‘Camp Rock 3’ Stars Malachi Barton and Liamani Segura Talk Music, Legacy, and Disney’s Next Generation

It’s almost time to start, start, start the party.

Nearly two decades after Camp Rock introduced a generation of Disney fans to unforgettable songs and future superstars, Camp Rock 3 is ushering in a new era. Premiering Thursday, August 13, on Disney Channel and next day on Disney+, the movie — executive produced by original stars Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas, Kevin Jonas, and Demi Lovato — introduces a fresh cast ready to make their own mark on the franchise.

Directed by Veronica Rodriguez from a script by Eydie Faye, the Disney Kids & Family production follows Connect 3 (returning stars the Jonas Brothers) as they search for an opening act for their next major tour. Their journey leads them back to Camp Rock, where aspiring musicians Sage (Liamani Segura), Fletch (Malachi Barton), Rosie (Lumi Pollack), Desi (Hudson Stone), Cliff (Casey Trotter), Callie (Brooklynn Pitts), and Madison (Ava Jean) spend the summer competing for the opportunity of a lifetime. Along the way, friendships are tested, rivalries emerge, romances blossom, and unexpected alliances take shape.

“What It Takes”

For Barton and Segura, stepping into the spotlight as the film’s leads felt like a natural next chapter in their Disney careers.

Barton has steadily grown up onscreen, starring in Stuck in the Middle (2016-2018), Under Wraps (2021), Under Wraps 2 (2022), The Villains of Valley View (2022-2023), and ZOMBIES 4: Dawn of the Vampires (2025). Segura, meanwhile, arrived at Camp Rock after memorable turns in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019-2023) and Descendants: Wicked Wonderland (2026). This fall, both stars will also hit the road for the Worlds Collide Concert Tour, which returns to North America before continuing in the U.K. and Europe next year.

Despite their growing résumés, both actors described Camp Rock 3 as a defining milestone.

For Segura, much of that preparedness traces back to her earlier Disney experiences — particularly working with High School Musical: The Musical: The Series creator Tim Federle.

“High School Musical had a lot to do with it — and Descendants, but High School Musical in particular — because the director, Tim Federle, set the bar so high for me,” Segura said. “He’s one of the best directors — him and Veronica — that I’ve ever worked with. Tim made me love acting so much because he really does care about his actors and actresses.”

For Barton, Camp Rock 3 represented a different kind of evolution.

“Camp Rock was the first moment where I was kind of like big brother on set,” he explained. “I’ve always been little bro, so it was cool to actually be able to step into that new role.”

That sense of passing the torch extended beyond the new cast members. Having the Jonas Brothers and Lovato return as executive producers offered the young stars an opportunity to learn directly from the people who built the franchise into a generational phenomenon.

“Having them back us up and pass the torch to us felt so wild,” Segura recalled. “I feel forever grateful that they invited us on set with open arms. They were so sweet to us. They gave us advice, and just knowing in our hearts that they’re supporting us feels insane.”

Watching the original stars continue to approach the material with passion left a lasting impression.

“You can really tell that they love what they do,” Segura said. “It’s so inspiring for us — the new generation — to take notes and see what we want to take from their characters and put into ours.”

“One Beat Away”

Of course, no Camp Rock movie would be complete without show-stopping musical numbers. Alongside a few brand-new original songs, Camp Rock 3 revisits several fan favorites, including “Brand New Day,” “Start the Party,” “Play My Music,” and “We Rock.”

For Barton, performing those songs unlocked something special on set.

“There’s this cool thing that happens when a song comes on that everybody knows,” Barton said. “The energy shifts, and you’re all having so much fun. In those moments, when we were doing the OG songs… This is going to sound so cringy, but it felt like a party.”

“It felt like a party every day!” Segura added with a laugh.

The nostalgia wasn’t limited to the audience. Barton said the returning songs carried emotional weight for the cast as well.

“We love them all, but there’s a different connection we have to the OG songs because we grew up with them,” he explained. “The second they start playing, we’re just ready to go.”

“Everybody knows the lyrics,” Segura added. “So, everybody’s giving it their all.”

“Work in Progress”

While the soundtrack celebrates the franchise’s past, both stars hope audiences connect just as deeply with the emotional journeys at the film’s center.

Sage arrives at Camp Rock determined to become a successful songwriter, carrying the weight of a strained relationship with her brother (Stone) and enormous expectations. Eventually, she begins to realize that ambition alone isn’t enough to achieve her dreams.

“What I love about her is that, over the course of the film, she really understands and finds her true self,” Segura said. “She’s like, ‘Wait… I can have goals and dreams, but I need to live in the moment.’”

She hopes that message resonates with viewers who may be chasing their own dreams.

“It’s so easy to get sucked in but not actually take it all in — and you might miss something beautiful that happens,” Segura said. “I think that’s really important, so that’s what I really hope fans take away from her.”

Barton said he believes Fletch’s story carries an equally meaningful message. Though initially introduced as the camp’s resident bad boy, Fletch gradually reveals a much more vulnerable side as he confronts painful experiences from his past.

“Fletch is such a layered character,” Barton said. “He has a lot going on, clearly, and there is something really relatable about childhood trauma. There are a lot of people who go through some life-changing moments as a kid, and what Fletch has gone through is shaping who he is going to become.”

Ultimately, Barton added, Fletch discovers that songwriting becomes the one place where he can finally express what he’s been carrying.

“In this movie, the only way he is able to finally open up and express what’s going on deep down is by writing a song about it and playing it for everybody,” he said. “Even for me, if I’m going through something, music can change my mood instantly. It sounds like a basic answer, but music can change your life.”