Did Disney Change Course After Box Office Flops? Casts White Actress as Live-Action 'Rapunzel'

Teagan Croft Confirmed as Lead
Shift in Direction Amid Consecutive Live-Action Flops
Fans Say "Lesson Learned" vs. "Still Controversial"

Disney has cast a blonde, white actress as the lead in the live-action adaptation of its popular animated film "Rapunzel." While the company has previously promoted political correctness and diversity by casting actors of various ethnicities in leading roles, some interpret this move as a shift in direction following a series of box office failures.

Actors Teagan Croft (left) and Milo Manheim (right) cast in Disney's "Rapunzel." Disney Studio SNS

On January 7 (local time), Walt Disney Studios announced on its official social media channels that "actors Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim will play Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, respectively, in the live-action film Rapunzel."

Croft, who was cast as Rapunzel, is an Australian actress best known for her role as Raven in the DC Universe series "Titans." She has been noted for her resemblance to the animated Rapunzel, including her blonde hair and fair complexion.

Previously, Palestinian-American model Gigi Hadid revealed that she had auditioned for the role, and singer Sabrina Carpenter and Blackpink's Lisa were also mentioned as possible candidates. However, in the end, Croft, a relatively new face, was chosen for the lead role.

The casting decision has sparked mixed reactions online. According to the British daily Daily Mail, one fan commented, "It seems Disney is tired of failing by trying to be 'woke'," while another welcomed the choice, saying, "It looks like they learned a lesson from the Snow White controversy." On the other hand, some criticized the casting as not being perfect, pointing out issues such as the actress's eye color and arguing that it does not fully match the original character.

Disney has recently faced repeated controversy over casting choices that differ from the original characters' appearances in its live-action films. In the 2023 release of "The Little Mermaid," African-American actress Halle Bailey played Ariel, sparking both criticism that it "broke immersion" and support that it "reflected changing times." The 2025 release of "Snow White" also faced backlash for casting Latina actress Rachel Zegler in the lead role, with accusations of straying from the original story and disappointing box office results.

Given these precedents, industry insiders and observers believe that Disney's decision to cast an actress similar to the original Rapunzel in the live-action film reflects a strategic adjustment in response to audience feedback.

Meanwhile, the animated film "Rapunzel," based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, was released in theaters in 2010 and achieved global box office revenue of approximately 592.5 million dollars (about 863.9 billion won), enjoying great popularity worldwide.