Disney’s live-action Tangled just got a lot more interesting.
After months of reports that Kathryn Hahn was only in talks to play Mother Gothel, Hahn has now effectively confirmed the casting herself, pushing one of the remake’s biggest rumors into real casting news. That gives the film its central villain and completes the core trio fans have been waiting to see.
As of now, the cast we know is led by Teagan Croft as Rapunzel, Milo Manheim as Flynn Rider, and Kathryn Hahn as Mother Gothel. That is the main lineup currently attached to the project, and it is a pretty strong snapshot of what Disney seems to want this remake to be: youthful leads at the center, with a scene-stealing veteran presence playing the manipulative villain pulling the strings.
Croft was the first major piece to fall into place. Best known to many viewers for Titans and True Spirit, she brings a fresh face to Rapunzel while still fitting the emotional and adventurous tone the role needs. Rapunzel has always worked best when she feels curious, slightly sheltered, and still strong enough to drive the story forward. Croft feels like a casting choice built around that balance.
Manheim, meanwhile, gives the film a Flynn Rider who already has Disney familiarity and the kind of easy charisma the role lives or dies on. Flynn is not just the love interest in Tangled. He is half the movie’s personality. He has to sell the comedy, the confidence, and the emotional turn once the story starts peeling back his swagger. Manheim makes sense as a modern Disney pick for that part, especially if the studio wants someone who can carry both the musical side and the lighter action beats.
Then there is Hahn, who may end up being the casting choice that gets the most immediate goodwill from fans. Mother Gothel is one of Disney’s trickier villains because she is not just evil in a broad fantasy-movie way. She is controlling, vain, funny, theatrical, and emotionally abusive, often all in the same scene. That role needs someone who can be entertaining without softening the character too much. Hahn has exactly the kind of presence to make that work. She can be charming one second and unsettling the next, which is probably why so many fans locked onto her for the role so quickly.
The bigger story here is that Tangled finally feels like it is moving with some momentum again. The project was first reported to be in development in late 2024, then hit a pause in 2025 before getting back on track. Earlier reporting had linked Scarlett Johansson to the movie during one phase of development, but that version of the conversation now looks like part of an older chapter of the film’s rollout. The current cast picture is much clearer.
Behind the camera, Michael Gracey is attached to direct, with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson writing the script. That combination suggests Disney is still aiming for a version of Tangled that leans into spectacle, music, and a slightly modernized voice rather than simply recreating the animated film beat for beat. That will matter, because Tangled is one of the studio’s more beloved modern animated titles, and the audience for this remake is probably going to be less forgiving if it feels too flat or too safe.
For now, the confirmed cast list is still short, but the major roles are finally taking shape. Rapunzel is set. Flynn Rider is set. Mother Gothel now appears locked in as well. What Disney does next, especially with the supporting cast around Rapunzel’s parents, the Snuggly Duckling crowd, and the larger kingdom, will determine whether this becomes one of the studio’s more exciting live-action remakes or just another familiar title with a new coat of paint.
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