When I first heard Disney was going back to the well for a fourth Descendants movie, I’ll be honest: I was skeptical. How do you move on after the original VKs? But then they announced the cast of Descendants The Rise of Red, and suddenly, the internet was actually paying attention.
It isn’t just about new faces. It’s a weirdly brilliant mix of nostalgia bait and Gen Z star power. We’ve got the return of Brandy and Paolo Montalban—yes, the 1997 Cinderella duo—which basically sent every millennial parent into a tailspin of joy. But then you have the newcomers who had to carry the weight of a billion-dollar franchise on their shoulders.
Who Are the New Faces?
The heavy lifting falls on Kylie Cantrall and Malia Baker. Kylie plays Red. She’s the daughter of the Queen of Hearts. Basically, she's the rebellious princess from Wonderland who looks like she raided a punk rocker's closet.
Kylie isn't exactly a rookie. You might know her from Gabby Duran & The Unsittables or that stint on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. She brings this gritty, "I don't want to be here" energy that contrasts perfectly with Malia Baker’s Chloe Charming.
Chloe is Cinderella’s daughter. She’s a perfectionist. She’s blue. Not literally, but her whole aesthetic is that classic, pristine Cinderella blue. Malia, who most of us loved in The Baby-Sitters Club, plays the "goody two-shoes" role without making it annoying, which is actually a pretty hard trick to pull off.
The Wonderland Royal Family
- Rita Ora (The Queen of Hearts): This was a choice. Rita Ora is usually a pop star or a judge on The Masked Singer, but here, she’s the big bad. She’s tyrannical. She’s cold. She’s obsessed with beheadings. Honestly, she seems to be having the time of her life being mean.
- Ruby Rose Turner (Young Bridget): Since the movie involves time travel (classic Disney trope), we see a younger version of the Queen of Hearts. She goes by Bridget then. Ruby Rose Turner plays her as this sugary-sweet, cupcake-making girl. It’s jarring to see the contrast between her and Ora.
- Leonardo Nam (Maddox Hatter): He’s the son of the Mad Hatter. He’s the one who helps Red with the time-traveling pocket watch.
The Nostalgia Hook: Returning Legends
Disney knew what they were doing with this one. By casting Brandy as Cinderella and Paolo Montalban as King Charming, they effectively bridged a 30-year gap. They aren't just cameos; they are the actual parents of one of our leads.
Then there’s China Anne McClain. She’s back as Uma. But things have changed. She isn’t the pirate leader trying to break the barrier anymore. Now, she’s the Principal of Auradon Prep. It’s a huge shift for her character, and China plays it with a lot of maturity. You can tell she’s carrying the legacy of the previous films—and specifically her late co-star Cameron Boyce—in every scene.
Melanie Paxson also returns as the Fairy Godmother. She’s the connective tissue of this entire universe. If she wasn't there, it wouldn't really feel like Descendants, would it?
The Villain Kids of the Past (Merlin Academy)
When Red and Chloe go back in time, we meet a whole new crop of VKs. This is where the cast of Descendants The Rise of Red gets really interesting because we see the "origin stories" of the villains we grew up with.
Dara Reneé plays Uliana. She’s Ursula’s younger sister. She’s the "mean girl" of Merlin Academy. Dara has an incredible voice—which she proved in HSMTMTS—and she uses that power here to lead a pack of teenage troublemakers.
The "brigade" includes:
- Joshua Colley as Teen Hook: He’s got the swagger and the eyeliner.
- Mars as Teen Maleficent: A much more goth, subdued version of the mistress of all evil.
- Anthony Pyatt as Teen Hades: Seeing a young Hades before he became the lord of the dead is a trip.
- Peder Lindell as Morgie: He’s the son of Morgana le Fay. He’s basically the sidekick who does the heavy lifting for Uliana.
Why the Casting Matters for the Story
The chemistry between these actors is what makes the movie work. If Red and Chloe didn’t have that "enemies-to-besties" spark, the whole time-travel plot would have felt like a chore.
They spent a lot of time on the "villain camp" training. Rita Ora actually talked about how she looked at Helena Bonham Carter’s version of the Queen of Hearts to get the vibe right. She wanted to be scary but also a bit "glam." It shows. The costumes alone—all that red leather and structured collars—tell a story before she even opens her mouth.
Misconceptions About the Cast
A lot of people think the original cast refused to come back. That’s not really the case. Dove Cameron and Sofia Carson have been pretty vocal about how much they loved their time in Auradon, but they felt like Mal and Evie's stories were finished after the third movie and the tribute to Cameron Boyce.
By bringing in a new cast of Descendants The Rise of Red, Disney is essentially rebooting the brand without erasing what came before. It’s a "soft reboot."
Also, some fans were confused about the timeline. If Uma is the principal, where is King Ben? The movie explains that Ben and Mal are off on "royal business," which is a convenient way to keep the focus on the new girls while leaving the door open for future appearances.
Production and Reception
The movie broke records. It became the most-viewed premiere ever for Disney Branded Television on Disney+.
Why? Because the cast delivered.
People came for Brandy, but they stayed for the "Red" song and the choreography. Jennifer Phang, the director, leaned into the musical theater backgrounds of almost everyone in the cast. Most of these kids have Broadway or musical TV experience, which makes the big numbers like "Life is Sweeter" feel way more polished than your average Disney Channel flick.
What You Should Watch Next
If you’ve finished the movie and you’re obsessed with the cast of Descendants The Rise of Red, you shouldn't just stop there.
- Check out Kylie Cantrall’s music: She was a singer before she was Red, and you can see that "It" factor in her early YouTube videos.
- Watch the 1997 Cinderella: If you haven’t seen Brandy and Paolo in their original roles, you are missing out on a piece of cinematic history.
- Follow the new VKs on TikTok: This cast is incredibly active on social media. They post a ton of behind-the-scenes footage of their dance rehearsals, which really shows you how much work went into those "vandalism" scenes in Wonderland.
The move from the Isle of the Lost to Wonderland was a big risk. It could have been a disaster. But the casting of Red and the surrounding characters gave the franchise a needed jolt of energy. It’s less about being "rotten to the core" and more about figuring out if you’re destined to be your parents or if you can actually change the past.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the lore, start by re-watching the "What's My Name" reprise. Pay attention to China Anne McClain’s performance. It’s a masterclass in how to evolve a character from a villainous teenager to a leader who actually cares about the next generation of VKs.
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Then, move on to the soundtrack. It's already dominating the charts for a reason. The music is catchy, but it's the performances from this specific cast that make it stick in your head for days.
Ultimately, The Rise of Red proved that there is plenty of life left in this universe, as long as they keep finding actors who can balance the campy Disney magic with actual heart.