How “Descendants: The Rise of Red” Pays Tribute to Cameron Boyce and His Character Carlos (Exclusive)

The cast of the new "Descendants" film talk about that special tribute to Cameron Boyce's character Carlos, noting that it felt like "he was there with us" on set

Cameron Boyce’s legacy continues to live on through the Descendants franchise.

In Descendants: The Rise of Red, the film pays tribute to the late actor, who starred as Carlos in the first three films alongside Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson and Booboo Stewart.

After starring on the hit Disney Channel series Jessie, Boyce gained further prominence for Descendants as he played one of the main characters Carlos, who is the son of Cruella de Vil. He appeared in the first three films of the franchise; his final film was released posthumously, after he died at the age of 20 due to complications from epilepsy.

Since then, his costars have kept his memory alive through the nonprofit organization The Cameron Boyce Foundation. Additionally, the Descendants franchise has paid tribute to his character Carlos in various ways.

“We could not have done this without him. Descendants would not be what it is without him,” Dara Reneé, who plays Uliana in the new film, told PEOPLE. “You just can't continue a story without paying tribute to the most important part of Descendants.”

Here’s how Descendants: The Rise of Red and the rest of the franchise has paid tribute to Boyce through the years.

What happened to Carlos in Descendants 3?

The third film largely revolves around the VKs taking four new villain kids to Auradon. However, when Mal’s father Hades attempts to break through the Isle of the Lost’s barrier, she makes the decision to close the border forever.

This causes conflict between Mal and her friends, including Carlos, Evie and Jay, as they believe that children of the Isle of the Lost deserve a second chance like they did. In the end, Mal changes her mind and decides to replace the barrier with a bridge, uniting both sides of the kingdom once and for all.

The film ends with the VKs celebrating the union on the bridge with a dance number. Carlos, in particular, is shown happily dancing with his girlfriend Jane, who is the daughter of Fairy Godmother.

The movie also features a sweet mid-credits scene that shows the four main VKs holding hands as they approach the bridge together. While staring into the distance, they ask each other if they ever miss the Isle of the Lost or if they think their parents miss them, to which Carlos responds, “Yeah, of course.”

After stating that they’re still “rotten to the core,” they all race each other to the end of the bridge.

Shortly after the film’s premiere, Disney shared an emotional tribute that documented Boyce’s past roles. The clips showcased the actor’s smile, laugh and dance talent before signing off with the text, "You mean everything to us."

How did Descendants: The Royal Wedding explain Carlos’ absence?

Released two years after Descendants 3, Descendants: The Royal Wedding is an animated television special that focuses on the wedding of Mal and Ben. Though the film doesn’t explicitly state what happened to Carlos’ character, his absence is addressed several times throughout the special.

Notably, Mal makes a comment to Jay and Evie, saying that she wishes Carlos was with them for the momentous occasion. Additionally, Mal receives a wedding present from the VKs that includes all four of their family crests, with Evie noting that it represents “the four VKs, linked together forever.”

After tying the knot with Ben, Mal glances down at her charm bracelet, where Carlos’ family crest is glowing, causing the VKs to smile.

Additionally, the film pays tribute to Boyce as a tribute card with his picture is shown before the credits, reading, “In memory of our friend Cameron Boyce.”

How does Descendants: The Rise of Red pay tribute to Cameron Boyce?

Similar to Descendants: The Royal Wedding, the latest Descendants film honors Carlos in a special way. As Uma takes on the role of principal at Auradon Prep, she tells Fairy Godmother that she plans to open the school to all VKs, including Red in Wonderland.

Though Fairy Godmother initially protests, Uma tells her that it’s what Carlos would have wanted as she tearfully looks at a framed photo of his character on the wall, causing Fairy Godmother to nod in agreement.

Kylie Cantrall, who plays the titular Red in the film, told PEOPLE that while the script went through various drafts through the years, the one thing that remained consistent was that it paid tribute to Boyce. “Honoring who he was as a character and how beloved he was in the movies and how special his character was, but also just honoring him and his life and his legacy,” she said. “It felt like he was there with us."

Malia Baker, who plays Chloe in the film, echoed those sentiments, telling PEOPLE that the entire cast “grew up with” Boyce and “admired him as Carlos” in the Descendants franchise, which is why it was so important they pay tribute to him.

“That scene is the one thing that remains true to the core of what this next generation is,” she noted. “He's a part of it in the ways that he's a part of all of us right now of looking up to him and being able to admire him and his work and who he was as a person. He really had such a light and an aura to him that I think was just vibrating on set. We could all feel him.”

How has the Descendants cast honored Cameron Boyce since his death?

Since his death, the original stars of Descendants have opened up about Boyce and the impact he had on their lives. Ahead of the release of Descendants: The Royal Wedding, Sofia Carson noted it was “incredibly difficult” to do the animated special without Boyce. "We just hope that when people watch this, they feel happy and they feel connected to the characters and of course, to our Cam,” she told EW.

Meanwhile, China Anne McClain, who reprises her role as Uma in Descendants: The Rise of Red, told PEOPLE she was “apprehensive” about doing another Descendants movie following Boyce’s death. “Cam was the first heartbreak I’ve ever experienced," she explained. "But once I saw how excited the new generation of kids were, it reminded me of myself when we created the original films."

"Everything came together beautifully," she added of the movie. "There’s one scene that is very special to me, I’m sure the audience will be able to guess which one it is once they see the movie. Stepping back into Uma was very fulfilling, and healing for me.”

In addition to honoring his legacy in the Descendants franchise, his cast members have also supported his nonprofit organization The Cameron Boyce Foundation, which supports causes that the late actor was passionate about. In June 2024, his costars Cameron, Carson and Stewart walked the red carpet together as they attended The Cameron Boyce Foundation's Cam For A Cause 3rd Annual Gala.

The official Descendants Instagram page also encouraged fans to donate to the foundation on the five-year anniversary of his death on July 6. “Forever in our hearts ?????,” they captioned a series of photos of Boyce through the years.

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