KYLIE CANTRALL MALIABAKER
JOEY VAHEDI - GABI SKLAR - RHOYLE IVY KING
SETH LEE - SHAWN STOCKMAN - STELA COLE
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KYLIE CANTRALL
JOEY VAHEDI - GABI SKLAR - RHOYLE IVY KING
SETH LEE - SHAWN STOCKMAN - STELA COLE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Quavondo
C.E.O.
Wilson Greene
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Erin Tatum
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Kingdom City Entertainment
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MALIABAKER
JOEY VAHEDI - GABI SKLAR - RHOYLE IVY KING
SETH LEE - SHAWN STOCKMAN - STELA COLE
KYLIE CANTRALL MALIA BAKER
Photographs by: @QUAVONDO @JAXIHART
Stylists: @NORA_FOLEY @GARRETT_IVES
Stylist Assistant: @ANNIELEASTON
Forge an Unlikely Friendship
Writer: ERIN TATUM
Kylie Cantrall has stardom in her genes. Her parents helped her to envision a future in the limelight. “As far back as I can remember, I’ve been singing and dancing,” she recalls. “My dad is a music producer and my mom is a dancer, so I had the best of both worlds. That meant late night singing in the booth at recording sessions, watching artists like Ariana Grande and Zendaya making records, then trying to push my way into every routine my mom was choreographing for music videos. It just made me think, ‘Someday I’m going to be doing this as my career.’”
“Someday I’m going to be doing this as my career”
Cantrall stars opposite Malia Baker in the summer’s most anticipated revival of Disney’s beloved Descendants franchise, Descendants: The Rise of Red. Malia felt similarly enraptured by her pursuits. A creative career was a foregone conclusion. “My surroundings growing up were all rooted in some kind of art, so it seemed almost unnatural to do anything else. I remember my first official paycheck coming from a painting I made at this art fair in the third grade. Over the years, I’ve loved exploring the different expressions that art has to offer and acting was one that truly stuck. I feel so blessed to be doing what I love every day, and to share that love with the world.”
Kylie portrays the titular role of Red. Red gets more than what the average high schooler would bargain for and must navigate maternal drama. “This film stays true to the original Descendants movies but introduces some new characters, like my character Red, aka the Princess of Wonderland. Red is the rebellious daughter of the evil Queen of Hearts. Even though Red has spent her entire life in Wonderland, she gets an invite to attend Auradon Prep and can’t wait to begin this new
chapter in her life. But what she doesn’t expect is that her mother will wage war on Auradon and sentence Cinderella to death. Not really what Red expected would happen on her first day of school. With the help of the Maddox Hatter, Red uses a pocket watch to turn
Team Kylie Hair: LAURA RUGETTI Make-up: ROBERT BRYAN for Exclusive Artists using NARS Cosmetics
back time so she and Cinderella’s daughter, Chloe Charming, can make things right. A crazy adventure ensues with sword fights, magic, and a ton of singing and dancing. I hope I’m not giving too much away, but let’s just say, it’s another classic Descendants moment in time.” Malia adds, “Red and Chloe try to fix the past to help their future. Expect big musical numbers, an addictive soundtrack and a ton of feelgood connections. We all had such an incredible time making this project and it absolutely translates when you watch it. This is a movie for Disney lovers!”
“I’m a Kylieboo stan forever”
Kylie and Malia also have a strong offscreen connection. The duo is one another’s greatest support system. Kylie gushes, “It’s hard to think of just one thing I like most
about working with Malia (because there are so many), but I would say one of the things I love the most is just how comforting she is to be around. There were those days on set where I felt exhausted, running on only a few hours of sleep, or stressed about how behind I was on my school work, but having Malia to lean on while filming the movie made everything that much easier. She’s my go-to person when I need advice. She’s the best listener and has the most positive outlook on life. Oh, and she 100% gives the best hugs.” That adoration and respect is fully reciprocated by Malia. She is always in Kyle’s corner. “She’s truly been such a light in my life. Kylie has one of the most admirable work ethics I’ve ever seen. I think the world can learn from her dedication and heart towards her craft. I know I have. That, and her contrast of being able to have fun on set makes her so easy to work with. I’m a Kylieboo stan forever.”
Working on Descendants is a destiny fulfilled as far as Kylie is concerned. “I started becoming obsessed with Disney around 5 years old. I would ask my parents, ‘When will I be on Disney?’ pretty much every day.
When I had the opportunity to act in some guest roles around age 11, I knew I had to make the most out of it. That philosophy hasn’t changed. I’m so thankful to be in this position and I understand the responsibility that comes with it. I understand that this franchise has a long history of creating iconic characters that generations will enjoy for a long time. It’s really easy for me to remember how I watched Descendants on repeat.”
