In the early 2000s The Princess’s Diary It became a worldwide phenomenon. The romantic comedy of Disney presented Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolisa shy teenager who discovers that she is the heir to the throne of Genovia. Her friend and confidante Lilly Moscovitz, played by Heather Amy Matarazzo, and her brother Michael Moscovitz, whom she plays, also appear in the story. Robert Schwartzman.
But what caught young people’s attention about this last character was that he wasn’t the typical heartthrob who would conquer a fairytale princess. Michael played in a band, repaired cars and looked tenderly at Mia, which managed to win the hearts of viewers who knew that the story would continue with a second part and were curious to see what would happen to this romance.
However, for the second part of the saga, the story was rewritten without Michael and Mia’s romantic arc. The producers’ decision surprised fans and marked a turning point for Schwartzman. Far from insisting on a promising path, he chose a profession that he had learned in parallel since childhood.
Robert was born into an art-rich family and is the son of the actress Talia Shire and the producer Jack Schwartzmanand nephew of the director Francis Ford Coppola. His first job in front of the camera was before the Disney phenomenon, when he played Paul Baldino The Virgin’s Suicideshis cousin’s debut film Sofia Coppola. Even though Hollywood called it a promise, he already knew his path lay elsewhere.
Even as a teenager, his great passion was music and he founded the band in 1999 Rooneya project with which he captured his own artistic identity over time. After initial success in film, Schwartzman decided to prioritize stage, composition and music production, building a career that took him to travel the world and audition for important bands such as: Weezer And The strokes.
In an interview with the magazine Seventeen In the early 2000s, the actor and musician was clear about his priorities: “It was actually all about my band, even before I got the role The Princess’s Diary. I have always been closely connected to the world of cinema. I love cinema and doing things in it, but music is more satisfying for me. “I feel more identified with her.”
But despite the success with Rooney and after releasing three albums, Schwartzman’s life took a new turn. From 2015 he decided to concentrate entirely on film directing and production. A year later he presented Dreamlandhis directorial debut in a sex comedy.
In October 2025, in dialogue with the magazine Peopleexplained how this process helped him balance both facets: “I can’t imagine a world where I just think, “I’m going to make films and never do a concert again.” That’s not my personality. Music must be part of my annual work“.
More than two decades since the first part of The Princess’s DiaryThe possibility of a third part to this story made many fans wonder if there was a chance that Robert would bring Michael back to life.
In current statements with the magazine PeopleThe actor explained that it would be a new job in his daily life: “It’s funny, I’ve never had anything against dedicating myself to acting and enjoying it. I think I’m just getting nervous. I’m not that confident in myself as an actor.. I think that’s it. “If you give me a guitar and put me on stage, it makes me feel great.”
In addition, he emphasized that an eventual return of Michael Moscovitz should respond to a solid narrative decision. In his opinion, the project should take place “The right story and the right circumstances”. “In my case, I’m waiting to see what the filmmakers want to do with this new chapter. If they want Michael to return to be part of the characters’ journey, I will of course be happy to support their efforts,” he said.
The official announcement of the third film was made in October 2024, when Anne Hathaway confirmed her return as Mia Thermopolis with a message that quickly went viral. “Miracles happen. Back to Genovia,” he wrote on his social networks. Shortly thereafter, The Hollywood Reporter reports that management will be responsible Adele Limresponsible for Joyride (2023).
About The Author
