For nearly a century, Disney has made the magic of the movies possible. From the release of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” in 1937 to “Elio” in the summer of 2025, Disney has transcended cinema, creating films that have shaped American culture and societal entertainment.
In recent years, many directors have shown interest in adapting popular Disney cartoons into live-action remakes, aiming to revive the magic for 21st-century children. With lovable remakes like “Cinderella” (2015) and “The Lion King” (1994), Disney producers have combined modern technology with the timeless love for Disney films to create box-office successes and popular flicks. This has been a recurring theme in the Disney world, as live-action recreations of certain movies have made fans anticipate what may be next, as their favorite Disney cartoon may be next on the drawing board.
To many fans’ excitement, “Tangled” has been the most recent Disney film slated to become a live-action remake. With empowering characters like Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, and catchy songs like “I’ve Got a Dream,” the 2010 film has proven to be a hit for younger children who are enthralled with the thrill of adventure and the thought of a fairy-tale love story. With director Michael Gracey at the helm of the remake, most known for “The Greatest Showman” (2017), the film is set to be released sometime in 2027, with filming rumored to begin in June 2026.
With the cartoon film being such a hit for younger audiences, the question on everyone’s mind has been who will take on the tall task of acting as Rapunzel and Flynn Rider.
Despite many speculations that Hollywood stars like Isabel May and Mason Thames would take on the popular characters, The Hollywood Reporter announced on January 7 that the search for the actors had concluded.
“The studio has chosen rising Australian actress Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim, star of Disney Channel’s musical ‘Zombies’ franchise, for the respective parts of Rapunzel…and Flynn Rider,” Borys Kit of The Hollywood Reporter said.
While many fans recognized Manheim’s name from the “Zombies” trilogy, where he played the protagonist Zed, some did not recognize Croft’s. However, Cosmopolitan helps out Disney fanatics who may be typing, “What has Teagan Croft been in?” into their search engines.
“She’s [Croft] best known for her role in the series ‘Titans,’ which she starred in for five years and played the role of Rachel/White Raven,” Lydia Venn of Cosmopolitan said.
While only being 21 years old, and starting her career at the young age of nine, according to The Australian Women’s Weekly, Croft also has passions beyond the world of film. While posing for the cover of RUSSH Magazine’s April 2025 issue, Croft noted that she is currently pursuing a degree in English Literature with a minor in Music Theory.
“‘I just really loved reading when I was little,” Croft said to Cassandra Dimitroff of RUSSH. “There’s this universal feeling music has, like a universal emotive code that we can all inherently crack.”
On the other side of the love story, Milo Manheim is hardly a forgettable name. For Disney lovers, especially in the late 2010s, “Zombies” was a staple movie franchise, filled with fun musical numbers and characters who are easy to relate to. With their combined love for “Zombies” films and the cartoon version of “Tangled,” some Disney fans quickly took to Reddit to share their excitement over the casting choice for Flynn Rider.
“Milo Manheim is a perfect mix of unknown but tried and true performer…Very charismatic,” Scared-Marzipan-901 said.
Manheim’s performance skills allowed him to gain the experience needed for a role like Rider, despite having strong competition. Charlie Gillespie, known for his role in “Julie and the Phantoms,” and up-and-coming star Gilli Jones were contenders before Manheim was cast. To share his gratitude, Manheim posted on Instagram for his four million followers, confirming all their hopes.
“Too grateful to put into words 🤍I will do him [Rider] justice I promise 🦎🍳” Manheim said.
At the heels of this exciting announcement, the magic of Disney can return to the theater, as Croft, Manheim, and director Gracey work to reimagine the important values and messages of the cartoon adaptation. But until 2027, fans can only wait until, at last, they see the light.
