Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino appear as “official Disney princesses” at D23 to tease “Romy and Michele 2”

Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino brought their characters to Disney’s D23 fan event on Aug. 14, appearing in costume as Romy and Michele to tease what they called the next step for “Romy and Michele 2.” The appearance came during the D23 program stage, where the duo leaned into the specific framing fans associate with the original 1997 comedy, while also tying the moment to Disney’s ongoing role as a meeting place for franchise announcements and crowd engagement.

Kudrow, speaking as Romy, and Sorvino, speaking as Michele, told the D23 audience that they were “officially Disney princesses,” using the line as both a joke about their characters and a direct report that a sequel to the cult film remained in play. The actors’ decision to appear in character at a Disney-branded event elevated the teasing from casual fan talk to a formal entertainment-industry moment, with the D23 setting placing it in the context of studio marketing and franchise planning.

The original film, released in 1997, has endured as a cult title, and the cast’s return to the Disney event theme put the spotlight back on the actors and the movie’s continued cultural afterlife. At D23, the duo’s on-stage portrayal also highlighted how Disney, a company that routinely hosts franchise and IP news, can incorporate legacy cast and recognizable character work into its fan programming.

Details about production status, release timing, or creative direction for “Romy and Michele 2” were not laid out in the reporting surrounding the D23 appearances. What was clear from the event coverage was that the sequel conversation has moved far enough that the two stars felt comfortable using a Disney stage to amplify it, rather than limiting the topic to interviews or retrospective discussion.

The appearance matters for fans of the original film who have long treated it as part of a shared pop-culture memory, but it also matters for Disney’s broader media strategy. D23 functions as a high-visibility platform where studios can test audience energy and position upcoming projects within a larger slate, particularly when creators and stars from earlier eras re-enter the spotlight.

For the actors, returning in character to a major studio gathering serves as a public endorsement of the project’s presence, but it also sets an expectation that the next update will come through official production channels rather than informal chatter. If “Romy and Michele 2” proceeds, subsequent confirmations would typically include announcements tied to studio schedules, casting, and production timelines.

As of the D23 event coverage, the next confirmed step was the teasing itself, delivered in person by Kudrow and Sorvino to the D23 audience. Additional information about whether and when the sequel will move from stage teasing into production and distribution was not specified in the reported event summary.

In the meantime, the D23 character appearance provided a vivid cultural snapshot of the sequel ecosystem: longtime cult favorites can re-enter mainstream attention through major industry conventions, and cast members can use those platforms to restart momentum while avoiding premature specifics that could run ahead of official development decisions.