Too Pretty For Disney? Why Sabrina Carpenter Was Reportedly Turned Down

Disney is moving ahead with a live-action Tangled, and the latest chatter is exactly the kind of Hollywood rumor that makes you blink twice: Sabrina Carpenter reportedly met with the studio about playing Rapunzel, and one scooper claims she was passed on for being "too pretty." Yes, really. Here is what is rumor, what is real, and where this remake actually stands.

So, did Disney pass on Sabrina Carpenter?

Here is the situation: Multiple folks have met with Disney for Rapunzel, and that includes Sabrina Carpenter. That much lines up with what industry reporter Jeff Sneider has heard. The louder, spicier claim is coming from scooper account @MyTimeToShineHello, which posted on November 20, 2025 that Disney felt Carpenter was "too pretty" and preferred someone more everyday-looking for the role. The same post also says Bella Hadid auditioned and did not land the part.

"Too pretty."

That is the phrase making the rounds. To be crystal clear: none of this has been confirmed by Disney or Carpenter, so treat it as rumor until someone on the record says otherwise. Sneider did add one eyebrow-raising note about Carpenter’s next move:

"If she signs on for any new movie, expect it to be an edgy one, not Disney fare."

Translation: if Carpenter pops up next, it might be something sharper than a fairy-tale tower.

Where the Tangled remake stands right now

The project was put into motion in December 2024, with The Greatest Showman filmmaker Michael Gracey steering the ship and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson writing the script. The plan, as previously reported, is for Tangled to be one of Disney’s next big live-action swings after the Moana remake hits theaters.

There was a production pause in April following the soft box office for March’s Snow White, but momentum picked back up once Lilo & Stitch blew past the billion-dollar mark worldwide. Per Variety, Disney believes Tangled has similar juice with younger audiences, so the remake is moving forward.

On the casting front, nothing is locked. Scarlett Johansson is being eyed for Mother Gothel, but that is not official yet. Expect more names to surface as the film heads into active casting.

Why Sabrina Carpenter was an easy fan pick

Carpenter and Disney go way back. She played Maya Hart on Girl Meets World and did several Disney projects before pivoting to a very successful pop career ('Feather' and 'Espresso' did numbers for a reason). On paper, she is an obvious contender for Rapunzel. Whether Disney agrees is the unanswered question; based on the current rumor mill, her involvement is now uncertain.

The numbers Disney is watching

• Snow White has earned about $205.7 million globally so far.
• Lilo & Stitch became a box office rocket and crossed $1 billion worldwide.
• The original Tangled made $592 million globally; its big budget tightened margins but the film kept legs thanks to its music and follow-ups.
• Oscar check: 'I See the Light' was the Tangled song that got the nomination.
• The original film is on Disney+, starring Mandy Moore (Rapunzel), Zachary Levi (Flynn Rider), and Donna Murphy (Mother Gothel), and it spawned Tangled Ever After and the 2017 series Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure.

About the creative team

Director Michael Gracey broke out with 2017’s The Greatest Showman and later led the documentary Pink: All I Know So Far. He also directed the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man, which hit U.S. theaters in January 2025. With Robinson scripting and Gracey in the chair, the remake has legit musical and spectacle chops to work with.

So... is the 'too pretty' thing real?

Maybe it is, maybe it is not. Studios say a lot of things during casting, and single-adjective reasoning rarely tells the full story. Until Disney or Carpenter confirms anything, chalk this up as unverified. The only safe takeaway is that Disney has met with multiple actors, Carpenter included, and the search for Rapunzel is active.

The live-action Tangled does not have a release date yet. The original is streaming now on Disney+. And if you are wondering whether Carpenter should chase something edgier or if she would crush Rapunzel anyway, I am genuinely curious where you land. Drop your take.