Malachi Barton

When we catch up with Malachi in New York, he’s in the middle of Camp Rock 3 press and tour rehearsals, but you’d hardly know it from the way he talks. Easy-going and quick to laugh, he moves between stories with the kind of excitement that makes it feel less like an interview and more like a conversation with someone you’ve known for a while. He tells me about surfing with his best friend, working on cars in his garage, and finding escape in music, while opening up about what it means to have grown up with millions of eyes on him.

That same openness carries into a conversation about bringing his Camp Rock 3 character, Fletch, to life, working with the Jonas Brothers, and becoming part of a franchise with a fandom as devoted as Camp Rock. He reflects on growing up in the spotlight, the family that helped keep him grounded, and the friendships he’s held onto since Stuck in the Middle, before looking ahead to Coven Academy and a darker side of his acting. With another tour, a first single, and plenty more on the horizon, Barton may be moving fast, but he seems more than happy to see where it takes him.

Camp Rock 3 is now streaming on Disney+, and Coven Academy premieres October 1 on Freeform and the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.

Hi Malachi! It’s so nice to meet you. How are you doing?
Hey, it’s so nice to meet you too. I’m doing so well. How about you?

I’m doing well, thanks for asking! Where are you at the moment? In New York?
I am, indeed.

Ah, cool, so you’re dealing with the heatwave as well.
Oh my gosh, it’s insane. It’s so humid. It’s brutal.

I know, it’s horrible! I know you’ve got a lot going on at the moment, so before we get into all the work stuff, how have you been?
Oh my gosh, I’ve been so good. My week has been crazy. It’s been like, “Go! Go! Go!” We’re in the middle of tour rehearsals right now, so that’s been pretty crazy. We’re just getting into the groove of things. There have been some speed bumps with the Camp Rock press, but I’m ready to get back into the tour rehearsal routine, which I do tomorrow.

Oh, that sounds so exciting! We’ll get into Camp Rock and everything else in a minute, but I’d like to say already that I’m obsessed with Camp Rock 3.
Thank you so much!

I grew up with Camp Rock and Disney Channel, so being able to talk to you right now feels like a full-circle moment.
Aw, I really appreciate it.

Since you’ve done a couple of musicals recently, I think we should talk music first. What have you been listening to lately?
I’ve been listening to a lot of Chris Stapleton. I’ve been listening to a little country lately. I listen to a lot of Tame Impala. And honestly, I’ve been listening to a lot of Men I Trust, which I think makes me look super performative or cringe, but I love it. I listen to Clairo and beabadoobee. I’ve just been chilling and keeping the peaceful music around.

I love that. With everything you’ve got going on and touring coming up, you probably need to keep some peaceful vibes around you.
Oh, 100%!

What are your top three Disney movies?
I found out that this one wasn’t a DCOM, but I still have to say Hocus Pocus. Lemonade Mouth. What else? Let’s throw Toy Story in there. It’s a classic.

That’s a great top three! Let’s talk about what’s taking over the internet right now: Camp Rock 3! I had so much fun watching it. I loved all the little references to the originals, seeing the new characters and having some of the old ones come back. And you were great! So, how did you actually find out you were going to be part of it?
Thank you so much! Oh my gosh, I found out in the middle of tour last summer. I was in the middle of an intermission, where we have literally fourteen thousand people in an arena, and I was in a dressing room. My mom pulled me aside. She came in after the first half and said, “Malachi, you’ve got a text from your team management. You need to get on a call right now.” I was like, “Dude, I have fifteen minutes, and then I’ve got to go back on stage.” But my mom said that I really had to get on that call. I got on the call, and my team was like, “Hey, they’re remaking Camp Rock, and they want you to be part of it.” I was shocked that they were remaking Camp Rock. I never thought that would happen. I was also shocked by the opportunity. Then I had to go back on stage. It was crazy.

In the middle of a show? That’s crazy!
Fully mid-show, fully sweating, and fully in some random outfit. It was great. [laughs] It was honestly a wild night. I remember going to bed that night and being like, “What the hell? What’s life?”

