It’s hard to believe it’s been a full decade since Descendants premiered on Disney Channel and became the musical franchise for a new generation of Disney kids. The Core Four — Mal (Dove Cameron), Evie (Sofia Carson), Carlos (Cameron Boyce), and Jay (Booboo Stewart) — stepped into their rightful places amongst Disney Channel royalty.
Carson looks back at her Descendants journey with nothing but love. The actress made her film debut as Evie, the aspiring fashion designer daughter of the Evil Queen (Kathy Najimy), who embraces her time in Auradon when the kids of Disney villains get a chance at a life outside the Isle of the Lost. The My Oxford Year star spoke with TV Insider about that magical moment in her life.
“When I finished the first Descendants movie, which was my first film, my first real job. I remember I was in the car with our producer, Wendy [Japhet], and I was sad that it was over, and she said something to me that resonates now more than ever. She said, ‘That’s the beautiful thing about film. It will live on forever.’”
Bob D’Amico / Disney Channel / Everett Collection
Carson continued, “And it hit me in that moment, but I don’t think I fully grasped how profound that statement was that now, 10 years later, there are little girls now who are five or six years old dressing up as Evie and discovering Descendants for the very first time and falling in love with that fairytale. So Evie really will live on forever, and it’s such a beautiful privilege to be a part of that Walt Disney universe that has been so meaningful to young women, especially.”
The success of Descendants led to two direct sequels, Descendants 2 and Descendants 3, as well as additional Disney Channel specials. The standalone sequel, Descendants: The Rise of Red, premiered in 2024 and another installment is on the horizon.
The 32-year-old will always hold Evie, the confident young girl with dreams so much bigger than the Isle of the Lost, close to her heart, even as she transitions into the next chapter of her career. In every role she steps into, you know Evie’s cheering on the girl who brought her to life — and complimenting her incredible sense of style.
Descendants, Streaming Now, Disney+