Twenty-five years later, we’re still talking about it. The hair. The eyebrows. The pizza with the M&Ms on top. When The Princess Diaries hit theaters in 2001, nobody really knew it would become the definitive blueprint for the "makeover" trope that dominated the early 2000s. We all just thought it was a cute Disney flick about a girl who couldn't keep her heels on. But the princess diaries cast didn't just make a movie; they launched a generational obsession that refuses to die, especially now that Princess Diaries 3 is officially a real thing happening at Disney with Adele Lim directing.
Honestly, it's wild how much staying power this group has. You’ve got Anne Hathaway, who was basically a nobody at the time, and Julie Andrews, who was already a living legend but hadn't really been in a major live-action hit for a minute. That chemistry wasn't fake. It’s why the movie feels so lived-in.
The Anne Hathaway Effect: From Clumsy Teen to Oscar Royalty
Anne Hathaway wasn't the first choice for Mia Thermopolis. Far from it. The studio was looking at names like Juliette Lewis, but director Garry Marshall’s granddaughters supposedly saw Anne’s audition tape and pointed out she had the best "princess hair." They weren't wrong.
Hathaway was eighteen. She had that wide-eyed, slightly panicked energy that you just can't manufacture. During the audition, she actually fell off her chair, which is basically the most Mia Thermopolis thing anyone could ever do. Marshall loved it. He kept that clumsy energy in the film—remember the scene where she slips on the bleachers? Total accident. They just kept filming.
Since then, Anne’s career has been a rollercoaster of high-brow cinema and "Hathahate" internet drama that she eventually conquered. She went from The Devil Wears Prada to winning an Oscar for Les Misérables. But she’s never turned her back on Genovia. In fact, she’s been the loudest voice pushing for the third installment, constantly checking in with the script's progress. It’s rare to see an A-lister so protective of their "silly" Disney roots, but Anne gets it. She knows Mia made her.
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Why Julie Andrews Is Still the Queen of Our Hearts
Let’s be real: without Julie Andrews, this movie is just another teen rom-com. She brought the gravitas. Playing Queen Clarisse Renaldi required a very specific balance of "I will ruin your life if you use the wrong fork" and "I actually really love my granddaughter."
Andrews was 66 when the first movie came out. She had recently suffered that devastating vocal cord surgery that took away her four-octave singing voice, which is why her "singing" in the sequel, Royal Engagement, was such a massive, emotional deal for fans. It was the first time she’d sung on film since the surgery.
At 89, Julie is still the gold standard. While she’s played it coy about returning for the third movie—telling Access Hollywood a few years back that "it’s probably too late to do it now"—fans are holding out hope for a cameo. Even if she’s just a voice on a phone or a portrait on a wall, the princess diaries cast feels incomplete without her sharp wit and perfect posture.
The Supporting Players Who Stole the Show
- Heather Matarazzo (Lilly Moscovitz): The ultimate cynical best friend. Heather brought a gritty, New York energy to a Disney set. She’s stayed active in the indie film circuit and has been very vocal about her struggles and triumphs in Hollywood since the film.
- Robert Schwartzman (Michael Moscovitz): The guy who liked Mia before she was a princess. Fun fact: he’s a Coppola. His brother is Jason Schwartzman, and his cousin is Nicolas Cage. He stepped away from acting mostly to focus on his band, Rooney, though he still directs and produces.
- Hector Elizondo (Joe): The head of security who was secretly in love with the Queen. Hector was Garry Marshall's "lucky charm"—he appeared in every single movie Marshall ever directed. His chemistry with Julie Andrews was so palpable that the writers actually changed the script to make their romance a real plot point.
The Forgotten Faces and Surprising Cameos
You probably forgot that Mandy Moore was the villain. Before A Walk to Remember made everyone cry, Mandy was Lana Thomas, the popular girl who sang "Stupid Cupid" at the beach party. Mandy has joked in interviews about how "mean" she had to be to Anne, but she also credits the movie with giving her the acting bug.
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Then there’s Sandra Oh. Long before Grey's Anatomy or Killing Eve, she was Vice Principal Gupta. "Gupta... mmm, the Queen is coming." It’s arguably one of the most quoted bit-parts in Disney history. Her comedic timing was already elite, even back in 2001.
What Happened to the "Lover" Interest?
In the sequel, Michael Moscovitz was unceremoniously written out (he was on tour with his band, which was a meta-nod to Robert Schwartzman's real life). Enter Chris Pine. This was his film debut. Before he was Captain Kirk or Wonder Woman’s boyfriend, he was Lord Nicholas Devereaux.
Pine has often spoken about how broke he was before landing that role. He had about $40 in his bank account and was terrified he wouldn't be able to pay rent. The princess diaries cast essentially saved his career before it even started. He and Anne had incredible chemistry, leading to that iconic fountain scene that launched a thousand fanfics.
Why We Are Still Obsessed (And What’s Next)
The reason we care about where these people are is that The Princess Diaries represents a specific kind of "comfort cinema" that feels extinct. It wasn't cynical. It wasn't trying to be "meta" or edgy. It was just a story about a girl finding her footing.
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As of early 2026, the buzz around the third film is reaching a fever pitch. We know Anne is in. We know Disney is moving forward. The big question remains: who else from the original princess diaries cast will return?
If you're looking to revisit the magic, here are the best ways to engage with the fandom right now:
- Watch the 25th Anniversary Specials: Keep an eye on Disney+ for rumored retrospective interviews.
- Follow the Cast on Socials: Anne Hathaway and Heather Matarazzo often post "throwback" content that gives behind-the-scenes glimpses into the 2001 set.
- Track the Pre-Production: Look for casting calls in London and New York, as rumors suggest the third film might move away from the fictional Genovia for a bit to show Mia's life as a reigning monarch in a modern world.
The legacy of the film isn't just the clothes or the "shut up!" catchphrase. It's the fact that this cast, from the leads to the background actors, seemed to genuinely like each other. That warmth translates through the screen, and it's why we'll probably still be talking about them in another twenty-five years.
Next Steps for Fans
If you want to stay ahead of the curve on the upcoming sequel, start by re-watching the original films on Disney+ to catch the small details Garry Marshall hid in the background—like his own daughter's cameos. You should also follow Adele Lim on social media, as she is known for sharing "day one" production photos once filming kicks off.
Keep an eye on official Disney press releases regarding Hector Elizondo’s involvement; his return as Joe is considered by many "purists" to be the make-or-break element for the new script.