As Descendants enters a new chapter, so does Malia Baker.
The 19-year-old Botswana-born actress returns as Chloe Charming in Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, stepping back into the Disney franchise, not as the newcomer who once idolized the original cast, but as one of the faces leading its next generation.
“It’s like entering this world as camp counselors this time instead of these nervous campers that we were the first time around,” Baker tells The Hollywood Reporter on a recent Zoom.
“We put so much pressure on ourselves just because we loved the movies so much. They were so integral, not just for my formative years, but my peers as well,” she continues. “You hold so much respect and love for them, so it was a really big deal. But it was still so much fun to film.”
Returning for a second film also meant welcoming a new group of cast mates, who quickly turned into some of Baker’s closest friendships. She’s excited for the “world to fall in love” with her friends and the new characters.
Ahead of the film’s release, the Descendants and Zombies casts embarked on a tour, giving Baker the chance to witness fan excitement firsthand. “It’s so wild to be able to literally watch it unfold in front of you and have people be so excited and joyful around something that’s so close to your heart,” she says.
The Descendants films are among the most beloved Disney movies in modern time. Baker feels that the films strike a necessary chord of timeless themes and represent young people well, which is why they’ve been able to remain relevant.
For Baker, stepping into the character of Chloe meant embracing the legacy of Cinderella and Prince Charming, two of Disney’s most recognizable characters. While audiences were already familiar with Chloe’s parents, the young actress had the opportunity to help define a new character entirely her own.
“I think we all put our hearts and souls into it,” she says. “Yes, these are iconic characters, but Chloe Charming has never been done before, which is a lot of trust to put into a person.”
With Disney’s trust in Baker to represent the beloved character over the course of two films, she says she’s found herself growing alongside Chloe. “As things in your life start changing, you can find different levels and depths to whatever character you’re playing,” she says. “I think Chloe and I have been very fortunate to have been at very similar stages in our lives. It feels like we really are learning these lessons at the same time and inspired by one another’s growth.”
The actress hopes that Wicked Wonderland viewers watch it and enjoy it. “It can seem like it’s your responsibility to not enjoy something, because it’s not as ‘serious,’” she says. “But I think there’s something really magical in being able to learn a great lesson while having fun.”
While Chloe Charming may be the role she’s most known for today, sitting at the top of her acting bucket list is Starfire from Teen Titans. “I love the role of Starfire, I think she’s the coolest ever she is just such a baddie in her own right,” she says, laughing. “I would swap out the blue for some pink hair any time any place.”
The actress says a role in a biopic would also be a dream for her. “I don’t know who, what or when, I keep joking with Brandy about playing her,” she says. “I told her I’ll start practicing for it.”
While Starfire, and maybe a Brandy biopic if she ever gives that call, remain on Baker’s manifestation board, she’s still wrapping her head around the fact that she’s become one of the faces of Disney’s newest generation with Descendants.
“Sassy little me would’ve been shocked, flabbergasted, everything in between. It’s still a dream now,” Baker says of her younger self. “I have to have little reminders every now and then. I don’t think it’ll ever fully sink in, and honestly, I’m happy it won’t.”
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