Libby Boyce, mother of late actor Cameron Boyce, revealed her deep appreciation for Adam Sandler’s recent tribute to her son in the Netflix film Happy Gilmore 2, released in 2023. This subtle homage serves as a touching remembrance, keeping Cameron’s memory alive while highlighting the lasting bond between the two actors.
Cameron Boyce, who tragically passed away in 2019 at the age of 20 due to a seizure during sleep, appears briefly in the film in a clever nod. His image surfaces momentarily on a television screen showcasing one of his Disney Channel shows, a detail that fans and family cherish, underscoring the enduring impact of the late star’s legacy.
The Connection Between Adam Sandler and Cameron Boyce
Libby shared heartfelt insights about the close friendship Adam Sandler and Cameron Boyce shared, especially as co-stars who portrayed father and son in the Grown Ups movies. Their relationship went beyond professional ties, rooted in mutual respect for authenticity, humor, and staying true to themselves.
Libby revealed,
Adam and Cameron talked quite a bit in the days leading up to his death,
and added,
Cameron was supposed to be in Hubies [sic] Halloween and they were strategizing. They had a bond I think related to being authentic, funny and just keeping it real.
Adam Sandler’s Ongoing Tributes to Cameron Boyce
The tribute in Happy Gilmore 2 is not the first instance where Adam Sandler honored his former co-star. In Sandler’s 2020 movie Hubie Halloween, the closing credits carried a special message commemorating Cameron Boyce. The tribute read,
In loving memory of CAMERON BOYCE,
accompanied by a photo of Cameron. Sandler continued,
Gone way too soon and one of the kindest, coolest, funniest, and most talented kids we knew. You live on forever in our hearts and are truly missed every day.
These gestures, both subtle and overt, demonstrate Sandler’s commitment to preserving Cameron’s memory in meaningful ways.
Libby Boyce Shares Personal Memories of Cameron’s Passion for Dance
Beyond public tributes, Libby Boyce frequently shares intimate reflections on her son’s life. Near the sixth anniversary of his passing in July 2023, she posted a touching message alongside a photo of Cameron attending a dance class. She wrote,
Cameron loved and felt dance on a deep level,
further reflecting,
When I saw this pic, and I zoomed in, I recalled seeing on his face how comfortable and joyful he was whenever he danced.
Where Former Disney Channel Stars Are Now: A Look at Their Careers and Lives
From Child Stars to New Careers: Clayton Snyder of Lizzie McGuire
Clayton Snyder gained recognition for his role as Ethan Craft on Lizzie McGuire, a popular Hilary Duff comedy. After his initial success, Snyder shifted focus to education, completing high school and attending Pepperdine University, where he also played water polo. He occasionally returned to acting, including a 2014 guest appearance on NCIS, but now primarily works in real estate. Snyder embraces his former child star status when it arises with clients, saying,
We’ve had plenty of clients where halfway through showing them homes they’re like, ‘My wife and I just found out who you are and we can’t believe it!’
He added,
But that makes me feel good because I know that’s not why they’re working with me. It’s the best of both worlds, where they have the fun of realizing that but their actual entry point was because of the work that we do.
Adam Lamberg’s Shift Away from Acting After Lizzie McGuire
Adam Lamberg portrayed David “Gordo” Gordon, Lizzie’s best friend turned boyfriend, in the beloved series. Following his Disney days, Lamberg appeared in the films When Do We Eat? and Beautiful Loser. Academically focused, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Geography from UC Berkeley and later completed a Master of Public Administration at Baruch College. Although slated to return in the Lizzie McGuire reboot, he has since stepped back from acting.
Lalaine’s Struggles and Career Path After Lizzie McGuire
Lalaine was known for her role as Miranda Sanchez on Lizzie McGuire, but her character vanished in later episodes due to Lalaine’s commitment to the Disney Channel movie You Wish!. Her career trajectory slowed after this period; a brief music endeavor did not gain traction, and a sequel series pilot titled What’s Stevie Thinking? for which she reprised her role, was never developed further. In 2007, Lalaine faced legal troubles with a felony meth possession charge that was later expunged after completing rehab. Despite a small part in the 2010 film Easy A, Lalaine is now more active on social media than in major acting roles. She did appear in the 2020 film Definition Please.
Jake Thomas’s Continued Presence in Television and Screenwriting
Jake Thomas, who portrayed the younger brother Matt on Lizzie McGuire, has maintained steady work in television after Disney, appearing on series like Cory in the House, ER, House, Criminal Minds, and NCIS. From 2013 to 2014, he co-starred in YouTuber Joey Graceffa’s web series Storytellers. Thomas holds a degree in Screenwriting and a minor in Japanese from Cal State University, Northridge. His Instagram showcases a mixture of his own photography and nostalgic references to his child acting days.
Camilla Belle’s Diverse Acting Career and Personal Highlights
Camilla Belle debuted in the 2000 Disney Channel Original Movie Rip Girls and later starred in mainstream films including the 2006 remake of When a Stranger Calls and the 2008 film 10,000 BC. She briefly dated musician Joe Jonas, leading to a mention in Taylor Swift’s song “Better Than Revenge.” Belle now focuses primarily on indie films like Open Road, Diablo, and the 2017 James Franco movie The Mad Whale. Her recent television appearances include Dollface and Law & Order: Organized Crime.
