Donna Murphy Joins Moore and Levi for Disney's 'Repunzel'

Tony winning stage star Donna Murphy is set to join Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi in Disney's animated Rapunzel, the Hollywood Reporter has revealed.

ByRon Howard and Nathan Greno ("Bolt") direct the musical comedy, which tells the famous Grimm fable of the girl with the long, magic golden locks. Rapunzel (Moore), is kidnapped from her parents' castle as child and locked in a hidden tower before escaping with the help of a bandit (Levi), using her long hair as an escape route.

Murphy will voice Mother Gothel, the witch who keeps Rapunzel prisoner in the tower.  This will be her first animated film.

The movie's score is composed by Alan Menken.  A 3D release next holiday season is expected.

Murphy boasts two Tony awards for best actress in a musical for Passion and The King and I.Additional credits include Wonderful Town and Lovemusik. On screen she has appeared in Spider-Man 2, Star Trek: Insurrection and The Nanny Diaries, and she recently had a role opposite Eric McCormack in the TNT series Trust Me.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride