Gigi Hadid told Vogue she auditioned for the lead role of Rapunzel in Disney’s planned live-action Tangled remake and took singing lessons to prepare, but did not land the part.
In an interview for Vogue’s October issue with Kendall Jenner, the 30-year-old model said she was "really proud" of her audition scene and acknowledged that Disney likely would choose a professional singer for a musical role. Hadid said she would share her audition scene later. The live-action Tangled project, which had been in active development, is now on indefinite hold after Disney’s 2025 live-action Snow White underperformed at the box office.
Disney had attached director Michael Gracey and a script by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson to the Tangled remake. The 2010 animated film Tangled, on which the new version was based, featured the voices of Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi and updated the Rapunzel fairy tale with a comedic tone. Studio sources and trade reports say the project’s pause followed the poor commercial and critical reception to Snow White, which grossed roughly $87 million domestically and drew sustained criticism on social and review platforms.
Reports in trade publications also have noted executive departures from Disney’s live-action remakes effort in the wake of Snow White’s reception. The lead actress in Snow White, Rachel Zegler, drew significant public scrutiny related to the film’s performance and to commentary about her public statements, according to media coverage.
Hadid, who has pursued occasional acting work in recent years, including a cameo in Ocean’s 8 and minor voice roles, said the Rapunzel audition reflected a desire to pivot toward more serious screen work. In the Vogue conversation, she credited her boyfriend, actor Bradley Cooper, with inspiring her interest in acting. Hadid and Cooper were first publicly linked in 2023 and have been dating since.
The model also discussed her long friendship with Kendall Jenner in the interview, citing moments of private support during pivotal career and personal developments. Hadid recalled confiding in Jenner backstage at Burberry in 2020 when she was newly pregnant, describing Jenner as someone who quietly helped her through hectic moments. The two trace their closeness to early modeling trips and recalled sharing early seasons of runway work.
Hadid’s modeling career has included milestones that propelled her toward global recognition. She signed with IMG Models in 2013, became a Maybelline brand ambassador in 2015 and made her first appearance in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show the same year. She has appeared on more than 35 international Vogue covers and walked for fashion houses including Chanel, Versace and Marc Jacobs.
Hadid said she took vocal training ahead of the Tangled audition and anticipated that Disney might opt for a professional singer for a musical lead. She did not specify when the audition took place. Disney has not announced a timetable to resume development of Tangled.
The pause on Tangled adds to a broader reassessment at the studio of its live-action remake strategy, a push that has produced commercially successful projects as well as titles that failed to meet box-office expectations. For Hadid, the audition represents a step in an ongoing effort to expand her screen work while maintaining her fashion career; she told Vogue she plans to release the audition scene at a later date.