Disney has enlisted some talented stars to play live-actions of the iconic Disney Princesses. Lily James (Cinderella), Emma Watson (Belle), Naomi Scott (Jasmine), Halle Bailey (Ariel) and Rachel Zegler (Snow White) and others have delivered memorable work and have forged a high bar. Today, a shortlist of has been revealed of actresses who will be reaching for that high bar, as they are all vying for the role of Rapunzel in the upcoming live-action remake of Tangled.
This update about the developing project comes from The Hollywood Reporter, which has sources saying that the list of candidates for the sought-after role appears to be down to four names:
- Sarah Catherine Hook
- Teagan Croft
- Freya Skye
- Olivia-Mai Barrett
The trade adds that Lola Tung, star of The Summer I Turned Pretty, was discussed for the part, but she ultimately didn't test for the project due to what is being perceived as scheduling conflicts.
Hook is best known for playing Piper Ratliff in the most recent season of the HBO series The White Lotus, and her journey over the course of the run is one of its great, dark highlights. Croft, an Australian who got her start on the soap Home And Away, is best known for portraying Rachel Roth a.k.a. Raven on the DC series Titans. Skye, an English singer-cum-actress, already has history with Disney, having made her film debut earlier this year in Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires. Barrett also has Disney history, with credits including the shows Alex & Co. and Penny on M.A.R.S., but she has more recently been part of the cast of Apple TV+'s Invasion.
Tangled, of course, is a remake of the Walt Disney Animation Studios film from 2010, and it featured Mandy Moore voicing Rapunzel. The story pairs her with a rogue named Flynn Rider who helps her escape from the tower where she is kept by the insidious Mother Gothel, and that role is also narrowing down its options, per the new report.
Milo Manheim, who just worked with Freya Skye on the aforementioned Zombies 4, has tested for the part, as has Charlie Gillespie (Julie and the Phantoms) and newcomer Gilli Jones.
While there were reports that Scarlett Johannsson was going to play Mother Gothel, she is now too busy with other projects, including Matt Reeves' The Batman: Part II and Mike Flanagan's upcoming contribution to the The Exorcist franchise.
With plans to have principal photography on Tangled begin during summer 2026, we could be hearing confirmation of casting plans very soon. The film is being helmed by The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey, and a release date has not yet been announced.
Disney live-action remakes had a bit of a mixed year thanks to the disappointment of Snow White and the success of Lilo & Stitch, and the next title to be released will be Moana, which has been dated on the 2026 movie release calendar for July 10.
