Casting Rumors Fly for Rapunzel, Flynn Rider in Disney’s Live Action Tangled

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Rumors are circulating online and within the entertainment industry about who Disney is considering to play Rapunzel and Flynn Rider in the upcoming live-action remake of Tangled.

Studios are holding screen tests to help with initial casting. They’re looking at both actors who have worked with Disney before and new faces.

Tangled Casting Rumors for Rapunzel and Flynn Rider

Since the release of the movie Tangled in 2010, Rapunzel has become a beloved princess, making it challenging to find the perfect actor to play her.

Over the past 15 years, Disney princesses have embraced a charmingly quirky image, largely thanks to one trendsetter. Now, finding the perfect actress to continue that legacy is really important, and several young performers are being considered. Names circulating in casting conversations include Sarah Catherine Hook (known from The White Lotus), Teagan Croft (Titans), Freya Skye (who was in Disney’s Zombies 4), and Olivia-Mai Barrett (Invasion).

Disney is considering Sarah Catherine Hook, Teagan Croft, Freya Skye, and Olivia-Mai Barrett to play Rapunzel in a live-action remake of ‘Tangled’.

(Source: )

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) December 18, 2025

Lola Tung, known for her role in The Summer I Turned Pretty, was considered for the part, but ultimately didn’t move forward with screen tests, likely because of conflicts with her filming schedule.

For the role of Flynn Rider, casting directors are considering Charlie Gillespie (from Julie and the Phantoms), Milo Manheim (known for the Zombies movies), and Gilli Jones, a rising actor with experience in theater and film.

Beyond the official screen tests, it’s been fun to hear actors from the original animated movie talk about who they think could play the roles in a live-action remake. I remember reading that Zachary Levi, who was amazing as Flynn Rider, suggested Timothée Chalamet would be a great fit. It was an interesting idea, but honestly, it doesn’t seem like that particular casting choice is gaining any real traction.

Sabrina Carpenter Reportedly Out of Consideration

There was a brief online rumor that singer and actress Sabrina Carpenter was considered for a role in Tangled. Sources say Disney discussed her as a possible Rapunzel during the initial casting stages. However, the idea didn’t go very far, reportedly because some thought she was “too pretty” for the part.

Like most casting rumors, Disney hasn’t confirmed this story, so it’s best to take it with a grain of salt. However, it’s raised some questions, especially since Rapunzel has always been portrayed as a classically beautiful princess. This adds to growing concerns about how Disney is choosing actors for its live-action remakes.

Authenticity and Character Design Concerns

A key factor influencing how audiences respond to Disney’s live-action remakes is whether the characters and visuals feel true to the original versions.

Lately, Disney has been making big changes to the way familiar characters look, often presenting these changes as fresh ideas instead of deviations from the original designs.

That strategy hasn’t always been popular with viewers. When Disney updated The Little Mermaid and Snow White by casting actors of color in traditionally white roles, both films underperformed in theaters. While many things can affect a movie’s success, this repeated outcome has made some fans doubt the changes, as they believe these characters’ appearances are essential to who they are.

With Tangled, the way Rapunzel looks is really important. Her design – everything from her clothes to her long, blonde hair and overall fairytale style – is key to helping audiences recognize and feel connected to her. If Disney seems to be focusing more on updating the story than staying true to the original, it could create the same problems with audiences that have hurt their recent live-action remakes.

Tangled and its Live-Action Remake

With Disney continuing to create live-action versions of its animated classics, Tangled makes perfect sense as a choice, considering how popular and financially successful the original film was.

Disney’s 2010 animated film, Tangled, was a major box office success, earning close to $600 million worldwide. In North America, it made about $200.8 million, and internationally, it grossed approximately $391.6 million, making it one of the highest-earning animated films of the year.

When it came out, Tangled was a huge hit, becoming one of the most successful animated movies of 2010. It earned less worldwide than Toy Story 3 and Shrek Forever After, but still ranked among the year’s ten highest-grossing films.

Despite Disney continuing to release live-action remakes of its animated films, many fans remain disappointed. The upcoming Moana remake, similar to Tangled, is based on a movie that was released less than 20 years ago. It’s questionable whether these remakes can be considered true reimaginings of classics when the original films are still fresh in the minds of many who grew up with them – potentially those who are still in school.

Whether the live-action remake of Tangled is successful will really become clear once it’s released in theaters.

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2025-12-28 20:58