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Carla Jeffery, the actor best known for playing Bree in Disney's Zombies film franchise, has died aged 33. Her management company, Alexanders Talent Management, confirmed her death on 1 September 2026 in a statement posted to her Instagram account, though no cause or place of death has been disclosed. The agency, which represented Jeffery from the age of 12, described her as "family" rather than simply a client, recalling watching her grow over more than two decades into what it called a vibrant and radiant performer.

Jeffery's most prominent role was as Bree, an eager cheerleader at Seabrook High School and close friend to lead character Addison, played by Meg Donnelly, across Disney Channel's Zombies (2018), Zombies 2 (2020) and Zombies 3 (2022). She went on to voice the same character in the 2024 spin-off cartoon Zombies: The Re-Animated Series, and appeared as Bree in accompanying promotional music videos for the franchise, including "Flesh & Bone" and "Fired Up". Before that, television audiences knew her from a very different role: between 2006 and 2008 she recurred across two seasons of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm as Keysha Black, a member of a family taken in by Larry David's character after being displaced by Hurricane Katrina, alongside co-stars JB Smoove and Vivica A. Fox.

Born on 10 July 1993 in Houston, Texas, Jeffery began acting as a child, making her screen debut in the 2006 comedy film Phat Girlz as a young version of Mo'Nique's character. Her subsequent credits spanned a wide range of American television, including guest appearances on iCarly, Southland, Good Luck Charlie, Shake It Up, Uncle Buck, Suburgatory and Scream Queens, as well as a recurring part in the first season of Netflix's mockumentary series American Vandal. She also featured in the films Teacher of the Year, Girl on the Edge and Exchange, and lent her voice to an episode of the animated Spider-Man series. Her twin brother, Carlon Jeffery, is likewise an actor, recognised for his role in the Disney Channel sitcom A.N.T. Farm.

Tributes have followed from those who worked alongside her. Milo Manheim, who starred opposite Jeffery in the Zombies films, wrote on his Instagram Story that she was "the sweetest, kindest, most loving person", sharing a clip of her dancing in an old iCarly appearance and thanking her for the joy she brought to those around her. Alexanders Talent Management closed its own statement by asking that the privacy of Jeffery's family be respected as they grieve, while celebrating what it called the light she brought to audiences through her work.

Where outlets differ

Deadline attributes the agency's statement directly to Carla Alexander by name and gives a fuller account of Jeffery's television and film credits (including Torchwood, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Men of a Certain Age, Miss Guided, Best Friends Whenever, Lie to Me, and her music video appearances), while The Hollywood Reporter's list is shorter but adds the title Puzzled, which Deadline does not mention.

The Hollywood Reporter includes a detail not found in Deadline's report — that Jeffery joined Alexanders Talent Management at age 12 — and also carries a tribute from her Zombies co-star Milo Manheim, which Deadline's report omits entirely.

Deadline explicitly states that no cause or place of death was provided, while The Hollywood Reporter simply notes the cause of death 'wasn't immediately available' without commenting on place.

Deadline gives more detail on her early Southland arc (as a key witness in an attempted murder case) and her Curb Your Enthusiasm storyline, framing her career trajectory chronologically, whereas The Hollywood Reporter's account is comparatively brief on her pre-Zombies work.

• deadline.com
• www.hollywoodreporter.com