Did it take a second to sink in?
I have to be so honest: the adrenaline from the show distracted me from fully feeling it. It wasn’t until I was sitting in my bunk on the tour bus that night that it actually settled in. I was like, “Wow, wow, wow. I have this opportunity.” I was a little nervous about remaking this. You really have to tread lightly given the fandom. So when I read the script, I was like, “Wait a second. They are doing this really well. I think this is going to be great.”

What was it like working with the Jonas Brothers? Did they give you any advice while you were filming?
They are so cool. I feel so grateful to say that they made me feel like one of the brothers in a way. They made us all feel like family. They could have been very protective of this franchise, but they weren’t. They welcomed us with open arms and allowed us to collaborate. I had a great time working with them. Kevin even texts me once in a while to check on me. They are all so kind. They are people-people. They are not afraid of showing who they are.

That’s so sweet! They seem very funny too, from what I see online.
That one is all Joe! They each have their own personalities, but they mould so well.

Can we talk about how Joe is in every comment section on TikTok? [laughs]
He is! He’s chronically online. It’s hilarious. I’ve seen so many videos about people going through his reposts. I’m really keen to start doing that. Whenever I feel in a slump, I need to watch his reposts.

That’s so funny. Was there anything about making Camp Rock that surprised you once you were actually there?
Definitely. It feels like work when you get on set and see the cameras, but honestly, there was an aspect about it that made us feel like we were at camp. It was very secluded where we filmed. We filmed in these beautiful parks next to gorgeous mountains and lakes. So we felt disconnected from everything. That was one of the big shockers. It felt more like camp than work, so it was like method acting.

Let’s talk about your character, Fletch, for a second. What was it like bringing him to life? Do you think you and Fletch are alike in any way?
I think we’re pretty different, especially when it comes to family struggles. I grew up with a really tight family, whilst he had some family trauma and doesn’t have anybody at home. He’s a very layered character. But I had a lot of fun tapping into that, and really learned his layers. That’s why I love this: being able to understand your people. Now I understand people in real life who have gone through these struggles. I loved playing Fletch. I can’t wait to hopefully go back to camp with Fletch.

Camp Rock 4?
Oh my gosh, I would love to. You have no idea.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed!
We are manifesting!

Also, I just realised that your song from the film is stuck in my head at the moment.
Thank you! It’s actually stuck in my head too. Big shout-out to Josh Cumbee and Jordan Powers.

I know you’ve done a musical before, and you’ve been touring too, so you’re pretty used to singing and dancing at the same time. Did Camp Rock feel any different for you?
I wish I could say yes and give you an elaborate answer, but not really. It felt very similar. The one thing that felt a bit different was that it wasn’t a fantasy world. Zombies is set in a fantasy world where we’re playing monsters, which plays into the choreography. The choreographers I worked with on Zombies brought the character into the moves. But for this, it was broad and human.

I think it’s safe to say you’re becoming one of the biggest Disney stars right now. You’re everywhere, and there are so many eyes on you. Does that come with any pressure for you?
Wow! 100%. It has been one of the craziest years of my life. There are so many eyes everywhere. This is what we sign up for. It’s a whole package deal that no one really prepares you for. It’s weird to feel like you’re on camera all the time and not feel like you have space to fully be yourself. You have to put on this front of being like, “Okay, I’m good. I’m good,” but the reality is I’m also a 19-year-old boy. I’m figuring out 19-year-old boy things. I’m trying to scale that wall and juggle it in front of millions of people. But with all that being said, I’m beyond grateful for it. It’s given me a platform to spread my love for Jesus and spread what I love, which is sick. I’ve prayed for this so many times. There’s a pressure for sure, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

When everything starts moving this quickly, what do you do to switch off and feel like yourself again?
I surf a lot! I’m at the beach all the time. I live at the beach. That is my full turn-off. I could literally disappear at the beach for hours on end. My best friend and I pack up the car and spend hours there. I’m also obsessed with cars. I like to get in the garage and get my hands dirty. Those are my escapes. I also love listening to music to wind down.

