Why the Role of Morgan Was Recast For Disney's "Disenchanted"

The highly anticipated "Enchanted" sequel, "Disenchanted," has finally arrived on Disney+, 15 years after the original was released in 2007. "Enchanted" cast alum Amy Adams (Giselle), Patrick Dempsey (Robert Philip), James Marsden (Prince Edward), and Idina Menzel (Nancy Tremaine) all return for the new film, which also features newcomer Gabby Baldacchino as Robert's daughter, Morgan Philip. Rachel Covey played the character in the original movie, so you may be wondering — why was she recast? Let's investigate.

According to the film's synopsis, "Disenchanted" takes place 15 years after the events of the original movie. Giselle and Robert are now married and decide to move from New York to the suburb of Monroeville with their teenage daughter, Morgan. There, Giselle "must juggle the challenges that come with a new home and discover what happily ever after truly means to her and her new family."

If you remember, Morgan is 6 years old in "Enchanted," so she would be 21 years old in the new film. Covey is 23, which means she would have been perfect to portray Morgan as a young adult. However, since they de-aged her character for "Disenchanted," it's possible Disney decided to go with a younger star to portray Morgan. According to EW, Baldacchino was reportedly 19 years old when production for "Disenchanted" began last year.

Another reason may be due to Covey branching outside of acting. According to her official website, she's now a playwright and composer. She also directs projects in New York City and Chicago.

Despite not reprising her character in "Disenchanted," Covey still appears in the sequel for a cameo (no, not as Morgan). According to Digital Spy, Covey plays a small part simply named "Monrolasia Girl" and has a brief encounter with Adams's Giselle. Producers for "Disenchanted" haven't commented on Covey's recasting, so we can only guess why she portrays a different character in the film.