Walt Disney Studios cast Kathryn Hahn as the villain Mother Gothel in the upcoming live-action adaptation of the animated film Tangled. The studio announced the decision on Tuesday, March 10, concluding the search for the project’s primary antagonist.
Hahn joins a previously announced Tangled live action cast that includes Teagan Croft as Rapunzel and Milo Manheim as Flynn Rider. Director Michael Gracey is helming the film, utilizing a script written by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson.
Hahn confirmed the casting in a Tuesday social media post. She shared a video wearing a shirt featuring the animated Mother Gothel character. The official Disney account collaborated on the post, adding the caption, “You want her to be the bad guy? FINE. Kathryn Hahn is Mother Gothel in Disney’s live-action Tangled.”
The casting follows Hahn’s television work as Agatha Harkness in Marvel’s WandaVision and Agatha All Along. Her performance in the latter series earned critical attention during the Emmy Awards 2025 season and prompted online campaigns for her to take the Disney villain role.
Scarlett Johansson previously held negotiations for the Mother Gothel part. Johansson exited the project due to scheduling conflicts with her roles in Batman II and an upcoming Exorcist reboot.
The 2010 animated Tangled generated over $592 million at the global box office. Tony Award-winning actress Donna Murphy provided the voice for the original Mother Gothel and publicly congratulated Hahn on the casting Tuesday.
Disney placed the live-action Tangled on an indefinite hold in April 2025 following the box-office returns for the live-action Snow White. The studio resumed active development in late 2025 after the financial performance of the live-action Lilo & Stitch.
Walt Disney Studios has not yet announced a theatrical release date for the live-action Tangled film.