Camp Rock 3 definitely brought the nostalgia, while introducing fans to a whole new crop of Camp Rockers. But two cameos stood out in the latest addition to this legendary Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) franchise.
Warning! Spoilers ahead for Camp Rock 3, streaming now on Disney+.
In the weeks leading up to the film’s Thursday night (Aug. 13) premiere on Disney Channel, fans speculated as to whether Demi Lovato, who was an executive producer on the project alongside the Jonas Brothers, would reprise her role of aspiring singer-songwriter Mitchie Torres. On Monday night (Aug. 10), Disney and Lovato confirmed the seemingly inevitable, that Mitchie would, in fact, be back for the long-awaited third Camp Rock film. As for how she would return to the hallowed halls—or rather, campgrounds—of Camp Rock, was to be revealed in the movie alone.
Long before we see Lovato’s Mitchie onscreen Camp Rock 3—Disney really does make you wait for it—fans see Mitchie’s dreams materialize. The new film’s female protagonist, Sage (Liamani Segura), has tracks from Mitchie Torresm and of course, Connect 3 (the band played by real-life brothers and bandmates Joe, Nick, and Kevin Jonas) on her playlist, which she is spotted listening to in the car on the way to Camp Rock.
But a cameo that fans may not have seen coming came from another Disney star: Milo Manheim, who is introduced by Connie (Maria Canals-Barrera), Mitchie’s mom and camp cook turned camp director, as Calvin Rhodes, a former Camp Rocker who, like Mitchie and Connect 3, became a Camp Rock success story.
Though new to the Camp Rock universe, Manheim is certainly no stranger to the all-powerful DCOM. The 25-year-old actor and son of Camryn Manheim broke out in the network’s Zombies films as Zed in the franchise’s 2018 debut. Since then, three Zombies movies have followed, with another greenlit that Manheim will executive produce alongside fellow Zombies alum Meg Donnelly.
Fans of Manheim eagerly said “yes please” to his Camp Rock 3 cameo, with one writing, “AHHHH MILO MANHEIM IS IN CAMP ROCK 3??? AHHHHH MY HUSBAND.”
Another was confused, writing, “Milo Manheim?? What are you doing here.”
In his scene, which takes place during the Camp Rock Songwriting Workshop, Manheim shares a moment onscreen with his Zombies co-star Malachi Barton, who leads Camp Rock 3 as the initially mysterious bad boy, Fletch. As Camp Rock 3 director Veronica Rodriguez told The Hollywood Reporter, “Milo passed the Zombies torch to Malachi, and they’re buds.”
“We were over the moon when it ended up working out for Milo to come play with us. It’s a really fun, meaningful cameo,” she added.
As for Lovato, of course I still screamed when Mitchie poked her head out from behind some backstage equipment, surprising her mom Connie as she helped set up the stage for the Final Jam. Noting that it was her “day off from tour” and that she “couldn’t miss Final Jam,” Mitchie ultimately decides to lay low and not stun the campers, telling Connie that “now it’s their turn” to become stars.
She also reunites with the boys of Connect 3, as they mull over who should be crowned the winner of Final Jam. After deeming this year’s competition “the best” she’s ever seen, Mitchie drops her infamous one-liner about Sage’s performance.
“She’s really good,” she exclaims with a smile.
Fans online were thrilled to see Lovato and the Jonas Brothers reunite onscreen, and of course, to hear Lovato bring out her iconic line once again.
“Awww this melts my heart. Love this so much.,” someone wrote.
“This is some cute shit lmao,” someone added.
“Corny as hell just like the OG love to see it,” another teased.
“Oh this was the PERFECT cameo,” someone commented, “love it!!”
However, some critics called out the scene’s dialogue, questioning, “Did chatgpt write the script?”
Though we may not get the Mitchie-Shane romantic reunion we were longing for (the two do share a friendly hug), Mitchie’s cameo proves to be full-circle after all five contestants—Sage, Fletch, Desi (Hudson Stone), Rosie (Lumi Pollack), and Cliff (Casey Trotter)—win the Final Jam. Sage looks offstage and spots Mitchie, and the two smile and wave at each other, in another heartwarming form of passing the torch, or rather, microphone.
Camp Rock 3 is streaming now on Disney+.