los angeles times.
descendants | 14

'Descendants' cast remembers Cameron Boyce in their first interview since his death.
Los Angeles Times.
Aug. 15, 2019 10:13 AM PT

"Descendants 3's" Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Theadora James, Booboo Stewart and director Kenny Ortega opened up about grief and healing on Thursday morning in their first interviews since the death of costar Cameron Boyce.

The Disney Channel star was 20 years old when he died due to an epileptic seizure early this past July. While chatting with "Good Morning America," his friends remembered him as "wonderful," "beautiful" and "bioluminescent."

"Even when he was around, he's the hardest person to put into words, you know — sorry," Cameron, 23, said while blinking back tears.

"If you could bottle up happiness, that was Cam," added Carson, 26. "He was pure happiness and pure joy. There will never be any words to describe the pain and how much we miss him. And not much helps except knowing that he lived life with more happiness than anyone I've ever known."

The actors also shared their final conversations with their friend, with whom they planned on reuniting for the "Descendants 3" press tour.

"It was pretty normal," Cameron recalled. "We all expected to see each other a lot more."

While Ortega called the loss of Boyce "as tough as it gets" in his 69 years of life experience, 14-year-old James was processing an unfamiliar kind of grief.

"This is the first time I've ever dealt with anything like this. And someone said—I think you said—" James spoke, gesturing to Cameron in a recent interview with ABC News, "to just to be okay with any thoughts that you have. It's fine. When you're grieving—I've thought things that I've never thought before."

The castmates comforted one another throughout the interview as they talked about what Boyce meant to them, personally, and to the world — especially the young fans who grew up watching him on Disney.

"Even when he was standing still, he was bioluminescent," Ortega said. "He was lit from the inside, out."

"Descendants 3" will include a dedication and tribute video to Boyce when it premieres on Disney Channel on Friday.

Cameron Boyce death: Theadora James opens up about losing Descendants co-star
Aug. 21, 2019 08:18 AM PT

The Descendants actress Theadora James, 14, has opened up about losing her former co-star Cameron Boyce, who died in July due to an epilepsy-related medical condition.

On July 6, 2019, James and the rest of the Descendants cast learned that co-star Cameron Boyce, 20, had died after complications with epilepsy. Boyce played Carlos De Vil, the son of Cruella De Vil in the Disney Channel Original Movies.

"When I heard about Cameron, I was on set in North Carolina and a co-star found me saying my phone was ringing off the hook," James says. "I was nervous about why I would be getting so many texts and calls, so I only looked at the one from at Sofia [Carson]. I knew she would be the most gentle and concise, whatever it was. [Her text] explained what had happened and I immediately called Dove [Cameron], who had already called me twice. We just sobbed without speaking. If there was a word stronger than devastated that could describe the pain I was feeling, I would use it."

James met Boyce at the first table read for Descendants 2, and reveals that she had always wanted to meet him after watching him on Jessie. "I grew up watching him. I always thought he was so cool and seemed so fun." After showing up to her first table read extremely anxious, James recalls Boyce being the first to greet her. "He came over to me and was like, 'the first day is always the scariest.' He brought me over and introduced me to everybody, and just made me feel really welcome."

"From that first day onward, Cameron was my friend and he treated me like he treated everyone else, like they were the most important person in the room. I loved him like a brother, and I learned from him every day—how to be joyful, how to be resilient, how to be patient no matter the circumstance...I still learn from him every day."

Since finding out about his death, James says the cast has kept in close contact, helping each other through this difficult time.

"Me, Dove, Sofia, Cam and BooBoo [Stewart] still have our group chat active and open, as we have for 4 years. It's hard when there are no words to express the pain we are feeling, but the usual text is 'love you.' Or 'are you eating?' Or 'how are we all today?' I think something like this horrible loss makes you realize how important you are all to each other. I'm so grateful for my chosen family at a time like this."

While James has remained private about her family life, she has been very open about her own journey with mental health.

"I would call myself incredibly anxious, and I have dealt with depression," she shares. "And I do have episodes of what feels like I'm all of a sudden in the pits of despair. I can't get myself out. I'm on the floor and I'm crying."

While she may only be 14, James has lived far more lives and is incredibly mature for being such a young age. After getting emancipated earlier this summer, shortly after her birthday, she moved into her very own apartment in Los Angeles.

"I've always been pretty independent, but it's a whole different ballpark when you're living on your own and entirely responsible for yourself." she shares, "And I'm lucky in the sense that I'm not entirely on my own, I have my friends and chosen family that I know I can call for anything. Every thought or feeling I have, no matter how strange or dark or heavy, they are a safe space for me."