Milo Manheim faces backlash over Zionist views after 'Tangled' live-action casting announcement

Disney’s announcement of its live-action Tangled cast has sparked online backlash, with criticism largely directed at Milo Manheim following renewed scrutiny of his public support for Israel.

The studio confirmed that Teagan Croft will portray Rapunzel, while Manheim has been cast as Flynn Rider in the remake of the 2010 animated film. While the casting was intended to conclude a lengthy global search, reaction on social media quickly shifted focus from the project itself to Manheim’s political positions.

In response to October 7th, Manheim shared a post on Instagram stating, "My heart goes out to everyone affected by the attacks in Israel". He has not shared anything in response to the genocide of Palestinian people in Gaza. Fans have also pointed to his engagement with musician Matisyahu, described as an avowed Zionist, including comments and likes supporting pro-Israel content shared on social media.

Photo: Instagram

Following the casting announcement, comments opposing Manheim’s involvement circulated widely. Reactions included statements such as "Not our flynn thank you", "we will NOT be watching ", and " Flynn Rider would never."

One widely shared post read brought up a similar controversy surrounding Disney's Snow White which contributed to its failure at the box office. It said, "Disney really didn’t learn a thing from the Snow White mess. They hired Zionist Gal Gadot and the movie flopped hard. Now they’re bringing in Zionist Milo Manheim for Tangled. Like… are they serious? So dumb. Keep boycotting this project."

The live-action Tangled is being directed by Michael Gracey and written by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, with Kristin Burr producing for Walt Disney Pictures. The original animated film grossed $591 million worldwide and later inspired a Disney Channel series, raising expectations for the remake despite the controversy now surrounding it.

Casting for the role of Mother Gothel has not yet been announced.