Former Disney Co-Stars Kiss in Viral Video

Another off-screen Disney Channel romance may be brewing. Former Jessie costars Josie Totah and Karan Brar sparked romance rumors this week after a video of them kissing went viral.

The since-deleted PDA-filled clip was uploaded to TikTok by Totah, who came out as transgender in 2018, on Jan. 13. Set to Lana Del Rey’s “Brooklyn Baby,” which includes lyrics like “Yeah my boyfriend is pretty cool,” the short clip showed Totah, 23, and Brar, 25, getting cozy together. In the video, Brar could be seen coming up behind Totah and wrapping his arms around her waist before they shared a kiss.

@josietotah

#stitch with @josie totah WE ARE TWO PLATONIC BEST FRIENDS WHO DANCED A LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO THE SUN @Kar

♬ original sound – josie totah

Although the video immediately spurred speculation that Totah and Bar were dating, Totah later returned to TikTok with a follow-up video to set the record straight, clarifying that the original clip “was a joke.”

“We are two platonic best friends who danced a little too close to the sun,” Totah added in the caption of the video, in which she repeatedly stated, “It was a joke. It was a joke. It was a joke.”

Brar also confirmed that he and Totah were nothing more than friends. In a post shared to his Instagram Stories, the actor clarified, “It was a joke” and explained that he and Brar “didn’t mean to gaslight” the internet.

However, fans weren’t quick to accept that the costars weren’t dating, one person commenting on Totah’s TikTok, “That did not look like a joke.” Somebody else commented, “REFUSE TO BELIEVE THIS IS A JOKE.” Totah and Brar’s costar Skai Jackson also jumped in, adding to the fun by commenting, “IDK BABES,” before clarifying in a separate comment, “They aren’t together.”

Others expressed their disappointment that Totah and Brar weren’t the latest Disney Channel romance after other former stars like Nick Jonas and Miley Cyrus and Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens dated. Reacting to Totah’s video, one person wrote, “girl well…now you have to date! the people have spoken,” as another person chimed in with, “Ok but hear us out….what if it wasn’t.” A third hilariously wrote, “Girl it’s TOO late… I’m already planning the wedding.”

Totah and Brar costarred together on the Disney series Jessie. Totah starred as Stuart Wooten, who had a crush on Jackson’s Zuri, while Brar portrayed Ravi, one of Zuri’s three siblings. Led by Debby Ryan, the show also starred Jackson, Peyton List, and the late Cameron Boyce, and ran from 2011 until 2015.