'Descendants: The Rise of Red': A new cast heads back to Auradon

Stars of the new "Descendants" movie give an insight into their characters.

ByAmy Becker OTRC logo
Monday, July 8, 2024
'Descendants: The Rise of Red': A new cast heads back to Auradon
"Descendants: The Rise of Red" takes a new cast back to Auradon Prep in a tale of rivalries, time travel and reconciliation, premiering July 12 on Disney+.

LOS ANGELES -- It's time to head back to Auradon for the fourth installment of the hit fantasy franchise, "Descendants: The Rise of Red."

This time, we're meeting a new roster of students enrolling at Auradon Prep under Principal Uma's (China Anne McClain) guidance, including Princess Red (Kylie Cantrall), the daughter of the Queen of Hearts (Rita Ora), and Chloe Charming (Malia Baker), the daughter of Cinderella (Brandy).

When Princess Red and the Queen of Hearts arrive in Auradon, longtime rivalries come to a head and new ones start to develop. Red and Chloe start off on the wrong foot, and circumstances take a dire turn when the Queen executes a coup, holding Cinderella hostage.

With the power of a time machine, the two girls come together to try and save their moms.

"We dislike each other for a hot second, and then we learn that we have an equal goal in mind," said Baker about Red and Chloe's relationship.

Rita Ora and Brandy in "Descendants: The Rise of Red"
Rita Ora and Brandy in "Descendants: The Rise of Red"
Disney/Quantrell Colbert

On The Red Carpet asked the two about the iconic actresses playing their moms.

"Brandy as mother? That's crazy. When I think of Cinderella, I think of her version," Baker told us.

And how does Ora compare to the Queen of Hearts? Cantrall explained, "She's so cool and was so warm and sweet, and she's a little sassy by nature, just like her character."

With two vocalists playing Cinderella and the Queen, it's no surprise that "Descendants: The Rise of Red" will feature some catchy tracks. Cantrall talked about filming some of the dance scenes here.

Morgan Dudley, Ruby Rose Turner, Malia Baker and Kylie Cantrall in "Descendants: The Rise of Red"
Morgan Dudley, Ruby Rose Turner, Malia Baker and Kylie Cantrall in "Descendants: The Rise of Red"
Disney/Quantrell Colbert

When the Red and Chloe travel back in time, they find themselves a little further back than they intended. In class, the two meet their moms, who are now their age!

Ruby Rose Turner, who plays Bridget, the young version of the Queen of Hearts, described her character as "just super kind hearted, light energy and optimistic and just really wants to see the best in every situation."

Morgan Dudley, who plays young Cinderella, told us a little about her character. "She feels oppressed within her household, so that can kind of come out in ways of being apprehensive toward royalty and status."

The younger versions of these two queens could not be more different than their present day selves, and what might have caused this shift? Uliana.

"I honestly think she's misunderstood! I think she's not angry, I feel like she's vengeful, and she's powerful, and a lot of people are like, intimidated by that," Dara Reneé explained. Uliana is Ursula's baby sister, who might've had her hand in changing the trajectory of everyone's lives.

Can Princess Red and Chloe come together to save their moms, and change the course of time?

"Descendants: The Rise of Red" premieres this Friday, July 12 on Disney+, followed by a special encore on Friday, August 9 at 8 p.m. EDT/PDT on Disney Channel.

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