Milo Manheim steps into the spotlight as Flynn Rider in Disney's live-action 'Tangled'. Know the 24-year-old Disney star.
Disney has officially found its Flynn Rider, and fans couldn't have asked for a better lead casting! The production has finalised its two leads for the highly anticipated live-action version of its iconic 2010 animated movie. Walt Disney Pictures has cast Milo Manheim as the charming outlaw, 'Flynn Rider', in Tangled, opposite Australian actress Teagan Croft as 'Rapunzel'.
The casting announcement instantly sparked buzz online, with fans already in awe of how perfectly Manheim fits the description of Flynn, lookwise. For long-time Disney fans, he may look like a familiar face. Here's everything to know about the 24-year-old actor who has taken the internet by storm.
Born in 2001 in Venice, California, Milo Jacob Manheim started his acting journey at age 7, performing in a local after-school program in Culver City. Soon, he expanded his niche by joining Liza Monjauze Productions, under which he performed 15 musicals, including Rent, Footloose, Tommy, A Chorus Line, Gypsy, and Spring Awakening, as per IMDb.
Manheim graduated from New York University with a degree in drama from the Tisch School of the Arts. His experience at NYU largely shaped his acting prowess, helping him find his true passion in this field. During a 2020 appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan, the actor had reflected on his NYU years:
“The main thing was I just wanted to be surrounded with fellow collaborators that were just as passionate as I was about acting. I wanted to be with other people that cared as much as I did, and I found those people."
It was through his musical performances that he got discovered. Emmy-winning casting director Amber Horn saw his performance as 'Roger' in Rent and brought him to audition for a Disney Channel musical in 2018. Longtime Disney fans may already recognise Manheim from his breakout role as 'Zed' in the channel’s wildly popular Zombies franchise. The performance soon made him one of the network's standout stars.
Milo is a man of many talents; beyond acting, he is a singer and a prolific dancer. In 2018, he was one of the competitors in season 27 of the celebrity dance reality show, Dancing With the Stars. He was paired with Witney Carson and finished in second place, earning massive praise for his charismatic presence.
Manheim is the only son of Emmy-winning actress Camryn Manheim, best known as 'Ellenor Frutt' on The Practice, and more recently as 'Kate Dixon' in Law & Order. Despite being a Hollywood progeny, Milo wants to build his own identity and let his work speak for itself. The 24-year-old has been clear about one thing: he wants to build his career without ever leaning on his famous last name.
In various interviews, Menheim reflected on his passion for acting and performance that has driven him to pursue multiple ventures from a young age. Beyond Zombies, he also starred in Disney's television film Prom Pact (2023). The actor went on to star alongside Addison Rae and Patrick Dempsey in Thanksgiving (2023). The same year, he starred in the Christmas original, Journey to Bethlehem. He also worked on the 2023 Paramount+ supernatural teen drama, School Spirits.
In a 2024 interview with PEOPLE, Milo candidly spoke about his experience working in films, TV shows, and theatrical productions, reflecting on finding his passion in the acting field. Speaking about how he always found his calling in acting and performing, Manheim shared:
"I always wanted to act and perform. I always had a little voice in my head that said, ‘You can do this. You’re good at it,’ and I find that with each project, I have a better understanding of myself. If I hadn’t booked Zombies, I don’t know if I would be here, but I’m so happy that I found this love and this passion.”
Tangled live-action is hands-down the biggest break of Milo Manheim's career thus far. He is stepping into the character famously voiced by Zachary Levi, and taking on the challenge of reimagining a fan-favourite role that defined an entire generation of Disney viewers. Though the stakes are sky-high, the role of 'Flynn Rider' will be a career-defining role for Manheim, and it looks like he and his co-star, Teagan Croft, are soon taking off.
The live-action feature will be based on the 2010 animated musical fantasy comedy, Tangled, based on the Grimms' fairy tale of 'Rapunzel'. The story follows the lives of Rapunzel, a princess with magical golden hair who is trapped inside a secret tower, hidden deep inside a forest. Her life changes when he meets Flynn Ryder, a charming thief who helps her escape, introduces her to a world beyond the castle, and eventually reunites her with her birth parents.
From the moment the animated movie came out, it received worldwide praise for its emotional depth, witty humour, and memorable songs, including 'When Will My Life Begin?' and 'I See the Light.' Tangled went on to gross more than USD 590 million worldwide and has since become a staple for Disney fans.
Makers say the live-action of Tangled has the potential to become the next big Disney production, becoming a billion-dollar worldwide hit after Lilo & Stitch and Zootopia 2. Judging by the stakes, Disney is definitely betting big on Milo Manheim.
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