Few things blur the line between fiction and fandom quite like a Disney franchise romance. Malachi Barton and Freya Skye play the star-crossed Victor and Nova in the ZOMBIES universe, and their on-screen chemistry keeps fans asking whether the spark is real. When Disney+ Press (official studio announcement) announced on March 2, 2026, that ZOMBIES 5 was greenlit with both actors returning, the speculation only got louder. Here is what is actually verifiable — and what remains fan fiction.
Age when discovered: 4 years old ·
Zombies movie appearance: ZOMBIES 4: Dawn of the Vampires ·
Songs on YouTube playlist: 7 ·
Photo shoot date: June 18, 2026
Quick snapshot
- Locker Diaries: Zombies brings Malachi Barton and Freya Skye back as Victor and Nova (ABC7 (local news outlet)).
- The first Locker Diaries episode opens with Victor and Nova sharing a dance outside the Fang Formal (Just Jared (celebrity news site)).
- Barton and Skye filmed chemistry reads and a duet called “Dreams Come True” for ZOMBIES 4 (BroadwayWorld (theater news site)).
- Whether Barton currently has a girlfriend.
- Whether he and Freya Skye have ever kissed off-screen.
- Whether ZOMBIES 5 includes a kiss scene for Victor and Nova.
- July 8, 2025 — Barton and Skye share hopes for the franchise’s future in an ET Online exclusive (ET Online (entertainment news program)).
- February 14, 2026 — Locker Diaries: Zombies is announced with Barton and Skye in the returning cast (ABC7 (local news outlet)).
- ZOMBIES 5 adds three new mermaids — Pearl (Diaana Babnicova), Fin (Taylor Oliver), and Sandy (Olive Mortimer) — to the returning cast (Disney+ Press (official studio announcement)).
- Victor and Nova’s arc continues in the Locker Diaries short-form series (ABC7 (local news outlet)).
Seven rows into Barton’s public file, one pattern stands out: the verified biography is professional and short — the gossip around it is anything but.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Malachi Barton (confirmed via public appearances) |
| Date of Birth | Not publicly disclosed |
| Known For | Child actor, singer, ZOMBIES franchise |
| Franchise Role | Victor, opposite Freya Skye’s Nova |
| Notable Work | ZOMBIES 4: Dawn of the Vampires soundtrack |
| Relationship Status | Not publicly confirmed |
| Social Media | Instagram (photographed June 18, 2026) |
The takeaway: every verified entry points to work — casting, soundtracks, photo shoots. The personal entries are the ones with question marks.
Is Malachi Barton in a relationship?
There is no official answer, and that absence is the only solid fact. Barton has never confirmed a girlfriend, and his ZOMBIES 4 press interviews stayed on career topics rather than dating.
Does Malachi Barton have a GF in 2026?
- No official confirmation of a current girlfriend exists.
- Social media posts hint at possible singles, but nothing has been publicly verified.
- Barton has not publicly discussed dating in interviews.
The closest thing to a personal statement in the ZOMBIES 4 cycle came when Barton described his parents as his strongest support system, telling Pop Culturalist (celebrity interview outlet) exactly where his private life centers. That is a family answer, not a romance one.
For a young Disney-affiliated actor, an unconfirmed relationship status is the norm, not a clue. Publicists keep the personal lives of franchise stars out of press cycles, and silence is standard professional practice.
The implication: anyone claiming to know Barton’s 2026 relationship status is reading tea leaves, not records. Until he says otherwise, the accurate answer is “not confirmed.”
Who is Malachi Barton’s ex-girlfriend?
Fan forums keep circulating a name — Kylie — usually in the same breath as “ex-girlfriend.” The public record does not back it up.
Did Malachi and Kylie date?
- The name Kylie appears in fan rumors, typically tied to social media interactions.
- No confirmed evidence of a past relationship with Kylie has surfaced.
- Speculation appears to have grown out of cast chemistry, not a documented romance.
The one Kylie in Barton’s public orbit is Kylie Cantrall, the Descendants star who toured alongside Barton and Freya Skye for the Descendants/Zombies crossover event, ABC7 News (Bay Area news site) reported. Sharing a stage set with someone is not a relationship timeline.
Why this matters: the Kylie rumor shows how quickly professional overlap becomes personal speculation. There is no source, no dating record, and no statement — just a name repeated until it feels true.
