The cast of Descendants: The Rise of Red recently spoke out about the legacy of late star Cameron Boyce. Descendants: The Rise of Red was the fourth installment in the Disney musical fantasy series Descendants. The cast of Descendants: The Rise of Red spoke about the original lead of the first three films in the series, Cameron Boyce, and admitted that the late actor will be honored in their film.

While speaking with PEOPLE at the D23 convention, the cast of Descendants: The Rise of Red spoke primarily about late star Cameron Boyce. Cameron Boyce was one of the main actors in the original three Descendants films, along with Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, and Booboo Stewart. Unfortunately, however, the rising star died at the young age of 20 from an epileptic seizure.

Speaking about Boyce, Joshua Colley revealed that their latest film “continues Boyce’s legacy.” Colley acknowledged Boyce’s immense talent, which is evident in his captivating portrayal of Carlos de Vil. “I know he’s being honored in our film, and so we always just want to honor the work that he did and the talent that he (had),” he noted.

ALSO READ: “Write It Into Existence”: THIS is what Channing Tatum has to say about reviving his Gambit role in the MCU

Peder Lindell echoed his co-star’s comments, saying that Boyce is an incredible actor. Colley went even further, noting that Cameron Boyce’s performance set “the highest” bar for them on set, and he hoped that would be respected in their film. “Hopefully we met the bar that he set for us,” Colley explained.

Dara Reneé, who played the role of Uliana in the fourth installment, also spoke about the late star’s legacy, calling it truly impactful. While Reneé admitted that she never had the chance to develop a personal relationship with Boyce, she revealed that she never heard anything bad about him from other people, stressing that this is a very rare scenario in the industry.

Reneé had previously stated that Descendants: The Rise of Red would not have been possible without his contributions in the previous installments, highlighting his role in the franchise’s success. The actress mentioned that they couldn’t possibly have continued the story without honoring him for all his efforts.

Ruby Rose Turner, who played the young Queen of Hearts in the film, exclaimed that Boyce’s work was a gift not only to the Descendants franchise, but to the entire entertainment industry. “Whatever he would do now would be incredible and he would love it so much. And I wish he was here so we could all see that,” she added.

Morgan Dudley, on the other hand, spoke about the late actor’s energy, saying: “When I see him on screen – I never met him in person, but I feel like I can feel his energy, just from how vibrant and special he was on screen and his personality. I don’t think that will ever go away.” Dudley also credited Boyce’s energy for making the franchise so special.

It seems as though the new generation of actors were quite capable of living up to the impact of the original cast. Moreover, their kind words for Cameron Boyce are certainly a reflection of the late actor’s impact and lasting legacy. Descendants: The Rise of Red was released on July 12, 2024 and is available to stream on Disney+.

ALSO READ: Descendants: The Rise of Red Film is a tribute to the late actor Cameron Boyce and his popular character Carlos