‘Descendants' Turns 10: Kenny Ortega Recalls Fighting for Cameron Boyce to Play Carlos
These 'rotten to the core' kiddos travel from the Isle of the Lost to the storybook-perfect Auradon Prep for a second chance. Each member of the Core Four goes on their own journey of self-discovery in Descendants, complete with sensational musical numbers and catchy bops that still have a place on our playlists.
Descendants became a global phenomenon, spawning two direct follow-ups and the recent standalone sequel, Descendants: The Rise of Red. In honor of the 10th anniversary of the movie that started it all, legendary director Kenny Ortega spoke with TV Insider about casting his Core Four, working with the late Cameron Boyce, and more.
Ortega revealed that Cameron, best known for her role on Disney Channel's Liv & Maddie at the time, was cast as Mal first. From the jump, he wanted to work with Boyce 'so badly.' The prolific director remembered, 'The studio, the wonderful Judy Taylor, who was head of casting for Disney Channel, and Gary Marsh, the President and CCO of the company, had said, 'Cameron Boyce, we're saving him for his own movie.' And I just said, 'Well, can we just ask him?' They were like, 'We're putting him in as the sort of top character.' And I was like, 'But I think he'd love this part, and I think he would love and enjoy this. It's got dancing, and I know he likes to dance.''
Jack Rowand / Disney Channel / Everett Collection
Fate made sure Ortega and Boyce's paths crossed at just the right time. 'One afternoon I walked out of a casting session, and Cameron was sitting in the chair right outside the door. I thought he was there for me, and I got so excited. I went over and I said, 'I can't believe you're here.' And he was like, 'Hi, Kenny Ortega.' And I was like, 'Cameron Boyce, I so want to work with you.' And he's like, 'I want to work with you, too.' And then he told me he was there for a different audition. When I started telling him about the project, he was like, 'I would love to be in that. I would love to do this.' I walked back in, and I was like, 'Alright, everybody, Cameron's in the hallway. He wants to be in Descendants. We've gotta make this happen.' I got my way. I got my chance to work with Cameron, and the rest is history.'
Boyce sadly died on July 6, 2019, at the age of 20 due to complications from epilepsy. His death occurred just weeks before the premiere of Descendants 3. Ortega said he feels 'truly special' to have been able to capture Boyce as Carlos in all three Descendants movies.
'I got to be with him all the way there until the end of his brief existence here with us,' Ortega told TV Insider. 'But what's really been incredible over the last 10 years is the development of the Cameron Boyce Foundation, which honors his legacy of giving back. We're looking deeply into finding a cure for epilepsy. We're doing our best to inspire young people to make good choices, to have great lives. He was building wells in communities that were without water. We're behind the Cameron Boyce Foundation as if he were with us today, guiding us along this incredible path to give to the world, and hopefully one day find the answer to set up and how to stop this from injuring and taking the lives of young people ever again.'
Bob D'Amico / Disney Channel / Everett Collection
The success of Descendants hinged upon the connection between Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay, misfits who step outside of their parents' shadows. Ortega knows a thing or two about finding the right cast for a project.
'Cast chemistry has always been important for me. You can't direct it. You can't guide it. You can't ask for it. It just exists. Zac [Efron] and Vanessa [Hudgens, from High School Musical] in the room made it impossible for us to think of any other combination, and when I said yes to Descendants, Gary pitched me over the phone. I didn't even read the script. I was like, 'I want in.' Then I realized, my gosh, the challenge that I was facing taking Disney heritage characters and giving them their children and really having to take that off the page to develop those characters into characters that the world was going to embrace.'
The Hocus Pocus director revealed that his Descendants team took their time to find the perfect ensemble. 'We really looked for the promise,' he noted. 'What I always say to actors is I'm not just looking for actors, I'm looking for partners. I'm looking for people that are going to bring something to the party every day, like Ashley Tisdale. These were the four, and they brought something to the party every day for three movies.'
He added, 'Every kid that sings on those records is singing on those records and singing in the movie. Every one of them. That's all I've been asked of me many, many times over, and we really lucked out. Triple threats, all of them, Stewart is a martial artist, painter, singer, dancer, actor, equestrian. Cameron started off break dancing and then classical training. He could do ballet. I was so fortunate that there was nothing I could ask of them that they couldn't turn out. As I said, partners that could bring something to the party every day. It was them that helped me engineer the movie.'
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