Have Malachi Barton and Freya Skye ever kissed?
The question shows up under nearly every clip of Victor and Nova. The answer depends on whether the setting is a script or a red carpet.
Did Malachi kiss Freya on the cheek?
- No documented instance of a real-life kiss between Barton and Skye exists in the public record.
- On-screen cheek kisses are part of choreographed scenes in the ZOMBIES franchise.
- Neither actor has publicly described a romantic kiss outside of filming.
What is documented is the franchise’s romantic staging. The first Locker Diaries episode opens with Victor and Nova sharing a dance outside the Fang Formal, Just Jared (celebrity news site) reported — a scene written, choreographed, and filmed for the audience. No photograph or video of the two actors sharing an intimate moment outside that context has ever been published.
Do Freya Skye and Malachi Barton love each other?
- Neither actor has publicly declared romantic feelings.
- Both have discussed their characters’ love story, not a personal one.
- On-screen professions of love are scripted lines performed for the camera.
Why won’t Freya Skye and Malachi Barton date?
- The question assumes a romance was ever on the table; the public evidence does not support that premise.
- Both actors are mid-career, with Barton building a music presence and Skye active in the franchise press cycle.
- Disney-affiliated actors typically keep private lives out of promotional interviews.
The catch: the franchise’s own marketing keeps Victor and Nova in a romantic spotlight, so the fiction keeps feeding the question. The documented facts point to professional chemistry, not a personal relationship.
Is there a kiss scene in Zombies?
The ZOMBIES franchise has always leaned on star-crossed romance: humans and zombies falling for each other across a school divide. Whether that includes a kiss scene is a script question, not a casting one.
“We are thrilled to announce that ZOMBIES 5 has been greenlit for Disney+ and Disney Channel.”
— Disney+ Press (official studio announcement)
Will Freya Skye and Malachi Barton kiss in Zombies 5?
- Disney’s ZOMBIES 5 greenlight confirms the cast, not the script.
- No official synopsis has confirmed a kiss scene for Victor and Nova.
- Franchise history includes scripted romantic moments, which is why fans expect one.
The March 2, 2026 announcement from Disney+ Press (official studio announcement) names the returning cast and three new mermaid roles — Pearl (Diaana Babnicova), Fin (Taylor Oliver), and Sandy (Olive Mortimer). It says nothing about kisses.
If Disney’s ZOMBIES 5 synopsis ever confirms a Victor-Nova kiss, expect the fan narrative to treat a scripted scene as a relationship update. The two actors will still be playing characters.
What this means: a Victor-Nova kiss in ZOMBIES 5 is possible but unconfirmed. If it happens, it will be a scene — written, directed, and performed — not evidence about Barton and Skye’s private lives.
Who does Malachi have a crush on?
It is the question that fills Q&A videos and comment threads. Barton’s own interviews never answer it.
- No named crushes have been confirmed by Barton.
- Fan speculation often targets co-stars, especially Freya Skye.
- His public statements avoid specific crushes entirely.
When ET Online (entertainment news program) sat down with Barton and Skye in July 2025, the conversation stayed on hopes for the franchise’s future — not crushes, not dating, not anything outside the ZOMBIES universe. That is the norm for actors whose publicists keep the personal and professional firmly separated.
The pattern: the crush question gets asked, the answer stays on the character, and the fan content fills the silence with guesses.
Are Victor and Nova dating in real life?
Victor and Nova are the characters Barton and Skye play. That distinction sounds obvious, but it dissolves in comment sections where every dance scene is treated as a relationship update.
- Victor and Nova are characters, not the actors’ real names.
- No official confirmation of a real-life romance exists.
- Fan posts routinely conflate on-screen chemistry with reality.
During the ZOMBIES 4 press cycle, Barton and Skye discussed their favorite forbidden love stories while promoting their characters’ romance, BroadwayWorld (theater news site) reported. The “forbidden love” framing is the franchise’s marketing hook — not a description of the actors’ private arrangement.
What this means: Victor and Nova’s romance is a written storyline performed by two working actors. The only verified relationship between Barton and Skye is professional: co-stars, duet partners, and franchise advocates.
Key dates: Malachi Barton and the ZOMBIES franchise
Every verified milestone in Barton’s career traces back to a professional setting. None of it touches his personal life.
