In Nickelodeon’s The Thundermans new spin-off series The Thundermans: Undercover, Kinley Cunningham plays Kombucha alongside Nathan Broxton (Jinx) and returning cast members Maya Le Clark (Chloe), Kira Kosarin (Phoebe) and Jack Griffo (Max), with the series premiering in January, and the show has been nominated for and won awards including Favourite Kids TV Show at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. Amongst Kinley’s screen projects, she has filmed for both series of the Disney+ show The Santa Clauses and played Paisley May Michaels in the short film Bliss Talent. Kinley was in the cast of Lythgoe Family Panto’s production of A Snow White Christmas, working with Michelle Williams (Destiny’s Child), Olivia Sanabia, Garrett Clayton and Neil Patrick Harris. Alongside acting, Kinley released her debut music single last year called Heart Beats, as well as a music video, under her artist name Kinley, and continues working in acting, music and dance. Speaking with us, Kinley chats about playing Kombucha in The Thundermans: Undercover for Nickelodeon, working with the cast and seeing the show win Favourite Kids TV Show at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, being part of Lythgoe Family Panto’s production of A Snow White Christmas and releasing music under her artist name Kinley.

How familiar were you with the Nickelodeon franchise The Thundermans before auditioning for the new spin-off series The Thundermans: Undercover and was there anything that drew you to the role of Kombucha?

I was very familiar with the franchise and loved the show and the movie so much. I thought they were so funny, and I was really excited when I got the audition for Kombucha. The character was so funny and quirky.

How did you feel after finding out you’d booked The Thundermans: Undercover and how did you prepare for filming?

I was literally the happiest person on the entire earth when I found out I booked the role, and it was the most magical day of my life. I am a perfectionist, so whenever we got the first copies of the script I started memorising right away and went over and over the lines until I got on set. That’s just how I was the whole time filming it. I would start preparing my scripts right when I got them and wouldn’t stop practicing them until we filmed.

Can you tell us about the show and what do you enjoy most about being part of a major Nickelodeon series?

The series is about Chloe, Phoebe, and Max Thunderman going undercover in a new city called Secret Shores where Chloe meets Kombucha and Jinx, and they instantly become best friends. The problem is she has to hide that she’s a superhero from them, because one of the reasons Phoebe and Max bring her with them on the mission is so that she can have a normal life.

What I enjoy most about being part of a major Nickelodeon series is working with the most amazing producers, cast, and crew ever and filming with Nathan (Broxton) and Maya (Le Clark), who are actually my best friends in real life.

What is Kombucha like to play and how would you describe the character?

I love playing Kombucha because we are so similar, but also very different. I feel like we are both free spirits, and I have the same quirky energy as her, but she is also a bit of a cosmic hippie girl who talks to animals, and I am definitely not like that. It is so much fun to play this character though, and I learn new things from her.

What was it like filming with the rest of the cast (including returning cast members Maya Le Clark, Kira Kosarin and Jack Griffo), and how do you find the experience on set of the show?

Maya and I clicked right away and became instant besties, which is great, because in the show my best friends are Chloe and Jinx. I consider them my best friends in real life, because our dynamic is the same on screen and off. I also loved working with Kira and Jack. They have been doing this a while and were so generous with me, and I was so lucky to be able to watch and learn from them. They are great mentors who inspired me so much and taught me a ton while I was on set.

Did you have any favourite scenes/episodes to film in Series 1, and how was it seeing the episodes come together when the show premiered on Nickelodoeon in January?

I loved every episode, but I did have some favourites. One was Tide and Prejudice where Kombucha wanted to free the water “trapped” in the school pipes. This was our first interaction for Jinx and I with a bad guy, which was really fun.

One of my other favourites is an episode where Nathan and I got to speak in posh British accents for an episode and we got to act like silly, rich people. It was so funny. We could not stop laughing that day.

It’s kind of hard to describe the feeling of seeing the episodes come together and on the air. It’s both exciting and strange to see yourself on television. I’m not sure it’s something I’ll ever really get used to.

How has it been seeing the fan response to Kombucha and The Thundermans: Undercover, and what was it like having the series be nominated for and win awards including Favourite Kids TV Show at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards?

Fan response has been amazing, because there are so many people who loved the original. It’s funny because, before the show, if a fan came up to me it was usually a young girl, but now I have little boys coming up to me too.

