Disney's Descendants: The Rise of Red has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Cameron Boyce, who originated one of the lead roles in the first three Descendants movies.
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In the opening scenes of the new movie, which was released on Disney Plus today, China Anne McClain's character can be seen looking up at a photo of Cameron Boyce's Carlos before the film swiftly moves on as Auradon Prep opens its doors to villainous kids far and wise.
While not much is said, it is an acknowledgment that Carlos is no longer with them, but would be proud of all the changes made.
Boyce played the sweet treat and dog-loving Carlos, son of Cruella de Vil, and starred in all three of the Descendants films.
Since the third Descendants film debuted in 2019, there have been animated shorts released, and in 2021, one notably did not feature Boyce.
In Descendants: The Royal Wedding, Mal says, "I wish Carlos could've been here," to which her friends reply, "We all do." While it did not confirm where Carlos was, it hinted to fans that his character would not be replaced.
Cameron Boyce as Carlos, Sofia Carson as Evie, Dove Cameron as Mal and Booboo Stewart as Jay. Mariah Wild/Disney Parks via Getty Images
Boyce died in July 2019 at the age of 20 years old, after suffering a seizure.
"It is with a profoundly heavy heart that we report that this morning we lost Cameron," a spokesperson said on behalf of his family at the time.
"He passed away in his sleep due to a seizure which was a result of an ongoing medical condition for which he was being treated.
"The world is now undoubtedly without one of its brightest lights, but his spirit will live on through the kindness and compassion of all who knew and loved him.
"We are utterly heartbroken and ask for privacy during this immensely difficult time as we grieve the loss of our precious son and brother."
Since his passing, The Cameron Boyce Foundation has been set up, honouring his legacy and "aiming to cure epilepsy through funding, research, education and awareness campaigns while still supporting causes that were important to Cameron".
Katelyn Mensah is the Entertainment and Factual Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.
