Not every actress gets to play a Disney princess, or be immortalized in a sparkly fashion doll for little girls to play with and love.
"The whole thing just blows my mind," said Mandy Moore, whose voice breathes life into "Rapunzel," the plucky new heroine in Disney's 50th animated movie.
"When I heard that Disney was going to make this film a few years ago I had to be part of it. I knew this was my chance to put a modern spin on happily ever after," Moore told CTV.ca during a recent visit to Toronto.
Best known for her role as Jamie Sullivan in the 2002 romance "A Walk to Remember," the 26-year-old Moore grew up watching Disney films like "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King."
The impact on the aspiring singer and movie star was enormous.
"I was Disney's quintessential girly fan," said Moore, with a laugh.
"But what grabbed me most about ‘Rapunzel' was that she wasn't just some archetypal damsel in distress."
Fashioned at a time that bears few similarities to the era of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937) and "Cinderella" (1950), "Tangled" directors Byron Howard ("Bolt") and Nathan Greno ("Super Rhino") had just one objective.
They wanted to create an independent heroine who was not waiting around for Prince Charming to solve her problems. That they do with flying colours.
"Rapunzel may be naïve. But she's strong," said Moore.
"Even if the outside world scares her, and it does, she doesn't let that deter her from following her dream. For me, that was the most important message to convey to a new generation of Disney moviegoers."
A 3D journey of self-realization
"Tangled's" painterly, 3D fantasy realm would have also blown the socks off The Brothers Grimm, the 19th century German academics who first popularized the fairy tale of "Rapunzel."
Disney's animators have given "Rapunzel" a stunning, US$80-million overhaul, transforming the poor girl with the mile-long hair into a princess who is kidnapped by a scheming villainess.
Raised in a tower by this criminal-turned-mother, Rapunzel's captor uses the powers in the girl's magical gold tresses to stay young and beautiful.
But as Rapunzel nears her 18th birthday the urge to see the world is too strong to resist.
With the help a thieving rogue named Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) and her enchanted hair (this stuff can catapult grown men, lasso wild horses and heal the wounded), Rapunzel sets out to see a mysterious lantern festival.
Just as in real life, the journey never turns out as expected.
"Musically, you just couldn't be asleep at the wheel here," said Moore.
"Tangled's" score was composed by Academy Award-winner Alan Menken, who has worked on numerous Disney films including "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," and "Pocahontas."
The film's songs were also created by Menken, along with lyricist Glenn Slater ("The Little Mermaid").
"I've been in a studio before and know how to record a song. But here you had to be in character the whole time," said Moore.
"There were words that Alan wanted more punch on. There were others where I had to lay off. It was a real challenge. But it trumped live action filmmaking 10 times over."
