Disney is inching closer to officially casting the live-action versions of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider for its highly anticipated 'Tangled' remake, and the shortlist of hopefuls is already generating excitement.
The live-action Tangled is expected to begin filming in the UK in June 2026, with Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman) directing. The project had previously been paused following negative publicity surrounding Disney’s 'Snow White' remake, but production has now resumed.
Among the actresses who have tested for the coveted role of the long-haired princess are Sarah Catherine Hook (Piper Ratliff in The White Lotus Season 3), Olivia-Mai Barrett (Ryder Evans in Apple+'s Invasion), Teagan Croft (Raven in DC's Titans), and Freya Skye, who recently starred in Disney's Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
While Lola Tung of 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' was reportedly considered for a screen test, scheduling conflicts prevented her from participating.
For the dashing rogue Flynn Rider, actors such as Charlie Gillespie (Totally Killer), Gilli Jones, and Milo Manheim (Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires) have been in the running.
Fans have speculated endlessly about other actors who might bring Rapunzel to life. Names like McKenna Grace (Young Sheldon), Sadie Sink (Stranger Things), Florence Pugh (Thunderbolts), and Isabel May (Scream 7) have been floated, with Sabrina Carpenter surprisingly entering the conversation.
Creative fans even photoshopped Carpenter into trailers and iconic scenes, though Disney reportedly passed on the pop star after a meeting. The studio and Carpenter have not confirmed or denied this.
Model Gigi Hadid also revealed that she auditioned for Rapunzel in a September Vogue interview with Kendall Jenner. “I was really proud of my scene. The singing… I knew they were going to go with a real singer, but I’ll show you my audition scene later.”
On the Flynn Rider side, fan speculation includes Joe Keery (Stranger Things), Sean Kaufman (The Summer I Turned Pretty), Taylor Zakhar Perez (Red, White & Royal Blue), Jacob Elordi (Euphoria), and Timothée Chalamet (Dune), who was reportedly Zachary Levi’s personal favorite choice for the role, according to ET.
Mother Gothel casting changes:
Earlier this year, it was rumored that Scarlett Johansson would play Mother Gothel, Rapunzel’s villainous caretaker. Johansson herself teased the role in an interview with ETOnline.
“What would excite me about it would be the opportunity to work with Michael Gracey, who is attached to direct the film. He is just absolutely an extraordinary visionary, and any actor would love to have a collaboration with him.”
However, Johansson has since exited the project due to other filming commitments, including a reboot of 'The Exorcist' and 'The Batman Part II,' as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Other fan favorites for Mother Gothel include Donna Murphy (the original voice), Kathryn Hahn (Agatha All Along), Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables), Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish), Idina Menzel (Frozen), and Cher.