiancé. While the original stars won't be returning, Marilu Henner will still be reprising her role as Aurora's mother, Aida Teagarden.

Evan Roderick, Hayley Sales, and Madison Smith will be joining the cast of Something New. Roderick will portray the role of young Arthur, while Sales and Smith will play Kara and Matt Walker, respectively. Don't miss the premiere of Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Something New on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries on Friday, June 9, at 9 p.m. ET.

Scroll down to learn more about Samuels:

Credit: Sven Boecker/Hallmark ; Ricardo Hubbs/Crown Media

Who Is Skyler Samuels? 6 Things to Know About the New Star of 'Aurora Teagarden Mysteries' After Candace Cameron Bure's Exit

Skyler Samuels steps up to the plate as the lead in the revived Hallmark franchise, Aurora Teagarden Mysteries. Taking over from Candace Cameron Bure, Samuels was announced as the new Aurora Teagarden in March for the upcoming film, Something New.

According to Emily Merlin, the Development Manager of Programming at Hallmark Media, there is a high demand for more adventures featuring Aurora and her friends. To meet this demand, the decision was made to take viewers back to Aurora's early days as an amateur sleuth. The Aurora Teagarden franchise has a strong following and the team is thrilled to present this new chapter to fans. The actress from Switched Before Birth, who will be playing Aurora, also confirmed her casting via social media in March with an enthusiastic message about joining the mysterious and exciting world of Aurora Teagarden.

The unexpected recast of the show left many viewers surprised. This was after the original lead, Cameron Bure, announced her departure from Hallmark for Great American Media in April 2022. The competing network, led by former Hallmark boss Bill Abbott, had only launched in fall 2021. In response to Cameron's departure, Hallmark Media released a statement to Us Weekly, expressing their appreciation for her many contributions and respecting her decision to move on.

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries has produced 18 Aurora Teagarden films, which have earned numerous accolades. The most recent installment, Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Haunted by Murder, was released in February 2022 and featured Natasha Bure, the daughter of Cameron Bure, in a starring role. Despite Hallmark's statement in April 2022 that they had no plans for new Aurora Teagarden movies, the franchise has experienced renewed popularity due to the continued demand from fans of the librarian-turned-amateur-sleuth.

Samuels takes on the role of Aurora in the first installment of the revived franchise, which is set to premiere on June 9th. According to the official synopsis, Aurora returns home to Lawrenceton after college to pursue her post-grad degree. However, she finds herself entangled in a mystery surrounding her friend Sally's fiancé while she's there. Although original stars Cameron Bure, Lexa Doig, and Niall Matter won't be featured in Something New, Marilu Henner will still portray Aurora's mother, Aida Teagarden.

Evan Roderick, Hayley Sales, and Madison Smith will also appear in Something New, playing the roles of young Arthur, Kara Walker, and Matt Walker, respectively. Catch the premiere of Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Something New on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries on Friday, June 9th at 9 p.m. ET.

Scroll down to learn more about Samuels:

Credit: Shutterstock

1. How Did Skyler Samuels Get Her Start in Hollywood?

As a junior correspondent for Access Hollywood, this California native entered the entertainment industry at the young age of 8. During her time on the show, she had the opportunity to interview well-known stars like Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson from the Harry Potter franchise, as well as Disney and Nickelodeon celebrities like Hilary Duff and Jaime Lynn Spears.

Credit: Jim Smeal/Shutterstock

2. Where Have You Seen Skyler Samuels Before?

Samuels began her acting career with a small role as Ashley Blake in a 2004 episode of Drake & Josh. She then appeared on Wizards of Waverly Place before snagging the lead role in The Nine Lives of Chloe King in 2011. Since then, she has been a part of successful TV shows like American Horror Story, Scream Queens, and The Gifted.

Credit: Ricardo Hubbs/Crown Media

3. Has Candace Cameron Bure Reacted to Skyler Samuels’ ‘Aurora Teagarden’ Casting?

Cameron Bure expressed her willingness to reprise her role as Aurora Teagarden in the future, stating to Variety in September 2022 that it's a possibility for the Great American Family network. She mentioned that it's a matter of piecing things together, but it's definitely achievable. However, the actress has not yet made any statements regarding Samuels' portrayal of a younger Aurora in the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries prequel.

Credit: Courtesy of Skyler Samuels/Instagram

4. Where Did Skyler Samuels Go to College?

After completing her studies at Stanford University from 2012 to 2016, the Gates alum was just a few courses shy of obtaining her degree. However, she persevered and proudly announced in June 2020 that she had officially graduated from the renowned California institution.

Credit: Courtesy of Skyler Samuels/Instagram

5. What Was Skyler Samuels’ Podcast Called?

Samuels voiced Casey on the “Showmance” podcast from RomComPods in summer 2021. Fans can still listen to the fictional podcast created by Rachel King and Becca Freeman.

Credit: Courtesy of Skyler Samuels/Instagram

6. Does Skyler Samuels Have Any Kids?

The Gabby Petito Story executive producer doesn’t have any children. However, she is the godmother to her best friend’s son, Oliver, and an aunt.