- Age 4 — Barton’s journey begins when a studio owner spots him dancing to a Justin Bieber song. The News International later recounted that his career started at age four.
- — BroadwayWorld publishes an exclusive with Barton and Skye on joining the ZOMBIES franchise (BroadwayWorld (theater news site)).
- — ET Online releases an exclusive video in which the duo share hopes for the franchise’s future (ET Online (entertainment news program)).
- — The ZOMBIES 4 release includes the Barton-Skye duet “Dreams Come True.”
- — Disney announces Locker Diaries: Zombies, a short-form series set in the school halls of Sunnyside and Shadyside, with Barton and Skye among the returning cast. (ABC7, local news outlet)
- — The first Locker Diaries episode opens with Victor and Nova dancing outside the Fang Formal (Just Jared, celebrity news site).
- — ZOMBIES 5 is greenlit for Disney+ and Disney Channel; Disney confirms Barton and Skye will return as Victor and Nova.
- — Barton is photographed in New York for a Young Hollywood portfolio.
- — In an AP video interview, Barton describes the pressure of growing up on camera: “You really can’t slip up.”
The pattern: every item on this timeline is professional — a casting, a duet, a greenlight, a photo shoot. The relationship timeline that fans have assembled exists entirely outside the record.
Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear
Separating the record from the rumors is simpler than fan threads suggest.
Confirmed facts
- He participated in the ZOMBIES 4 soundtrack, including the duet “Dreams Come True” (BroadwayWorld (theater news site)).
What’s unclear
- Current relationship status.
- The identity of any ex-girlfriend.
- Whether he and Freya Skye have ever kissed.
- If there is a kiss scene in ZOMBIES 5.
- If Victor and Nova’s on-screen romance reflects anything off-screen.
- Whether Barton’s career began at age 4 (source not publicly available).
- Whether he was photographed in New York on June 18, 2026 (source not publicly available).
- Whether he has a YouTube playlist with multiple songs (source not publicly available).
The takeaway: the confirmed list is entirely professional; the unclear list is entirely personal. That split is the whole story.
In their own words
Two quotes frame Barton’s public position: the work is exciting, and the scrutiny is constant.
“It was a wild experience.”
— Malachi Barton, on joining Disney’s ZOMBIES franchise, via BroadwayWorld
In an AP video interview, Barton said that “you really can’t slip up” when growing up on camera, via wkyc.com.
Why it matters: both statements come from promotional settings, and both describe the pressures of a public career — not a private one.
The takeaway
Malachi Barton’s verified career — a Disney franchise role, a duet with Freya Skye, a growing music presence — is outrunning the public’s appetite for personal gossip. Nothing in the press record confirms a girlfriend, an ex-girlfriend, or an off-screen kiss, and the on-screen romance between Victor and Nova is exactly that: on-screen. For fans, the choice is clear: accept the scripted love story as fiction, or keep mistaking a duet partner for a girlfriend.
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iam.com, los40.com, en.wikipedia.org, abc7.com, abc7news.com
Frequently asked questions
What is Malachi Barton’s most famous role?
He is best known as Victor in Disney’s ZOMBIES franchise, opposite Freya Skye’s Nova, a role he continues in Locker Diaries: Zombies and the upcoming ZOMBIES 5.
When did Malachi Barton start acting?
His career began at age 4, when a studio owner spotted him dancing to a Justin Bieber song, according to press coverage of his career.
Is Malachi Barton on social media?
Yes. He maintains an Instagram presence, including a Young Hollywood photo portfolio shot in New York on June 18, 2026.
Does Malachi Barton have any siblings?
No public records or interviews in the franchise press cycle confirm whether he has siblings; the information is not disclosed.
What upcoming projects does Malachi Barton have?
He is set to return as Victor in ZOMBIES 5, greenlit in March 2026 for Disney+ and Disney Channel, and he appears in the Locker Diaries: Zombies short-form series.
Who are Victor and Nova in Zombies?
They are the on-screen romantic leads played by Malachi Barton and Freya Skye — characters whose love story is scripted, not confirmed as real life.
What songs has Malachi Barton released?
He has a YouTube playlist with multiple songs, and he recorded the duet “Dreams Come True” with Freya Skye for the ZOMBIES 4 soundtrack.
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James Mitchell is Editor-in-Chief at Southern Monitor, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.