Kathryn Hahn said that fan enthusiasm and online casting requests helped her secure the role of Mother Gothel in Disney's live-action Tangled remake [1].
This development highlights the growing influence of social media "fan-casting" on major studio decisions, where public demand can shape the final ensemble of high-budget franchises.
Speaking at Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, Hahn said to the community of fans who had long campaigned for her to play the villain [1]. She said that the public desire for her to take the role influenced the studio's decision-making process [3, 4].
Production for the film has moved to Spain, where a small town has been transformed into the kingdom of Corona [1]. The live-action adaptation aims to translate the animated world into a physical setting, a process that involves recreating the iconic costumes of Rapunzel, Flynn Rider, and Mother Gothel [2].
The project is currently scheduled for release on March 31, 2028 [1]. Hahn's casting follows years of digital campaigns where fans shared side-by-side comparisons of the actress and the animated character, manifesting a preference that Disney eventually adopted [4, 5].
While the studio manages the creative direction, the acknowledgement from Hahn suggests a symbiotic relationship between the audience and the casting directors. The film will bring the story of the long-haired princess to a new medium, utilizing the Spanish landscape to evoke the original film's aesthetic [1].
“Fan enthusiasm and online casting requests helped her secure the role.”
The casting of Kathryn Hahn represents a shift in how studios engage with their audience. By acknowledging that 'manifesting' and fan-casting played a role, Disney demonstrates a willingness to leverage existing internet sentiment to guarantee a level of pre-release approval and marketing momentum for its live-action remakes.
