Highlights
- Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim cast as the leads in Disney’s live-action Tangled
- Film quietly moved forward after a brief production pause in 2025
- Search for the lead roles included auditions across the US and UK
- Original cast members previously floated cameo ideas
Disney confirms lead casting
Walt Disney Pictures has officially locked in the central roles for its live-action adaptation of Tangled. Australian actor Teagan Croft will play Rapunzel, while American actor Milo Manheim has been cast as Flynn Rider.
The casting was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Croft is best known for her role as Raven in the DC series Titans and Netflix’s True Spirit, while Manheim has become a familiar face to Disney audiences through the Zombies franchise.
A modern retelling of a 2010 hit
Released in 2010, the original animated Tangled starred Mandy Moore as Rapunzel, Zachary Levi as Flynn Rider, and Donna Murphy as Mother Gothel. Loosely inspired by the Brothers Grimm folktale, the film follows a princess with magical hair who escapes isolation with the help of a charming outlaw.
Produced on a reported budget of $260 million, Tangled went on to gross $592.5 million worldwide and received largely positive reviews from critics and audiences.
Development paused, then quietly resumed
Disney first announced the live-action remake in December 2024, with The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey attached and Thor: Love and Thunder writer Jennifer Kaytin Robinson set to pen the script.
However, development stalled following the underwhelming box office performance of Disney’s 2025 live-action snow white. Pre-production on Tangled was temporarily halted before resuming later in the year.
By December 2025, shortlisted actors were screen-testing in London, signalling that the project was back on track.
A competitive casting search
Several actors were reportedly in contention for the role of Rapunzel, including Freya Skye, Sarah Catherine Hook and Olivia-Mai Barrett. The Summer I Turned Pretty star Lola Tung was also said to be under consideration, though scheduling conflicts may have ruled her out.
Manheim was shortlisted alongside Julie and the Phantoms actor Charlie Gillespie and Scottish theatre performer Gilli Jones.
Model Gigi Hadid previously revealed she auditioned for Rapunzel, even taking singing lessons to prepare.
Original stars suggest passing the torch
Zachary Levi, who voiced Flynn Rider in the animated film, said last year that he felt too old to reprise the role. He jokingly suggested Timothée Chalamet instead, while also floating the idea of cameo appearances for himself and Mandy Moore as Rapunzel’s parents.
Moore echoed similar sentiments, previously naming Sabrina Carpenter as a potential Rapunzel and expressing interest in returning as the character’s mother.
With its leads now confirmed, Disney’s live-action Tangled takes a major step forward as it joins the studio’s growing slate of animated remakes.