Jake T. Austin’s Transition to Adult Roles Post-Wizards of Waverly Place
Having played the youngest Russo sibling Max on Wizards of Waverly Place until 2012, Jake T. Austin moved on to a leading role on ABC Family’s The Fosters as Jesus Foster for two seasons. Afterward, he participated briefly on Dancing with the Stars (season 23) but was the first to be eliminated. He also lent his voice to The Emoji Movie (2017) and appeared in the 2020 thriller Adverse. Though absent from the first season of the Wizards sequel Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, fans hope to see his return in the upcoming second season.
David Henrie’s Varying Career and Personal Milestones
David Henrie, who played eldest Russo sibling Justin on Wizards of Waverly Place, followed the series with roles in Grown Ups 2 and Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2. In 2017, he married former Miss Delaware Maria Cahill, and the couple welcomed their first child, Pia Francesca Philomena Henrie, in March 2019. Despite an arrest at LAX related to a loaded gun incident, Henrie apologized and received probation and community labor. He and Selena Gomez are executive producing and starring in the new Disney+ spinoff Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, where Henrie plays a major role alongside Gomez.
Jennifer Stone’s Career Shift and Health Advocacy
Jennifer Stone, remembered as Harper Finkle on Wizards of Waverly Place, appeared in Lifetime’s thriller High School Possession and Nickelodeon’s Deadtime Stories. Diagnosed with latent autoimmune diabetes (Type 1.5) in 2013, Stone has actively raised awareness of the condition through her film The In-Between. Alongside David DeLuise, she co-hosts the podcast Wizards of Waverly Pod.
Mia Talerico’s Growth from Child Star to Online Presence
Mia Talerico started acting before her first birthday as Charlie Duncan on Good Luck Charlie, which ran from 2010 to 2014. She has since acted in the YouTube network’s children’s show Mani and maintains a YouTube channel featuring unboxing and toy review videos, shifting her focus toward online content creation.
Bridgit Mendler’s Career Evolution and Entrepreneurial Ventures
Following her role as Teddy Duncan on Good Luck Charlie, Bridgit Mendler took on adult roles, notably starring in two seasons of NBC’s Undateable. She has appeared in Nashville and Netflix projects, including Father of the Year and Merry Happy Whatever. Mendler has also pursued higher education, attending USC for anthropology, MIT for graduate studies, and Harvard Law School. She recently welcomed a son with husband Griffin Cleverly and launched Northwood Space, a tech startup focused on satellite communications.
Kiely Williams’s Career After the Cheetah Girls
Kiely Williams, once part of 3LW and the Cheetah Girls franchise, expanded her acting career with roles in The House Bunny, Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale, and Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming. Married since 2016 with two children, she made a brief return for Celebrity Family Feud alongside co-star Sabrina Bryan in 2017. While less active in mainstream media, Williams remains connected to her past career through occasional appearances.
Sabrina Bryan’s Continued Entertainment and Podcast Work
Sabrina Bryan transitioned from the Cheetah Girls to hosting duties for E! News and competing on Dancing With the Stars seasons 8 and 15. She performed voice work on Disney Channel’s Fish Hooks and co-founded a web series, Dinner With Friends. Married to Jordan Lundberg since 2018, Bryan currently hosts the nostalgia-driven podcast Magical Rewind with Will Friedle, celebrating Disney Channel’s legacy.
Ryan Merriman’s Variety of Roles from Disney to Independent Films
Ryan Merriman became a Disney stalwart with roles in Smart House, The Luck of the Irish, and A Ring of Endless Light. He later shifted to adult roles in horror films like Halloween: Resurrection, The Ring Two, and Final Destination 3. Merriman portrayed Ian Thomas on Pretty Little Liars between 2010 and 2014 and appeared in the Jackie Robinson biopic 42. After a divorce in 2011, he married Kristen McCullen in 2014 and continues his acting career in independent productions.
Kirsten Storms’s Extensive Soap Opera Career
Kirsten Storms earned recognition for Disney roles in the Zenon trilogy and Johnny Tsunami before joining NBC’s Days of Our Lives in 2000. She later portrayed Maxie Jones on ABC’s General Hospital for several years. Storms made a brief reality TV appearance and married Brandon Barash, with whom she shares a daughter. Despite filing for divorce in 2016, she remains a significant daytime television figure with over 1,100 episodes to her credit.
Erik von Detten’s Transition from Child Star to Finance Professional
Known for starring in the early Disney Channel Original Movie Brink!, Erik von Detten also voiced characters on Recess and acted in The Princess Diaries and So Weird. He appeared on ABC’s reality show The Mole and had roles in short-lived series like Dinotopia. His last screen role was returning as Sid in Toy Story 3. Currently, he works in finance and is a father of two.
