Cameron Boyce is all grown up and taking on the world one talent at a time.
Acting, singing, dancing, photography, playing the guitar – is there anything Cameron Boyce can’t do? Did we also mention that he has a heart of gold and LOVES to pay it forward? As the Descendants star keeps expanding his repertoire, an even greater spotlight is now shining on the artist.
Between Runt, Paradise City, and Descendants 3, 2019 is shaping up to be a good year for Cameron Boyce.
Sari: You made your TV debut in a Panic! at the Disco music video. What is your current favorite Panic! at the Disco song?
Cameron Boyce: It’s funny, I posted a picture of Ryan Ross and me and tagged the band’s Instagram and their fans went crazy because, at that point, the band had broken up. So, post-breakup, it’d be “Say Amen (Saturday Night).” Especially because one of my favorite dancers choreographed the music video and the music video is epic.
Sari: If you were to make a cameo today whose video would you want to make an appearance in?
CB: For sure a Miguel video. [He’s] my favorite artist right now.
Sari: Before acting, you studied dance. Which style of dance do you feel most comfortable performing?
CB: At this point, it’s what a dancer would consider freestyle. No rules, no choreo; just move however the music moves you. At the end of the day, that’s dancing at its purest form. It’s an interpretation of music.
Sari: If you could choose a project that combines everything you love to do, how would you envision it? Would it be a movie, a TV show, a song, a play?
CB: It would be a musical movie for sure. “La La Land” is a pretty good example.
Sari: You play the guitar as well. Could you ever see yourself dabbling more in music?
CB: I just started pretty recently, yeah. I guess you could say I dabble now, but at the end of the day, it’s way more of a hobby than anything. At this point, I’m of the mindset that pursuing music, professionally, would be a sensory overload. Music is a safe space, but the actual music industry, probably not as much. And, being that I’m already pretty deep into a ruthless industry already, I think one is enough for now.
Sari: You also have a love for photography. Tell me about what inspires you. How is telling a story different from behind the lens as opposed to being in front of one?
CB: A combination of people inspired me to give it a shot, honestly; some friends and my late grandpa, who was notorious for always having a camera around his neck. I’ve recently realized how important it is to have the pictures that he’s taken. Capturing moments you may or may not remember otherwise, it’s valuable. My bud, Boo, was really the first one to show me how rewarding it could be. We’ve spent time together traveling all over the place, and he would always wake up super early to photo hunt. He’d take pictures of anything, but the portraits he takes of strangers [who are] nice enough to model for a few shots are my favorite.
Sari: Let’s go back to Grown Ups. What was the coolest moment you experienced working with an all-star cast like that?
CB: Any scene where everyone was together was something else. One of my most vivid memories though was actually from the second movie.
Sari: Tell me about playing Luke Ross on Jessie. Do you think over the years, you became more like your character on screen, or your character became more like you in real life?
CB: Luke absolutely became more like me. There was a progression in the character. Of course, he was stuck in some of his ways, but as time went on, there were more moments Luke had where he showed intellect or compassion. Those were always my favorite scenes.
Sari: I want to get into Descendants now. How does it feel to be so entwined with some of the world’s most iconic stories? What is the coolest part about that?
CB: I think of Descendants more like its own branch, as opposed to a continuation of the classics. The classics should, and will always, stand alone. Descendants is more of a “what if” similar to that of Once Upon a Time. Obviously, those two projects aren’t the same, but at their core, they’re renditions of what a world would be like if you took the classics and put them in the same space. So, in that respect, there is a bit more freedom. It also helps that I’m not actually playing a classic character. But it’s super fun to introduce these stories to a new generation and ultimately inspire them to question and wonder about what’s coming next.
Sari: What was your favorite Disney movie growing up?
CB: I always loved Mulan for its message and Eddie Murphy.
Sari: You also do a lot to pay it forward. Tell me about some of the philanthropic work you do; specifically with the Thirst Project.
CB: Yes! Always pay it forward. I’ve always been involved in giving back ever since I was young. A lot of that is thanks to my mom. She’s helped too many to count doing all of the things she’s done in the field of homelessness, so I’ve always had that example. The Thirst Project was an organization that drew me in because of the work they did and the way they did it; through creativity and youthful exuberance. We’ve teamed up on three campaigns, two of which were my own. We’ve raised a ton of money, but more importantly, we’re raising awareness for the global water crisis and all of the ways people can get involved. It’s been fulfilling, to say the least.
Sari: You even design some of the merch for it. Is this another passion of yours you think you might explore?
CB: Yeah, for my second campaign I wanted to do something different and more personal. I pitched the idea of designing the merchandise because I’ve always wanted to design. It was a pretty cool experience to draw something and explain the way you want it executed and then getting your vision in the mail a week later for your approval. People really seemed to like it as well. I get tagged in pictures of people wearing a shirt or a beanie all the time. When I can, I thank them for helping the cause and assure them their money went directly to building wells.
Sari Cohen
Stylist: Elena Vasilevsky
Photographer: Ryan Jerome
Production: Inlove Media & Production
Makeup/Hair: Cynthia Angelina
