CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.
Twenty years ago this week, you could stroll into a movie theater and check out Disney’s modern take on young royalty with The Princess Diaries. The 2001 movie paired up newcomer Anne Hathaway with Disney legend Julie Andrews for a sweet comfort film about embracing one’s destiny while being yourself. And in celebration of the big anniversary, the cast is sharing their memories of shooting the movie.
Anne Hathaway led the pack earlier this week with behind-the-scenes photos of the film that launched her career and would lead to her becoming an Oscar winner. Now, other members of the cast are following her lead with more sweet Instagram photos of the making of The Princess Diaries. First up is Mandy Moore, the movie’s mean girl Lana Thomas, who shared this:
Mandy Moore’s Princess Diaries is worlds away from the mother in This Is Us we’d come to adore over the years. At the time of the film’s release, Moore was 17 years old and a bubblegum pop singer just getting into acting, too. She sang a cover of “Stupid Cupid” during the movie in between Lana’s brutal pranks on Mia at school.
And how can we forget Mia Thermopolis’ best friend, Lilly Moscovitz, played by Heather Matarazzo? Their friendship was definitely a highlight of The Princess Diaries, and the actress will never forget her experience in the role:
As Matarazzo shared, when she made the late Garry Marshall’s comedy, she had no idea it would resonate with as many people as it did. She pointed out that many of the children who loved The Princess Diaries as kids are now showing it to their own children. She said there’s “no better feeling” as an actor than knowing your work inspired others, and she most certainly represented the eccentric, environmentalist, “I need an attitude adjustment” girls that are rarely main characters in Disney films. The actress also gave a shout out to Anne Hathaway, who is her “Scorpio sister.”
The Princess Diaries is available to stream on Disney+ with a subscription. If you’d like to sign up for Disney+ you can use this link.
Mia Thermopolis’ mom Helen, played by Caroline Goodall also gave the 20-year-old film some love with this post. And like her co-stars, she's in awe of the movie's staying power:
So much of The Princess Diaries' cast celebration of the film’s anniversary speaks to their positive experience on the movie, and we love these throwbacks! With this, many fans are still hoping to see a Princess Diaries 3 someday, especially since there is reportedly a script out there and cast members including Julie Andrews, Mandy Moore, Heather Matarazzo and Chris Pine have shared interest in reprising their roles as well. Hey, miracles do happen every once in a while!
