Original Meg Voice Actress Has a Very Specific Casting Wish for Disney’s ‘Hercules’ Remake

Disney has spent the past several years steadily working through its animated catalog for live-action reimaginings, and ‘Hercules’ has quietly become one of the more anticipated titles still in development. Confirmed back in 2022 with Joe and Anthony Russo attached as producers and Guy Ritchie set to direct, the remake has generated a steady stream of fan-casting speculation in the years since, even without an official cast attached to the project just yet.

That speculation reached a new level of legitimacy this weekend when the original voice behind one of the film’s most beloved characters weighed in directly. Susan Egan, who voiced Megara in the 1997 animated classic, appeared on the D23 red carpet and finally put a name to the casting fantasy fans have been floating online for months.

Speaking with Deadline on the red carpet at D23, Egan named Zendaya as her pick to take over the role of Meg, with Tom Holland playing opposite her as Hercules. “I mean, I’ve been subtly saying Zendaya, but now I’m just gonna say it,” Egan said. “And probably, Tom and Zendaya, who I have never met, are filing for the restraining order right now. But honestly, I don’t even care. I feel like the world needs it.”

Egan made clear her endorsement wasn’t just about the couple’s real-life popularity. She praised Zendaya’s grounded presence and the strength she’s shown throughout her career since starting out as a teenager, describing her as statuesque with an incredible voice and just the right edge for the role.

Holland and Zendaya’s on-screen chemistry has already been well established through years of collaboration, having starred together across ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming,’ ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home,’ ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home,’ and this year’s ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day.’ That existing partnership, paired with Zendaya’s musical background from her Disney Channel days and her role in ‘The Greatest Showman,’ has made her a frequent fan-cast pick for the role of Meg well before Egan’s comments made headlines.

This isn’t the first time Egan has floated Zendaya’s name for the part, either. In an earlier conversation with Entertainment Tonight, Egan explained that Meg’s casting demands more than just musical talent, emphasizing the character’s sarcasm and independent streak as essential qualities for whoever eventually takes on the role. She specifically pointed to Zendaya’s performance in ‘Challengers’ as evidence she has the edge and alluring quality the character requires, on top of the singing experience she built up during her time on Disney Channel and in ‘The Greatest Showman.’

Despite the growing fan enthusiasm, Disney has not announced any official casting for ‘Hercules’ at this stage. The remake remains in development under the Russo brothers’ AGBO banner, with Guy Ritchie still attached to direct and the project reportedly incorporating a music-driven approach inspired by contemporary platforms like TikTok.

With Holland and Zendaya’s real-life relationship and shared box office success continuing to fuel speculation, Egan’s on-record endorsement gives the fan-casting campaign its most credible boost yet, even without any confirmation from the studio itself.

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