Disney is the biggest animation studio on the planet, and they have largely dominated the world of animation for decades. Sure, they have had some bumps and bruises along the way, but they stay on top for a number of reasons, including the use of amazing talent in their movies. It’s not easy to land a role in a Disney animated flick, which makes these roles incredibly coveted.

Kristen Bell has been in the business for years, but despite her success, even she has missed out on huge opportunities. Years ago, Bell was up for a lead role as a Disney Princess, but she wound up missing out on the gig.

So, which Disney Princess did Kristen Bell audition for? Here’s a hint: long hair, great music, and a hint of magic.

Kristen Bell Auditioned For Rapunzel

It’s not every day that a star gets to audition to play a Disney Princess, but the opportunity came knocking for Kristen Bell years ago when she found herself up for the role of Rapunzel in Tangled.

By that point in her career, Kristen Bell had flexed the acting range that we have all come to love. However, the majority of people had absolutely no idea that she possessed a golden voice. Bell had actually spent years on stage honing her skills before making the transition to Hollywood, and she would be able to utilize her vocal prowess on the big screen down the line.

Disney has done some amazing things with original properties, but Tangled was going to be taking on a familiar story with the character Rapunzel. There was simply no guarantee that the studio was going to pull a big hit out of their hat, but that does not take away from the fact that landing the role of Rapunzel was going to be top priority for those who were auditioning.

However, despite having plenty of success and talent, Bell would find herself up against some stuff competition for the role.

Related: Will ‘Lightyear’ Introduce Characters From The Expanded Universe To The Story?

Mandy Moore Got The Part

Casting a role in a big project is all about finding the right person for the job, and while Kristen Bell could have been great in the lead role, eventually, Mandy Moore cemented herself as the best person to play Rapunzel.

The decision to cast the talented Moore as Rapunzel wound up being a brilliant move by Disney. Tangled would go on to be a success at the box office, making $592 million, according to Box Office Mojo. This was a major win for Disney, and it helped Rapunzel reach an entirely new generation of fans. Not only that, but the film has been a major part of the huge success that the studio has been having in what has been dubbed the Disney Revival era.

Tangled wound up being successful enough for Disney to land its own show on Disney Channel, even going so far as using the same cast as the movie. The show lasted for 60 episodes over the course of three seasons, and fans loved what it was able to do with their favorite characters.

It’s never easy to miss out on a chance to play a character in a huge film, but it is part of the nature of being in Hollywood. Even though Kristen Bell didn’t land the role of Rapunzel, she just happened to have an ace up her sleeve.

Related: Why Did It Take Disney 14 Years To Work On ’The Incredibles’ Sequel?

Bell Eventually Gets The Role Of Anna

Bell would tell Paste, “[Tangled‘s casting director] told me ‘Look, if this doesn’t work out, I really want you to meet Chris Buck, who is directing the next Disney film’. So I sat down with Chris, after the audition, in the Disney commissary, and he told me that the next film was going to be a much more traditional Disney musical. I think he was appealing to the fact that I have a more traditional musical theatre voice.”

That traditional musical wound up being a little movie called Frozen, which wound up turning into one of the biggest hits in Disney history. The film became a phenomenon that took the world by storm, eventually becoming one of the biggest films of all time.

As if that wasn’t amazing enough, the film’s sequel, Frozen 2, would do even bigger business at the box office than its predecessor. Those movies have combined to make billions of dollars while also giving Disney lovers some of the most popular characters in the studio’s history. Turns out, the missed opportunity to play Rapunzel wound up working just fine for Kristen Bell.

Related: How Disney’s ‘Treasure Planet’ Went From Box Office Bomb To Cult Classic

While she could have excelled in Tangled, Kristen Bell wound up getting involved with something much bigger.

Next: Which Disney Princess Did Reese Witherspoon Almost Play?