I did hear you also liked skating?
Yeah, skating was my thing for a while. But then I broke a bone, and I was like, “Oops, I think I should stop that for now.” [laughs]

Oh no, maybe that was for the best! Now let’s talk a little bit about your childhood. I know you’ve been in this industry since you were little. I remember watching you on Stuck in the Middle when I was younger. Do you think acting from a young age shaped you in any way?
Oh yes. This falls into a similar category about the pressure of being in the spotlight. It made me mature more quickly. But honestly, my parents did a great job making sure I could be a kid, and I wasn’t fully devoted to it at such a young age because that can be really unhealthy. My parents were like, “No, Malachi, you’re gonna go work, and then you’re gonna go to baseball practice after.” I’m so grateful they did that. There were certain days that I would get off work after an eight-hour day and be like, “Dude, no, I don’t wanna go,” and they’d make me go anyway. I’d get there and be so happy I went, especially because, at that time, that was my escape.

Your parents are both in the creative world, too, right? Did growing up around that influence you?
Yes, they are. But honestly, I don’t think that influenced me at all. What really influenced me was watching them chase their dreams. My dad toured with big artists, and my mom wrote banger after banger. They are both very driven people, so seeing that drive was really cool.

Your mom wrote a song for Demi Lovato, right?
Yes, she wrote “Nightingale.” I finally got that connection when I met Demi. My mom was there on set that day, so they got to meet for the first time, which was really sick.

Worlds collided that day.
Literally!

Going back to Stuck in the Middle for a second, you were working with Jenna Ortega and Ariana Greenblatt. Have you guys stayed in touch? Do you ever talk about how crazy it is to see where everyone is now?
Yeah! Ariana and I stay in touch. Jenna is just travelling the world, and she hasn’t stopped. I miss that girl so much. We stay in touch every once in a while. The last time I saw her was randomly in New Zealand. We were filming Zombies 4. I was riding an electric scooter on the side of the street when, all of a sudden, someone just yelled my name, and I was like, “It’s a fan. I’ll stop and say hi.” All of a sudden, a little tiny person bear-hugged me, and I still had no idea who they were. Then I looked down, and it was Jenna. She was filming Klara and the Sun, and we randomly ran into each other. That’s the last time I saw her. Jenna is one of the kindest hearts you’ll ever meet in your entire life. If you ever get a chance to talk to her, she’s just adorable and so sweet.

Aw, they both seem like it. I honestly can’t get over the fact that you and Ariana aren’t related. You look so much alike.
Oh my gosh, it’s crazy. We’re waiting for someone to cast us as siblings again.

That would be so iconic. I need it to happen! Now let’s talk a little bit about what’s coming next for you. You’re going on tour next month, and then Coven Academy is coming out in October. I’ve seen a sneak peek, and it looks so fun. It also feels a bit different from anything you’ve done before. What can you tell us about it?
This is Disney’s first-ever young adult show! It’s witchy, full of vampires; it’s very The Vampire Diaries-esque. I think people are gonna love it. I’m so excited for people to see that side of me acting, because I haven’t been able to tap into that yet. Being able to stretch that muscle was really fun. I feel like there isn’t a show out right now like it, so it’s gonna be something new popping in.

From what I’ve seen, I’m already hooked. It has a Teen Wolf vibe too. You’re heading out on the Worlds Collide Tour next month, and you’ve got so much going on already. What are you most looking forward to about being on the road?
I’m honestly excited for the “return to stage” aspect of it all. The last tour was so insane. I’m excited for the adrenaline. I’m a full adrenaline junkie. I got a taste of that recently. We just performed D23, and it was the first time being back in an arena since the last tour. I’m also excited about doing it with a new group of people. I can’t wait to become a family with them. On tour, you get so close so quickly.

I’m so excited to see it! Nearly a month ago, so many clips from your last tour started popping up on my social media. It probably had to do with me interacting with Camp Rock content, and I was so invested. [laughs]
Wait, I love that! Where do you live, by the way?

New York.
No way! Where in New York?

Near Flatiron! I just moved here. I’m actually from Brazil.
Okay, sick! So we’re hanging out near each other then? Love that!

I know, it’s such a coincidence! I have one final question. You’ve already done so much at 19, and there’s so much more ahead of you. What are you hoping this next chapter of your life looks like?
I’m hoping that I can get closer to God. I want my relationship with God to be the strongest ever. That would be so huge. I hope I continue to stretch my acting ability. I want to go back to school with Coven Academy or back to camp with Camp Rock. I put it all in God’s hands, so I’m just trusting His path and seeing where things go!