Actor Cameron Boyce, best known for his role as the teenage son of Cruella de Vil in the Disney Channel franchise “Descendants”, has died. He was 20 years old.
Boyce, who played Carlos de Vil in the “Descendants” films, died Saturday at his home in Los Angeles, according to his spokesperson.
An official cause of death has not been announced, but his family released a statement on Sunday saying Boyce “died in his sleep due to an epileptic seizure resulting from an ongoing medical condition for which he was treaty.
“The world is now without a doubt bereft of one of its brightest lights, but his spirit will live on through the kindness and compassion of all who knew and loved him. We are heartbroken,” the family said.
According to his Disney Channel biography, Boyce was born and raised in Los Angeles. He was a dancer who made his acting debut in commercials, then in television and film.
Boyce starred opposite Adam Sandler in “Grown Ups” and “Grown Ups 2,” and other film credits include “Mirrors,” “Eagle Eye,” and the independent feature “Runt.” He also starred in the upcoming HBO series “Mrs. Flecher.”
“Descendants 3” is slated for release in August.
His spokesperson said Sunday that Boyce was also a philanthropist who used his fame to advocate for the voiceless, including the homeless.
Last year he was honored for his work with Project Thirst, raising awareness of the global water crisis and raising more than $30,000 for the organization to build two wells in Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, with the aim of bringing drinking water to the population. Region.
In 2017, he received a Daytime Emmy Award with Disney XD for his participation in the series “Timeless Heroes_Be Inspired”, in honor of Black History Month.
He appeared alongside his grandmother Jo Ann Boyce, one of 12 black teenagers known as the Clinton 12 who were the first to integrate into public school in Clinton, Tennessee, according to his biography. from Disney Channel.
A Disney Channel spokesperson released a statement on Sunday saying that from an early age, Boyce dreamed of sharing his artistic talents with the world and was driven by a desire to make a difference in people’s lives through his humanitarian work. .
“He was an incredibly talented performer, a remarkably caring and caring person and, above all, he was a loving and devoted son, brother, grandson and friend,” the statement read. “We offer our deepest condolences to his family, castmates and colleagues and join his millions of fans in mourning his untimely passing. He will be greatly missed.”
Chairman and CEO of Walt Disney Co., Robert Iger tweeted Sunday: “The Walt Disney Company mourns the loss of #CameronBoyce, who was a friend to so many of us, and filled with so much talent, heart and life, and far too young to die. Our prayers go out to his family and friends.”
Several of Boyce’s co-stars reacted to his death on social media on Sunday.
sandler tweeted“I loved that kid. I cared so much about his family. I cared so much about the world. Thank you, Cameron, for everything you gave us. So much more was on the way. All of our hearts are broken.”