A Disney princess comes with a sparkling gown, a musical number, and a kingdom full of questionable security arrangements. McKenna Grace has an unusual route to that crown. After appearing on Disney XD's Crash & Bernstein, she ventured into The Haunting of Hill House and Scream, where fairy-tale endings rarely make the itinerary.

Now, at 20, the actress is drawing a firm line around the kinds of scripts she will entertain. 

In her Cosmopolitan Winter 2026 cover interview, conducted during the press tour for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, McKenna Grace explained why she declines roles involving nudity or heavy s**********.

"My dream is to try and be a Disney princess someday," Grace said, framing her career choices around that long-held ambition.

"At this point, I definitely don't do n****** or very hypers***** things," Grace told the magazine, adding that while she respects actors who take on such roles.

The idea is terrifying to her and she doesn't know if that will ever change. She pushed back on the idea that she only does "wholesome" work, pointing out that her character in Scream literally gets g***** by Ghostface, showing she's willing to take on dark material—just not sexualized content.

Grace's stance reflects a deliberate career strategy: protecting the family-friendly image that could one day land her a Disney princess role, while still taking on challenging, non-wholesome projects that prove her range.

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Meanwhile, her latest blockbuster assignment trades enchanted castles for a dystopian arena where happily ever after comes without a warranty.

In The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, McKenna Grace portrays Maysilee Donner, a District 12 tribute fighting alongside young Haymitch Abernathy, played by Joseph Zada.  She also plays Maysilee's twin, Merrilee, earning a double assignment before the arena even opens.

Adapted from Suzanne Collins' 2025 novel, the story unfolds 24 years before Katniss Everdeen's journey. The 50th Hunger Games, known as the Second Quarter Quell, doubles the tribute count to 48. President Snow, played by Ralph Fiennes, oversees a nightmarish edition of Capitol entertainment.

Maysilee carries a link to franchise mythology: the mockingjay pin that eventually becomes Katniss' rebellion symbol once belonged to her. The prop has a backstory worthy of its own Marvel-style origin special. After its October 28 London premiere, the film reaches U.S. theaters November 20.

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Would Grace make a compelling Disney princess someday? Let us know in the comments.