Gigi Hadid revealed in a new Vogue magazine cover story that she auditioned for the lead role of Rapunzel in Disney’s live-action “Tangled” remake before the project was put on hold indefinitely. The supermodel is considering a more robust pivot into acting after various voice roles and cameos over the years in films such as “Ocean’s 8.” She even took singing lessons to prepare for her Rapunzel audition.
“What do we do in this job anymore that scares us?” Hadid asked cover co-star and longtime friend Kendall Jenner before expressing satisfaction with her “Tangled” audition process.
“I was really proud of my scene. The singing… I knew they were going to go with a real singer, but I’ll show you my audition scene later,” Hadid added to Jenner.
News broke in December 2024 that Disney was developing a live-action “Tangled” movie with “The Greatest Showman” and “Better Man” filmmaker Michael Gracey in talks to direct the film from a script by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (who recently helmed the “I Know What You Did Last Summer” reboot). Casting was never announced.
Variety reported in April the remake was being put on an indefinite hold in the aftermath of the live-action “Snow White” movie collapsing at the box office. That remake, headlined by Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, did not even cross $90 million at the domestic box office. Disney had far better success this summer with its live-action “Lilo & Stitch” remake, which remains the only $1 billion grosser of the year so far.
“Tangled” tells the tale of Rapunzel, a princess (voiced by Mandy Moore) who is eventually rescued from her secluded tower by an outlaw named Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi). The well-reviewed film opened 14 around Thanksgiving 2010 and generated $592 million at the global box office. The movie spawned the Oscar-nominated song “When Will My Life Begin” and led to spinoffs as the 2012 short film “Tangled Ever After” and the 2017 TV series “Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure.”
“Queen Charlotte” and “My Oxford Year” star Corey Mylchreest told Seventeen Magazine over the summer that he auditioned for the role of Flynn Rider, although he was far less confident in his singing abilities than Hadid was during her audition.
“I think I can say this now because I don’t think it’s happening anymore, but I auditioned for ‘Tangled,’” Mylchreest said. “We don’t have the footage anymore. I deleted it and then I burnt it and then I burnt the phone that I filmed on. And then I burnt the room that I did it in. And then I burnt myself… No, it wasn’t very good. They then told me that they wanted someone with singing experience.”
Next up in the live-action remake department for Disney is “Moana,” opening July 10.