If you close your eyes and listen to "I See the Light," it’s almost impossible not to feel a little bit of that 2010 nostalgia. Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi didn’t just voice a couple of animated characters; they basically redefined what a modern Disney duo looks like. No more passive princesses or stoic princes. Instead, we got a girl with 70 feet of hair and a thief with a "smolder" that didn’t actually work.
People still obsess over their chemistry. Honestly, it’s one of those rare cases where the off-screen friendship is just as wholesome as the movie itself. But lately, with the news of the live-action Tangled remake finally moving forward in 2026, things have gotten... complicated for fans.
Why Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi Still Matter in 2026
It has been sixteen years since Tangled hit theaters. Sixteen! That’s a lifetime in Hollywood. Yet, the search volume for the original pair remains sky-high. Why? Because they stayed "in" the roles far longer than most actors do.
While some stars record their lines and never look back, Moore and Levi spent years expanding that world. They did the 2012 short Tangled Ever After. They spent three seasons on the Disney Channel’s Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure. Basically, they lived in the kingdom of Corona for a decade.
You’ve probably seen the viral clips of them recording together. Most animated leads record their lines separately in tiny padded rooms, never seeing their co-stars. Moore and Levi actually got into the booth together for their big duet. That’s why the harmony feels real. It was real. Zachary Levi has famously admitted he was terrified during those sessions because he wasn't a "professional singer" like Mandy, but she coached him through it.
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The Live-Action "Snub" (That Isn't Really a Snub)
Let’s address the elephant in the room: the live-action remake.
In early 2026, Disney officially confirmed that Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim are taking over the roles of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. For a lot of fans, this felt like a betrayal. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," right?
But here is the reality. Zachary Levi is 45. Mandy Moore is 41.
Levi himself has been incredibly vocal about this. In a 2025 interview, he joked that he was "a little old" to be playing a twenty-something thief climbing up towers. He even threw out Timothée Chalamet’s name as a potential successor before Milo Manheim was cast.
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"I think it would be fun if Mandy and I got to be Rapunzel's parents. I think that would be a really fun little cameo for us to pop into." — Zachary Levi (via Entertainment Tonight)
The Truth About Their Relationship
Are they actually friends? Sorta. They aren't "brunch every Sunday" friends, but they are "huge mutual fans" who show up for each other. When Zachary Levi got buff for Shazam!, Mandy Moore was one of his biggest cheerleaders in the press, calling him "tailor-made" for a superhero role.
They share a specific bond: being the underdogs.
- Mandy Moore was trying to pivot from 90s pop star to serious actress (which she eventually nailed with This Is Us).
- Zachary Levi was the "Chuck" guy, a TV actor trying to break into the big leagues.
Tangled was a pivot point for both of them. It proved she could carry a massive franchise and proved he had the leading-man charisma to do more than just quirky TV comedies.
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Can We Expect a Reunion?
Right now, the buzz is all about that potential cameo in the live-action movie. Fans are campaigning hard for them to play King Frederic and Queen Arianna. It makes sense. It’s a nod to the legacy without being distracting.
As of January 2026, there is no official word from Michael Gracey (the director) on whether they’ve signed on. But given Disney's love for "Easter eggs"—like having the original voice of Ariel appear in the live-action Little Mermaid—it’s more likely than not.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re still mourning the fact that they won't be the leads in the new movie, there are a few things you can do to get your fix:
- Watch "Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure": If you haven't seen the TV series, you're missing out. It features more Alan Menken songs and much deeper character development for Eugene.
- Follow Zachary Levi’s Instagram: He frequently posts throwbacks and often interacts with fans asking about his Disney days.
- Check out Mandy Moore’s latest music: She’s leaned back into her folk-pop roots, which honestly sounds a lot like the "Corona" vibe from the film.
The era of Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi as the primary Rapunzel and Flynn might be shifting, but their fingerprints are all over the franchise. You can’t build a live-action world without honoring the people who built the animated one first.