Cameron Boyce: A Rising Star Gone Too Soon

Cameron Mica Boyce (May 28, 1999 - July 6, 2019) was an American actor and dancer. He began his career as a child actor, appearing in several films and television shows.

Early Life and Family

Boyce was born in Los Angeles, California, on May 28, 1999. His father, Victor Boyce, is African-American, and his mother, Libby Boyce, is Jewish. His paternal grandmother, Jo Ann Boyce (née Allen), was one of the Clinton Twelve, the first African-Americans to attend an integrated high school in the Southern United States in 1956, as ordered by Brown v. Board of Education.

Boyce lived in the Los Angeles area with his parents and his younger sister. In May 2019, he moved in with former co-stars Karan Brar and Sophie Reynolds.

Early Career

In May 2008, Boyce made his debut as a child actor in the music video "That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed)", appearing as a younger version of Panic! at the Disco guitarist Ryan Ross. He continued to appear in the 2008 films Mirrors and Eagle Eye, along with the comedy film Grown Ups (2010) and its 2013 sequel.

Disney Channel Star

From 2012 to 2014, he voiced the title character in the Disney Jr. show Jake and the Never Land Pirates. In 2015, Boyce was one of the main cast members in Disney Channel's Descendants, playing Carlos, the son of Cruella de Vil. Continuing to work with Disney, Boyce achieved further prominence as Carlos, one of the title characters in the musical fantasy Descendants franchise, which included three television films (2015-2019).

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Here is a list of his major roles in movies and TV shows:

YearTitleRole
2008MirrorsMichael Carson
2008Eagle EyeSam Holloman
2010Grown UpsKeithie Feder
2011-2015JessieLuke Ross
2013Grown Ups 2Keithie Feder
2015DescendantsCarlos De Vil
2019Descendants 3Carlos De Vil

In January 2019, Boyce had joined the cast of HBO's Mrs. Fletcher. Just prior to his death, Boyce was to begin production with Sandler on a new project.

Remembering Cameron Boyce: A Disney Star

Philanthropy and Activism

He also supported United Way of America's initiative to end homelessness. His final humanitarian project was called Wielding Peace, a social media campaign in conjunction with Delaney Tarr, co-founder of March for Our Lives.

Death and Legacy

On July 6, 2019, at the age of 20, Boyce was found unresponsive at his home in Los Angeles, California. He died due to complications from epilepsy, less than a month prior to the premiere of Descendants 3.

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Following Boyce's death in 2019, the Cameron Boyce Foundation, a nonprofit organization was founded in Los Angeles through Network for Good. In 2025, Grown Ups producer and co-star Adam Sandler paid tribute to Boyce in a heartfelt moment from Happy Gilmore 2.

On July 14, 2020, a year after Boyce's death, the Alex Winter-directed documentary Showbiz Kids debuted on HBO. The film, which is about childhood stardom and its effects, includes interview footage of Boyce. The project he was due to star in with Sandler, Hubie Halloween, was released on October 7, 2020, with a dedication to Boyce.

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