Disney has finally found its live-action Rapunzel, casting Australian actress Teagan Croft in the coveted role. However, the path to the tower was crowded, with a host of major stars and rising talents auditioning for the part before Croft secured it.
The Chosen One: Meet Teagan Croft
Teagan Croft, the 21-year-old Australian actress, will officially play Rapunzel in the upcoming live-action adaptation of Disney's Tangled. Best known for her role as Raven in DC's Titans and for portraying Jessica Watson in the Netflix film True Spirit, Croft began her career on the Australian soap Home and Away. Her casting comes after the film's production, which was 'postponed indefinitely' in 2025, resumed development with chemistry reads held in London in December to cast the lead roles.
The Official Contenders: Who Tested for the Role?
According to industry reports, several actresses were formally in the running. British star Freya Skye, 16, known for Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, was a strong contender. She was reportedly joined by 30-year-old Australian actress Sarah Catherine Hook, familiar to audiences from Netflix's First Kill and HBO's The White Lotus.
Another name linked to the auditions was London-born Olivia-Mai Barrett, 29, who has previous Disney experience from the series Penny on M.A.R.S.. Furthermore, The Hollywood Reporter noted that Lola Tung from The Summer I Turned Pretty was considered but likely did not test due to a potential scheduling conflict with her film commitment.
Fan Casts, Dreams, and Surprise Auditions
Beyond the official shortlist, the role of Rapunzel sparked widespread fan speculation and personal campaigns. Stars like Mckenna Grace and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan have publicly expressed their dream of playing the character, though there is no confirmation they formally auditioned. Similarly, singer-actress Sabrina Carpenter was a popular fan choice but appears unlikely to have tried out.
In a surprising reveal, supermodel Gigi Hadid confirmed in a September 2025 interview that she secretly auditioned, joking that she knew they would "go with a real singer." The most viral audition, however, belonged to JoJo Siwa, whose mother leaked her audition tape on TikTok in 2025, much to Siwa's reported fury.
While unconfirmed reports have also mentioned names like Sadie Sink and Emma Myers, the field has now been settled. With Teagan Croft officially wielding the frying pan, fans can look forward to seeing her bring the long-haired princess to life when the live-action Tangled eventually hits screens.
