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Writer: Alexandria Morgan
On June 6, 2019, one leading voice of our generation was silenced forever. Cameron Boyce, who was twenty years old, died in his sleep after suffering a fatal seizure due to an ongoing
condition of epilepsy. Cameron’s death came as a shock to many Generation Z fans as he starred in the popular Disney television show, Jessie as well as the movie-musical trilogy, Descendants; although the success of his career stemmed from these fellow Disney Channel hits, Boyce’s career also stemmed from the Grown-Ups and Grown-Ups 2. Along with this, Cameron used his many talents to be a leader within many communities and advocated for natural human rights across the world. In his short twenty years of life, Cameron fulfilled a legacy that most twenty year olds could only dream of.
Cameron Mica Boyce was born on May 28, 1999 in Los Angeles, California. His parents are
Victor and Libby Boyce. His father, Victor, is Afro-Carribean while his mother is Jewish. His first start in the entertainment industry was as a dancer and acting in commercials before he acclaimed his fame in television shows and movies.
In May of 2008, Cameron Boyce made his first television debut in Panic at the Disco’s video,
“That Green Gentleman(Things Have Changed)”. He also received a recurring role on the hit
soap opera, General Hospital as a character named Michael. Along with these television debuts, he made his first starring role in the 2008 horror movie Mirrors and appearing in the spy-thriller, Eagle Eye.
Boyce’s first movie debut was starting alongside Adam Sandler in Grown Ups in the summer of
2010 as well as participating in the dance series The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers. His other debut appearances included a guest star role on Good Luck Charlie and a small role in the 2011 movie Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer. He later guest starred as a dancer on the Disney Channel show Shake it Up in August of 2011.
Boyce’s breakthrough in the entertainment industry came when he was cast in one of the starting roles as Luke Ross on the hit Disney Channel show Jessie. Boyce’s fame skyrocketed again when he gained another starring role in the Disney Channel movie trilogy Descendants; where he played the son of Cruella De Vil: Carlos De Vil.
Boyce’s contributions weren’t just on the big screen but within his own community as well. He
was known to be activist, raising awareness for third world countries as well as revealing hidden history during the segregation era. His grandmother, Jo Ann Boyce(née Allen) was a part of the Clinton Twelve, a group of twelve black students who attempted to destroy racial segregation in the public school system. Boyce and his grandmother discussed this moment on a segment during Black History month on Disney Channel. Along with this, in 2017, he created the Thirst Project in which he raised $27,000 in 40 days to bring clean water to third-world countries. He also supported organizations such as the United Way’s in an attempt to end homelessness, the It’s On Us campaign which raised awareness about sexual assault and harassment on college campuses for both men and women. He was also a part of the humanitarian project called Wielding Peace, a campaign that fought against gun violence by demonstrating unity as a new type of weapon throughout our communities.
In 2018, Boyce joined the cast of Steps, an ABC tv series as Becker. He was cast in the film Runt as Cal and had joined the cast of Ms. Fletcher in January of 2019.
Cameron Boyce’s successful and fulfilling career in the entertainment industry was cut short
when he passed from a seizure on July 6. Many celebrities and Cameron’s former and
current co-stars mourned the death of the young star. Sandler expressed his grief in this short
comment, “Loved that kid. Cared so much about the world. Thank you, Cameron, for all you
gave to us. So much more was on the way. All our hearts are broken”. Many fans grieve the loss of a promising young actor and dancer as he achieved so much in such little time. Many
remember Cameron for his lively spirit, warm smile, big heart and his talent. His family quotes, “ His spirit will live on through the kindness and compassion of all who knew and loved him”. He had so much more to accomplish.
A voice, the true voice of our generation was silenced. Luckily, he left behind a legacy that will
carry in for generations. In his legacy, the Cameron Boyce Foundation was founded and carried on the same giving spirit that Cameron had while he was alive. In this, we hope that Cameron will not only live on in the world but in our hearts as well.
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