played ’s daughter in Descendants: Rise of Red, but she tells Us Weekly that they are more like siblings in real life.
“She’s such a great role model to look up to,” Cantrall, 19, exclusively gushed to Us on the Kids’ Choice Awards red carpet on Saturday, July 13, at Santa Monica’s Barker Hangar. “She’s so fab in every way she showed up to set looks just perfect every day even when she has no makeup on. She is such a queen on and off camera.”
Cantrall starred as Red, the daughter of Alice in Wonderland’s Queen of Hearts. Ora, 33, portrayed the wicked queen.
“In the movie, [she’s] definitely not the best [and] a little cold-hearted,” Cantrall told Us. “But off-camera, we got along so well. She’s so funny [and] she’d give me a lot of big sisterly advice.”
According to Cantrall, the British pop star dropped impactful truth bombs about dating and relationships. (Ora is married to Oscar-winning director )
“[She would tell me,] ‘Girl, don’t waste your time with boys. Focus on your craft. Focus on you,’” Cantrall recalled.
Much like Ora, Disney Channel actress Cantrall is also a singer/songwriter.
“[Rita is] just so strong and confident and that’s something that I feel I definitely took away with me just from being around her,” Cantrall told Us on Saturday. “She’s just ‘that girl’ and especially as an artist as someone who kind of wants to lead a similar path, it was really cool having her as like, a mentor.”
While Cantrall hopes to follow in Ora’s footsteps — she hints her debut album is coming “very, very soon” — a musical collaboration has yet to take place.
“I mean, it does feel like it would be right,” Cantrall pondered. “I think a little mother-daughter collab could work. I’ll hit her up about it.”
While Cantrall and Ora have not collaborated in their own music, they did duet in character on several songs featured in Rise of Red, which is out now. The film, the fourth in the Descendants franchise, follows Red after she enrolls at Auradon Prep and crosses paths with Cinderella’s daughter, Chloe (). The twosome must come together to rewrite the sordid high school past of their respective mothers: the Queen of Hearts (Ora) and Cinderella ().
“It feels magical, especially as someone who was an avid Descendents watcher growing up,” Cantrall gushed. “I think it’s just so special getting to carry on the legacy in this new way with new characters and a new story. It just feels so, so cool. We’re bringing that same magical essence with the big musical numbers and the fantastical worlds but with like a new spin on it and a fresh take, which I’m excited for people to see it.”
Descendants: Rise of Red is currently streaming on Disney+.
With reporting by Lanae Brody
