Disney Channel actress Carla Jeffery has died at just 33 years old.

Her longtime talent manager announced that Jeffery died Tuesday, September 1. No cause of death has been disclosed.

For a generation of Disney viewers, Jeffery was Bree — the bright, loyal cheerleader who became one of the familiar faces of the wildly popular ZOMBIES franchise.

The news is heartbreaking. Thirty-three is far too young, and the tributes arriving from the people who worked beside her make clear that the warmth viewers saw on screen was very real.

TheWrap reported the breaking news Wednesday evening:

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The Daily Mail reported that Alexander’s Talent Management shared the announcement on Jeffery’s Instagram account. The agency said it had watched her grow over more than 20 years into a vibrant and remarkably talented woman.

The statement remembered the joy and humor Jeffery brought to audiences around the world as Bree. It also asked the public to respect the privacy of her family and loved ones as they grieve.

“Rest beautifully, Carla. Your light will never be forgotten,” the agency said.

The agency had represented Jeffery since she was 12 years old. Its announcement placed the date of her death on September 1 and emphasized the two decades it spent watching her grow from a child performer into an accomplished actress.

No medical details were included. The absence of a disclosed cause is important because social media filled almost immediately with guesses that were not part of the family’s announcement.

Tributes began appearing almost immediately from Jeffery’s former castmates.

Milo Manheim, who played Zed in the ZOMBIES films, remembered her as the “sweetest, kindest, most loving person.”

Trevor Tordjman, who played Bucky, said he was at a loss for words and would never forget Jeffery’s energy and spirit.

Chandler Kinney called her the brightest light in any room and one of the kindest people anyone could meet. Baby Ariel repeatedly told Jeffery she loved her.

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Their reactions were not polished Hollywood statements. They were the stunned words of friends trying to process a devastating loss.

Entertainment Weekly reported that Jeffery began acting when she was 12, playing the younger version of Mo’Nique’s character in the 2006 comedy Phat Girlz.

She soon landed the recurring role of Keysha on Curb Your Enthusiasm, appearing in 10 episodes. Other early credits included Southland, iCarly and Lie to Me.

Jeffery made her Disney Channel debut on Good Luck Charlie in 2011 and later appeared in Shake It Up and Best Friends Whenever. She also worked on American Vandal, Scream Queens, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Suburgatory, Torchwood and Uncle Buck.

Her first major recurring television part came years before ZOMBIES. As Keysha on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Jeffery appeared across 10 episodes and became part of one of the show’s most memorable family storylines.

EW reported that her final live-action role was ZOMBIES 3. She later returned to Bree through voice work and recorded an episode of the audio drama Asanté in 2025.

Then came the role that introduced her to millions of younger viewers.

The first ZOMBIES movie premiered on Disney Channel in 2018. Jeffery’s Bree was Addison’s best friend, a bubbly cheerleader whose kindness and comic energy made her easy to root for.

She returned in ZOMBIES 2 in 2020 and ZOMBIES 3 in 2022. She later voiced Bree in ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series, extending the character’s place in the franchise beyond the live-action films.

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Disney Branded Television described Bree as a bubbly Seabrook High cheerleader and Addison’s best friend. Disney’s biography also noted that Jeffery had been a competitive cheerleader herself as a child with the Midwest Marauders in Cincinnati.

That background helped bring an easy physical confidence to Bree. But it was Jeffery’s natural spark — her expressive reactions, humor and warmth — that made the character feel like much more than a sidekick.

Her work became part of a franchise built around young people learning to live with one another despite fear, labels and division. Bree embodied the openness at the center of that message.

Disney’s official materials list Jeffery across the original movie, its 2020 sequel and the animated continuation. They also trace a career that moved easily between family entertainment and comedies aimed at older audiences.

She had been performing since childhood, yet the biography described interests outside the studio as well: working out, teaching acting classes and carrying a lifelong love of cheerleading. Those details help explain the physical energy and comic timing she brought to Bree.

The loss was quickly felt across the entertainment world:

Jeffery also used her platform to speak publicly about living with epilepsy.

The Epilepsy Foundation featured her story in 2022. Jeffery discussed being diagnosed after she began experiencing seizures as a young adult and described the fear and isolation that can come with the condition.

She eventually chose to share that part of her life because she believed her experience could help others. The Foundation highlighted her willingness to encourage people with epilepsy to seek support without shame.

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Her epilepsy is part of her public advocacy record. It should not be treated as an explanation for her death: her manager did not disclose a cause, and responsible reporting requires leaving it there.

Jeffery’s final live-action appearance as Bree came in ZOMBIES 3. She continued performing afterward, including voice work and a 2025 audio-series credit.

But credits alone do not explain why this news has hit so many people so hard.

Carla Jeffery spent most of her life working. She grew up in front of cameras, found the role that would define her career and used her own struggles to make other people feel less alone.

Now, friends and fans are remembering the same thing: the joy she carried into every room.

May she rest in peace.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.

 

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