Raviv Ullman’s Move Toward Adult Roles and Directing
After starring in Phil of the Future from 2004 to 2006, Raviv Ullman appeared in shows including Big Love and House, changing his credited name from Ricky Ullman to his real one in 2006. He had a recurring role on Lifetime’s Rita Rocks and made guest appearances on Broad City and other projects. Ullman also performed as a drummer in Zoe Kravitz’s band Lolawolf and, in 2022, announced work directing an opera at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Kimberly J. Brown’s Role in Halloweentown and Later Projects
Kimberly J. Brown shot to fame playing Marnie Piper in Halloweentown and its first three sequels, although she was replaced in the fourth film. Outside these films, her notable roles have been more limited, including appearances in Be Cool and episodes of AMC’s Low Winter Sun and General Hospital. Brown has a business degree and runs an Etsy shop called CraftilyCreative. In 2016, she co-authored a Halloween-themed children’s book. In April 2024, she married her Halloweentown co-star Daniel Kountz.
Mitchel Musso’s Rise and Setbacks in the Entertainment Industry
Mitchel Musso played Oliver Oken on Hannah Montana and landed roles on series Pair of Kings and hosting PrankStars. His career was disrupted in 2011 by a DUI charge while underage, prompting removal from projects and cancellation of shows. Musso focused thereafter on indie films and voice acting for Milo Murphy’s Law. In 2023, he faced arrest for public intoxication and theft in Texas.
Jason Earles’s Steady Television Work and Personal Life
Jason Earles portrayed Jackson Stewart on Hannah Montana, despite being in his late twenties at the time. He later starred in Disney XD’s Kickin’ It and appeared on YouTube’s Hotel Du Loone. Earles joined the third season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. He married Katie Drysen in 2017.
Kyle Massey’s Career and Legal Challenges
Kyle Massey, known for his role as Cory Baxter in That’s So Raven and its spinoff Cory in the House, appeared in several TV shows and provided voice work for animated series. He competed on Dancing With the Stars and Celebrity Family Feud. In 2021, Massey faced charges related to immoral communication with a minor, prompting a lawyer’s statement asserting the allegations were extortion attempts. The lawyer emphasized,
It is unfortunate that Kyle Massey had to learn through the media yesterday that the 2019 allegations have resurfaced in the State of Washington a year after their dismissal,
adding,
Massey claims that the allegations then and now are extortive.
The statement concluded,
Massey intends to aggressively defend these accusations again and will seek civil damages from those that refuse to hear the facts. We plan to seek an early dismissal—finally putting these extortive attempts to rest.
A.J. Trauth’s Career After Even Stevens and Personal Life
A.J. Trauth played Twitty in Even Stevens and provided voice work on Kim Possible. He guest-starred on shows such as 7th Heaven, House, and CSI until 2012. Trauth appeared in independent films and lent his voice to popular video games Wolfenstein: The New Order and its sequel. Engaged to actress Leah Pipes in 2014, they married later that year but eventually parted ways in 2019.
Christy Carlson Romano’s Diverse Artistic Endeavors
Christy Carlson Romano, famous as Ren Stevens and the voice of Kim Possible, expanded her career by starring on Broadway in Beauty and the Beast and Avenue Q. She authored a novel, directed a feature film, graduated with a degree in Film Studies, and married writer-producer Brendan Rooney. In 2019, she returned to Disney with the live-action Kim Possible film. Romano candidly revealed in an essay for Teen Vogue,
I have never been perfect or pulled together as my reputation or the success of my young adulthood might suggest,
and acknowledged,
During a period of time in my life, I grappled with depression, drinking, and more, desperate to find fixes for how I felt.
Brandon Baker’s Career Following Johnny Tsunami
Brandon Baker starred as the titular character in 1999’s Johnny Tsunami and reprised the role in a 2007 sequel. He made sporadic appearances on Even Stevens and in adult dramas such as Boston Public and The Unit. After pursuing higher education at UC Santa Barbara, Baker acted in independent films alongside iconic actors like Reginald VelJohnson and Dennis Haskins.
Alana Austin’s Acting Retirement and New Passions
Alana Austin appeared in the 2001 DCOM Motocrossed, portraying Andrea “Andi” Carson. She took several guest roles on television before retiring from acting in 2006. Austin reportedly studied medicine at USC and expressed interest in writing as a current passion.
Kay Panabaker’s Shift from Acting to Zoology
Kay Panabaker was a recurring presence on Disney Channel, starring in Phil of the Future, various DCOMs, and the Disney Channel Games. She transitioned to adult roles in Fame (2009) and No Ordinary Family (2011) before retiring in 2012. Panabaker pursued zoology at UCLA and, by 2016, worked as an animal keeper at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What is Adam Sandler’s religion?
A. In February 2011, Adam Sandler attended a ceremony for his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with his daughters, Sunny and Sadie. He married Jacqueline “Jackie” Sandler (born Titone) in 2003. Jackie converted to Judaism, which is Sandler’s religion.
Q. How old was Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore 2?
A. Filming started in New Jersey on September 9, 2024, which was also the day Sandler turned 58.