Whenever I saw the nomination for the show, it was like having an out of body experience. I would watch the Kids’ Choice Awards every single year at home, so to actually now be on a show that is nominated, and to get to go and walk the orange carpet, and then to actually win a Kids’ Choice Award, I mean that was a moment I will never forget. I am so grateful that I got to have that experience, because those things don’t happen all the time. It was one of the happiest moments of my life. I met a lot of fans while I was there, and I kept pinching myself being like, “Oh my gosh, this is my life right now!”, and I can’t thank everyone enough for voting for us.

You worked on The Santa Clauses for Disney+ across both series, how was it filming as a Dancing Elf?

Acting in a TV show and dancing on a TV show are very different, so it was fun to kind of live both of those lives. I loved doing The Santa Clauses because it was a Christmas show and Christmas is my favourite holiday. I also got to watch Tim Allen work, which was amazing. It was super fun on that set and I made several friends along the way. Of course, I love to dance, so it was really, really fun learning all the choreography.

What was it like playing Paisley May Michaels in the short film Bliss Talent, and how was it attending the recent screening event?

I loved filming this project because I also got to sing. My character plays Annie in a play so I got to belt out “the sun will come out Tomorrow”. It was a fun character, because I got to play two very different sides of her where she was a bright and bubbly child performer when certain people were around, but then behind the scenes she hated her job and was burnt out and cranky. I thought that was really fun to play both sides of the character. The screening was also very, very fun because I filmed the short before The Thundermans so it felt like so long before I actually got to see it. I was really excited to see how it all came together, and it was very exciting to see the cast and crew again because they were all so nice to me. It’s a mockumentary-style film, kind of like The Office, and the final result is really, really funny. It recently played at a film festival too, which is amazing!

We understand you were part of Lythgoe Family Panto’s production of A Snow White Christmas with Michelle Williams (Destiny’s Child), Olivia Sanabia, Garrett Clayton and Neil Patrick Harris, what do you remember most from performing in the show?

I was pretty young when I did that show but what I remember the most was that I made so many friends. Everybody was super nice and it was so much fun playing a shy dwarf because if you know me, I am definitely not shy. This was also a play in front of a live audience so I got to do it multiple times and every run through of the show was a little bit different. We got to dance and act, and it was such a fun experience.

Last year, you released your debut music single (under your artist name Kinley) titled Heart Beats, can you tell us about the song and how long had it been in the making?

I worked on the song with my amazing vocal coach and manager Alisan Porter, and this was my first-ever solo song, so I was really excited. I made the music video with my dad directing, so I really got to learn the whole process from the recording studio to the music video, which was really exciting and fun. It took us about three months from start to finish. I have other music that I’ve been working on that I can’t wait for people to hear.

What did you find the most enjoyable aspect of working on Heart Beats and filming the music video?

I got to choreograph the dancing in the video, and my dad directed it. He is a phenomenal director. We had so much fun coming up with the concept and working on it together.

How did you get into performing and did you always know you wanted a career as an actor, singer and dancer?

It started when my mom enrolled in a mommy and me dance class when I was two years old. I knew from a very young age that I loved performing and loved being in front of the camera. I always had so much fun doing it and dreamed of being in movies and TV shows, so to everyone out there, whatever you want to do, keep working at it, because dreams really do come true.

Can you say about your dance career, and how often do you train?

Whenever I’m not filming, I am training at the dance studio 24/7. Not really, but it feels like it sometimes. I used to do competition dance, so dance has always been my life since I was two years old. I love it with my whole heart and will never stop dancing.

Do you have any favourite films and TV shows to watch, and music artists to listen to?

We are a movies and TV family. We are always watching something, and I constantly learn from other actors and actresses. Some of my favourite TV shows are Stranger Things, Squid Game, Alice in Borderland, XO Kitty, and, not to be biased, but The Thundermans: Undercover. My favourite movies are The Black Phone, the Scream franchise, Mean Girls, and Wicked. Some of my favourite music artists are Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga, Tate McRae, Olivia Rodrigo, and a ton more.

How do you like spending your time away from performing?

A break can be nice every once in a while, but it’s hard to stop myself from being go-go-go. I love being busy. I’m constantly dancing around the house, and I’m always ready for the next thing.

What are you hoping 2025 brings for you and do you have any upcoming projects that you can talk about?

Well, I already accomplished a big goal of mine for 2025 and that was to win a Kids’ Choice Award. Obviously I would love to see a Season 2 happen for The Thundermans: Undercover. I’m also a big horror movie lover, so I would love to be in a horror movie. I have a few personal projects in the works, and I just filmed a really fun commercial that should be out soon. I’m also auditioning for some fun stuff, but 2025 has already been an amazing year for me. I just hope to keep it going.

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