Descendants Cast Reflect on 10th Anniversary and Cameron Boyce’s Legacy (Exclusive)

As Descendants turns 10, the cast and director Kenny Ortega are remembering the profound impact of the franchise. 

Released on July 31, 2015, the Disney Channel original movie notably followed Dove Cameron (Mal), Cameron Boyce (Carlos), Sofia Carson (Evie) and Booboo Stewart (Jay) as the children of iconic Disney villains while living on the secluded Isle of the Lost. 

When Ortega was first approached with the script for the 2015 film, he tells PEOPLE he instantly knew he was in for something special, but he never could have imagined the lasting legacy he was about to build. 

Just like his other hit trilogy, High School Musical, Descendants became an overnight sensation, captivating audiences worldwide with its star-powered cast and Ortega’s impeccable dance numbers, eventually spawning two sequel films and several spinoffs. 

As the story of going against the grain and following your own path resonated with viewers at the time, it also had a huge impact on its young stars, something Ortega says he was especially cognisant of during the casting process. 

“I say to all the actors as we get closer and closer, I’m not just looking for actors. I’m looking for partners [who are] going to bring something to the party every day,” he says, noting that he prioritized creating a safe space for his actors where they felt their voice was valued. 

“I like to create an environment where the cast has a voice and where they know that they are in a place of safety or they’re not going to be judged. That if they trip and fall or make a mistake, I’m going to be the first one reaching down to pick ’em up, dust ’em off, and congratulate them, knowing that because of those mistakes and taking those risks that they’re going to grow and something special is going to happen.” 

That mindset didn’t just inspire the young cast, but it also shaped their identity during filming. 

“For me, the entire time of our Descendants filming came at a time in my life where I was discovering who I was personally,” Booboo Stewart, 31, recalls to PEOPLE. “That environment, the group of people, really helped me break out of my shell. Especially doing something so vulnerable such as dancing and singing. It all pushed and guided me toward the person I was holding back. Those years really taught me a lot.” 

For Dove Cameron, 29, all those countless hours on set with her costars instilled a work ethic she still holds today. 

“In the years that I would have been finishing high school and going to college to garner experience to follow my dreams, I was lucky enough to be honing my singing, acting and dancing abilities on a global stage with one of my personal heroes, my dear Kenny Ortega, and forming lifelong bonds with some of my chosen family,” she tells PEOPLE. “To this day, I rely on a lot of the building blocks of the incredible work ethic that I learned through working with Kenny and Disney, and I feel so deeply honored to be eternally connected to our beautiful fans that continue to support all of us to this day. Descendants and Descendants fans will always be a part of my life, and have a huge piece of my heart.” 

Sofia Carson, 32, adds that the entire experience was a “dream come true” as it marked her first big movie role. “10 years ago, I stepped foot onto my very first movie set… Into a world of wonder, of magic, of music, of friendship, of love,” she recalls to PEOPLE. “Guided by our dearest Kenny, four hearts held hands and began a journey that would change the rest of our lives, as we brought to life a story that, little did we know, would go down in the heart of history.” 

“Descendants will forever be one of the greatest honors of my life,” she adds, noting that the “core four” characters “forever” have her heart, which will always “be painted Evie Blue.” 

Of course, the cast can’t talk about the magic of Descendants without mentioning the starpower of their late costar Cameron Boyce, who died at age 20 in July 2019 due to a seizure just before the release of the third film. 

“Everything about him was so special, and we all knew it,” Ortega says of Boyce. “When that boy walked onto the set, it was like the lights in the room got brighter. If he wasn’t in the mirror working on something to improve for himself, he was helping someone else come over a breakthrough, a weakness that he was the most generous, loving, inspired, imaginative, kind person.” 

Carson echoes that same sentiment, calling Boyce “our sunshine boy.” 

“I will forever thank the heavens above for the gift of you,” she says, addressing Boyce directly. “My little brother. Your light shines, to infinity and beyond… “

As new viewers are introduced to the Descendants films, the cast is confident that Boyce’s legacy will continue to live on. 

“For the new eyes to Descendants, I know they’ll feel Cameron’s energy,” Stewart says, before adding, “It’s impossible not to.” 

Just as Boyce expressed himself on set every single day, Cameron hopes that viewers will be inspired by his incredible spirit. 

“As Descendants gets introduced to new generations, and as new Descendants films are made without us, I hope that Cameron’s legacy, his talent and his beautiful heart touches millions of young minds and inspires them to become who they are, in the same way that Cameron always was exactly who he was,” she says. “Cameron was unapologetically, blazingly, inimitably himself, and that’s what made him so irrepressibly magnetic and unique. That is my deepest hope for anyone who loves these films, and, I’m sure, Cameron’s as well.”