Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly Dedicate Kids' Choice Awards Win to Late Co-Star Carla Jeffery
(Illustration: USA Current Affaires)
It was supposed to be a celebration, and in many ways it was. But when Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly took the stage at the 2026 Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday night, their victory came with a name they refused to leave out. Accepting the orange blimp for their Disney movie Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, the pair dedicated the win to their late co-star Carla Jeffery, who died in September at just 33.
Manheim and Donnelly reunited at Television City Studios in Los Angeles for the ceremony, where Zombies 4 picked up the award in a brand-new category, Watch Party: Kids' Choice. After thanking fans for their support, Manheim closed out their acceptance speech with the dedication — a moment that quieted the room before the applause came back even louder.
"First of all, shout out every nominee. All incredible," Manheim said. "But I want to take to the message of the movie, which we shall never forget, which is acceptance, embracing others, your differences are your superpowers, be unique, be you. It's been a crazy journey." Before walking off stage, he added that they were dedicating the movie's award win to Jeffery, who starred alongside them in the first three Zombies movies.
Remembering Carla Jeffery
Jeffery played Bree in the Zombies franchise, the sharp, funny cheerleader who became a fan favourite across the first three films. Beyond Seabrook, she built a busy career as a young actress, with a 10-episode stint on Curb Your Enthusiasm and appearances on iCarly, Good Luck Charlie, Shake It Up, Southland and American Vandal.
Her death in early September stunned the tight-knit Zombies family. Her talent agency, Alexander's Talent Management, confirmed the news on Instagram, writing that their hearts were broken as they mourned "our beloved Carla Jeffery." No cause of death was shared. Manheim paid tribute on his own Instagram Stories at the time, writing, "Love you Carlaboo, the sweetest, kindest, most loving person." Donnelly shared that she was in "a state of denial," writing that she kept waiting for something before she believed it was real. "Carla is truly a one of a kind. The most strong-willed, beautiful person. The most contagious laugh I've ever heard," she wrote.
Chandler Kinney, who played Willa in the franchise, also shared a series of photographs of the two of them together, and Manheim voiced his support in the comments, writing simply, "I love you chandlee." It was a grief shared openly, by a cast who had grown up together on the Disney Channel sets.
A Franchise That Grew Up Together
The Zombies films have always been about acceptance — zombies, werewolves, cheerleaders and humans learning to live side by side in the town of Seabrook — and Manheim's speech leaned directly into that message. For the stars who have carried the franchise since the first film, the theme has never felt more personal. The fourth film, Dawn of the Vampires, introduced a new generation of characters while Manheim and Donnelly returned as Zed and Addison, and the pair now continue with the series as executive producers on the upcoming Zombies 5: Secrets of the Sea.
Saturday's win was one of the night's most talked-about moments, and it capped a busy evening for the franchise's stars. The ceremony, hosted by singer Alex Warren and broadcast on CBS and Nickelodeon, handed out its famous orange blimps across movies, television, music and more, with Zombies 4 taking its place among the winners.
Manheim, meanwhile, has had a full year of his own. He recently wrapped production on the upcoming live-action Tangled movie, and he has been confirmed to reprise his role in the fourth season of School Spirits, which is currently in production.
A Tribute That Will Last
But on Saturday night, the spotlight belonged to someone else — a co-star who is no longer here, and a friendship the cast has carried with them ever since. The orange blimp will sit on a shelf, but the dedication is what people will remember: a room full of fans, a stage full of slime and noise, and two stars making sure Carla Jeffery's name was spoken on the night her friends won. See the full list of 2026 Kids' Choice Awards winners here on USA Current Affaires, including Maggie Sajak's red carpet debut with boyfriend Jackson Olson at the same ceremony.
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