Casting Announced for Live-Action 'Tangled,' Here's Who Is Playing Rapunzel

Sabrina Carpenter? Taylor Swift? Jojo Siwa? Who is playing Rapunzel in Disney’s Tangled reboot?

Well, none of the above.

Disney’s long-gestating live-action adaptation of Tangled has finally taken a major step forward, though the road to this announcement has been far from smooth. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio has cast Teagan Croft as Rapunzel and Milo Manheim as Flynn Rider in the reimagining of the 2010 animated hit, signaling renewed confidence in a project that, at one point, appeared to be in serious jeopardy.

The film is part of Disney’s broader strategy of translating its animated classics into live-action spectacles, but Tangled’s journey has been notably more turbulent than most. The rumors for the actress taking on Rapunzel have spanned from pop superstars Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter to reality star and singer Jojo Siwa.

Teagan Croft, best known for her role as Raven on HBO Max’s Titans, steps into the role of the long-haired princess whose magical abilities and sheltered upbringing drive the story’s emotional core. Manheim, a familiar face to Disney fans thanks to the Zombies franchise and Dancing With the Stars, will portray the charming thief Flynn Rider, Rapunzel’s reluctant partner who ultimately becomes her greatest ally.

The roles were originally voiced by Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi in the animated film, which went on to become both a critical and commercial success for the studio, grossing nearly $600 million worldwide and earning an Oscar nomination for “I See the Light.”

Behind the camera, Disney has tapped Michael Gracey, director of The Greatest Showman, to helm the project, with a screenplay by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, whose recent credits include Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), Do Revenge (2022), and I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025). Producing duties fall to Kristin Burr, continuing her long relationship with the studio on projects like 2021’s Cruella, starring Emma Stone as the titular villain.

However, this casting news comes after a period of uncertainty that nearly derailed the movie entirely. Following the intense backlash and negative audience response surrounding Disney’s live-action Snow White in 2025, sources indicate that Tangled, along with other live-action projects, was quietly scrapped as the studio reassessed its slate. Concerns over fan fatigue, creative direction, and public perception reportedly forced Disney to pause development, leaving the future of Rapunzel’s live-action debut very much in doubt.

Complicating matters further was early casting chatter surrounding Scarlett Johansson, who was at one point attached to play the film’s central antagonist, Mother Gothel. Johansson’s involvement generated significant buzz, with many fans intrigued by the idea of the Marvel star tackling one of Disney’s most manipulative and psychologically complex villains.

That momentum has since stalled, however, as Johansson has reportedly exited discussions, and no replacement has been announced. As of now, Mother Gothel remains uncast, leaving a major piece of the story still missing.

With Croft and Manheim now officially on board, Disney appears ready to move forward once again, though questions remain about how Tangled will ultimately be received in a post-Snow White landscape. No release date or production start has been confirmed, and additional casting announcements are still pending.

For now, fans are left watching closely, wondering whether this revived version of Tangled will manage to recapture the magic of the original—or become another cautionary tale in Disney’s ongoing live-action experiment. That said, last year proved that Disney still had its live-action prowess, with the billion-dollar hit Lilo & Stitch (2025).

How do you feel about the lead casting for Tangled‘s live-action remake? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!