The weight of that legacy felt too overwhelming for Malia. Matching such nostalgia can be daunting. However, someone was waiting in the wings to set her straight about her own potential. “It felt like a crazy fever dream when I first saw the audition in my inbox. I was a huge Descendants fan when I was younger, so I initially declined the offer because I didn’t think I could equal up to the OGs. I mean c’mon, how could you? My little sister actually ended up getting so angry with me for declining the audition that she gave me the harshest pep-talk I did not expect, and so I went for it. Fast forward a couple weeks later and there I was, suddenly Cinderella’s daughter. It felt like a fantasy. Now, I still don’t know if I’m exactly rotten to the core, but I really do hope people are able to recognize the new loving additions we bring to this franchise.”
“I initially declined the offer because...”
Red has the chance to do some unusual mother-daughter bonding. Being a teenager is awkward enough without throwing your parents into the mix! “Red has decided she doesn’t want to be anything like her mother, so she challenges her at every turn. That’s why she is so excited to leave Wonderland and attend Auradon Prep School. But things don’t go as planned and it’s only when Red goes back in time and meets the 16-year- old version of her mom that she realizes they might have a little more in common than she originally thought.
I think this is such an amazing universal theme. Hasn’t every kid thought about how weird it would be to hang out with your parents when they were your same age?
My dad always tells me about how cool he was when he was in high school, but I think that’s a little hard to believe…sorry Dad!” To be fair to Red, her mom does embody a certain kind of cringe.
It’s all part of the growing pains of one generation trying to understand another. “I would say Red and the Queen of Hearts definitely have one of those love/ hate relationships,” Kylie laughs.
The tension between Red and the Queen stands in stark contrast to the warm and affectionate relationship between Chloe and Cinderella. Ultimately, the two girls realize that their perception of the women who raised them might not be a complete picture. Malia explains, “Chloe and Cinderella’s relationship is very close. Just like we hear the most iconic Disney stories growing up, Chloe has heard her mother’s story every night before sleep. She looks up to her, honestly in the same way I look up to [my movie mom] Brandy, and she wants to do everything in her power to make her proud. One of my favorite parts in the film is when she meets her mother young. She learns the hardest truths of the story she thought she had heard thousands of times. In both situations, Chloe learns and values her mother’s advice in a way we all can.”
Malia asserts that Chloe and Red have the same common goals, despite how polarized they appear. Their compass is shared, although they have opposite approaches. “I dare say that at their hearts, Chloe and Red aren’t too dissimilar. They both value any cause in front of them, they’ll take action when they can and they learn from each other immensely. I think the biggest way they’re different is the way they go about these things.
“Nothing in life is black and white”
“I mean, imagine having a mom whose famous tagline is, ‘Off with your head!’ I think there is something to be said about the difficulties of mom and daughter relationships in general, especially when you’re trying to find your identity and independence throughout the process. Through going back in time, Red discovers just how deep her mom’s layers are and that they may be more similar than she realizes!”
Instead of listening to her gut in difficult situations, Chloe will happily follow the code of conduct when it’s provided. Simply put, Chloe waits for the crosswalk light to walk across a street and Red just waits until there aren’t any cars.” Kylie muses, “Red and Chloe are complete opposites in every way, which makes their rebel and hero partnership that much more dynamic! They both pick up where the other one falls short, which works great when it comes to conquering villains like Ulliana and stopping the Queen of Hearts from waging war, but it’s also difficult for them to coexist since their principles are so conflicting. It’s beautiful to see how they work together despite their differences and realize that there’s actually a lot they can learn from each other along the way!”
Malia echoes the benefits of their teamwork. There are a multitude of worthwhile lessons to be discovered. “I get so excited talking about this duo, I really feel like my best friend and I would have had matching Red and Chloe profiles pictures. I think Chloe and Red’s dynamic is the perfect balance for them both, even in
the moments they can’t see it. It’s like any worthwhile relationship: you disagree, you learn, and then you grow. I think they both grow so much throughout the course of the movie in ways I’m sure neither were expecting and learn things from one another that even I have used since filming.”
Kylie took these lessons to heart. Everyone has various strengths that they bring to the table. “I think I learned that nothing in life is black and white - there are always many shades of gray. When this film begins, Red feels like the villain and Chloe Charming feels like the hero. Once these characters are thrust back in time and completely out of their element, we begin to see them both in a different light. Red’s rebellious nature makes it easy for her to stand up to bullies, and Chloe finds out that it is okay to bend the rules when your friends’ lives are on the line. Basically, it’s hard to judge a book by its cover and you have to dig a little deeper to find out who someone really is. This movie will definitely be friendship goals for the kiddos everywhere.”
Proximity can either create friction or become a lifelong glue. Malia’s experience on set was definitely in the latter category. “I learned so much about connections throughout the course of filming this movie, not only from our script, but from the friendship offscreen. This cast is so tight. I really think it’s saying something when you’re already working together for 10+ hours every day and you’re still asking what their weekend plans are. One thing I’ve learned is how beneficial being yourself is. By being yourself, you attract the people that work with who you are, and get to experience life in such a calming, fun, and exciting way. It creates more openness and creativity, which is the best foundation for teamwork. It made going back and forth on scene direction ideas THAT much more fun.” Witness that alliance in action by checking out Descendants: The Rise of Red, out July 12th on Disney+. v