Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin filmed on haunted sets?

Guilty pleasure confession time: I love Pretty Little Liars. I didn’t start watching it right away back in the day, though. It had already been on for a couple of seasons before I gave into my curiosity and gave it a go. (And then the binge was on to catch up!)

However, it definitely caught my attention when it first premiered in 2010. I mean, come on. “Pretty Little Liars” is a pretty catchy little title. And from the commercials, the young adult mystery storyline totally appealed to my viewing tastes.

But I wasn’t really their target demographic. Or so I thought. Later, like when the series ended, a couple of my friends confessed they’d also been closet PLL fans too. I felt a bit better knowing I wasn’t alone, but I still felt like we were in the minority.

Or did, until I saw an article from The List about why the show was really canceled. (Low ratings.) But it also included a surprising stat: “…the third season of the show raked in huge numbers of viewers, mostly within the 18- to 49-year-old demographic.”

Huh. I might not have been the “key demographic,” but I definitely fell into the main one.

Anyway, needless to say, I was psyched when I learned about Pretty Little Liars: Orginal Sin, a new incarnation of the show. The first three episodes started streaming on HBO Max on July 28.

I haven’t watched all of them yet, but from the little that I have seen? Hooked! There are major references to classic slasher films like Halloween and Scream peppered in. It’s got a very scary movie feeling.

Which is why something from another The List article caught my eye. They interviewed actress Elena Goode, who plays Noa’s mother, Marjorie. One of the sections was titled “Some of the sets were actually haunted.”

Just when I didn’t think it could get any better, it did. But before we dive into the hauntings, let’s take a look at what Original Sin is about.

About Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin

A is back in this latest installment of the Pretty Little Liars franchise based on the series of books by Sara Shepard. Here’s the storyline from HBO Max:

Twenty years ago, a series of tragic events almost ripped the blue-collar town of Millwood apart; now, in the present day, a group of disparate teen girls, a brand-new set of Little Liars, find themselves tormented by an unknown ‘A’ssailant.

It stars Bailee Madison as Imogen Adams, Chandler Kinney as Tabitha “Tabby” Hayworthe, Mallory Bechtel as twins Karen and Kelly Beasley, Zaria as Faran Bryant, Malia Pyles as Minnie “Mouse” Honrada, and Maia Reficco as Noa Olivar.

Original Sin Haunting Questions

The List’s Kelsie Calderon asked Elena Goode a lot of questions. However, two, in particular, intrigued me most. The first was: “I’ve also heard that you shot some scenes at some haunted locations. Is that accurate?”

To which Goode answered in the affirmative with a simple, “Yes.”

But then she expanded on it to say, “…there’s some interesting stories… in one of the towns, the towns that me and the other actresses playing the mothers were staying in.”

She further explained that she was talking to a friend about how she hadn’t been sleeping well in the hotel because of “an energy of unrest.” Not necessarily with just the hotel but with the town as a whole.

And then she spoke about an old church she could see from her window. She related how, “Late one night, probably not a good idea, I start researching the history of the church, and long story short, it was built on top of over a hundred unmarked graves. The pastor would say that people wouldn’t want to work in the church past 10:00 at night, and that there was this sense of people being in there and feeling that they were being watched…”

Calderon also asked Goode, “Were there any scenes that you worked on in spaces that were haunted? Were you ever scared yourself or really creeped out to work on a scene?”

Goode again replied, “Yes.” She also added, “I’d always wondered, ‘What would it feel like? Would you have to act, or would you really genuinely be scared?’ The answer is genuinely scared.”

But what hotel did they stay at? What haunted places did they film those scenes at? Why didn’t she name names?

Okay, that last one I can maybe guess at. Perhaps she wanted to spare any towns getting a bad rap for “an energy of unrest.” Still, from the few clues she dropped, I think I’ve figured out which town the church and hotel are in at least.

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin Filming Locations

While Original Sin is set in Millwood, Pennsylvania, the series was filmed in New York state. According to J-14, in addition to filming at Upriver Studios in Saugerties, NY, scenes were also filmed in other Hudson Valley towns, including Catskill, Hudson, and Kingston.

Which is fitting because the first episode is titled, “Chapter One: Spirit Week.” Not that it has anything to do with Halloween necessarily, but the action begins at the end of September. The Hudson Valley is a popular New York hot spot for haunted travelers year-round but especially during Fall and the Halloween season. I don’t know if they meant to pay homage to that or not, but it’s cool it worked out that way.

But I digress. I’m positive the church Goode was referring to is the Old Dutch Reformed Church in Kingston. According to Visit Vortex, “…the church was constructed atop a cemetery of more than 100 graves.” It doesn’t get any closer to a match that that, does it?

But this part really cinched it: “Reverend Ken Walsh, a pastor at the Old Dutch Church, has stated that…the church is definitely haunted and that the church, indeed, was built upon a graveyard.”

But ghosts aren’t the only thing haunting the church. So does a hobgoblin, or a “troublesome creature.” Well, we know who the cast and crew can blame for any hiccups that happened on set, can’t we?

I also did some digging to see what hotels might be around the church. It appears the luxury boutique Hotel Kinsley could be a contender for where Goode stayed. It’s not far from the church at all. From the right room, you could have a view of it.

As far as other scenes and possible hauntings, I haven’t yet uncovered if the theatre where Tabby (played by Chandler Kinney) works is real and, if it is, where it is. But if it does exist, I’d be willing to bet it’s got a restless spirit or two roaming around.

But Tabby’s in another chilling scene in the first episode that involves a road. Legend and lore shroud Kingston’s Spook Rock Road. Allegedly, starcrossed Mohican lovers haunt a boulder in Claverack Creek.

Roadside America reports that there’s even a historical marker at the site detailing the story. (Even better, the New York Folklore Society erected it. Wait. A folklore society? How fabulous is that? Must look into that more!)

Anyway, those are all the haunted places and ghost stories relating to Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin that I know about. For now. If I learn of more, you know I’ll share them! And if you know of any, please leave a comment and let me know!

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin Trailer

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Do you have any guilty pleasure shows like Pretty Little Liars you’d like to confess to watching?