You’ve seen her face a thousand times. Maybe you know her as the preppy Maggie Sheffield, the eldest daughter who grew up right before our eyes on The Nanny. Or perhaps you remember her as Ryce Newton, the teenager dealing with a massive St. Bernard in the Beethoven movies. But there is one credit on her resume that makes even the most hardcore 2000s movie buffs do a double-take: Nicholle Tom in The Princess Diaries.
It’s one of those "Wait, she was in that?" moments.
Honestly, it’s easy to miss. When people think of the 2001 Disney classic, they think of Anne Hathaway’s frizzy hair transformation or Julie Andrews teaching a teenager how to sit properly. They think of Mandy Moore singing "Stupid Cupid" or the iconic M&M pizza. Yet, right there in the mix of the Genovian chaos, Nicholle Tom pops up in a role that is basically a time capsule of early 2000s media culture.
Who Did Nicholle Tom Play?
In The Princess Diaries, Nicholle Tom plays a character named Cassie. She isn't a student at Grove High School, and she isn't part of the royal court. Instead, she’s a reporter for Teen Scene magazine.
If you remember the scene where the press is absolutely hounding Mia Thermopolis after the world finds out she’s a princess, you’ve seen her. Cassie is part of that aggressive media swarm. She’s the one trying to get the "inside scoop" for the teen demographic, sporting that very specific early-aughts journalist energy.
It’s a brief appearance. Blink and you might miss it. But for fans of 90s television, seeing Maggie Sheffield transition into a professional (ish) reporter was a fun Easter egg.
Why the Role of Cassie Matters for 2000s Nostalgia
At the time The Princess Diaries was filming, Nicholle Tom was already a seasoned pro. The Nanny had wrapped its legendary run just a couple of years prior in 1999. She was a household name for anyone who spent their afternoons watching sitcom reruns.
Casting her as a "Teen Reporter" was actually a pretty meta move by director Garry Marshall. Marshall was famous for filling his movies with cameos and familiar faces—often using the same actors across different projects (like Hector Elizondo appearing in every single one of his films).
By putting Tom in the role of Cassie, the movie tapped into the "teen idol" ecosystem of the era. She represented the bridge between the 90s sitcom world and the new wave of Disney live-action stardom that Anne Hathaway was about to spearhead.
A Quick Look at Nicholle Tom’s Career Highlights
- Beethoven (1992): The big breakout as Ryce Newton.
- The Nanny (1993–1999): Six seasons as Maggie Sheffield.
- Superman: The Animated Series (1998): The iconic voice of Supergirl.
- The Princess Diaries (2001): The "Teen Scene" reporter cameo.
- Masters of Sex (2013): Proving her range in prestige drama.
The Mystery of the Small Role
A lot of people wonder why an actress as established as Nicholle Tom took such a small part in The Princess Diaries. Usually, when a star of a hit show moves to film, they’re looking for lead roles.
The truth is usually a lot less dramatic than fans think. In Hollywood, especially in the "Garry Marshall circle," these roles are often about relationships and timing. Sometimes an actor is just in the right place at the right time, or they want to work with a legendary director for the experience.
Also, let’s be real: being in a Disney movie that defines a generation is a great gig, no matter how many lines you have.
Where is Nicholle Tom Now?
Since her day on the set of The Princess Diaries, Nicholle hasn't slowed down, though she's moved away from the "teen reporter" typecast. She’s become a massive figure in the voice acting world. If you grew up watching the DC Animated Universe, you know her voice intimately—she is Kara In-Ze, better known as Supergirl.
She reprised that role in Justice League Unlimited, giving a performance that many fans still consider the definitive version of the character.
More recently, she has appeared in projects like Gotham and the thriller Prisoner of Love. She’s also quite active on social media, often sharing behind-the-scenes stories from The Nanny and interacting with fans who still call her Maggie.
Spotting the Cameo Next Time You Watch
Next time you're doing a rewatch of The Princess Diaries—maybe because you’re hyped for the rumored third movie—keep your eyes peeled during the press segments.
Look for the blonde reporter with the microphone and the "Teen Scene" energy. That’s her. It’s a small slice of movie history that connects one of the 90s' biggest TV stars to one of the 2000s' biggest film franchises.
If you want to dive deeper into the world of Genovia or the careers of the cast, start by looking into the "Garry Marshall Lucky Charms." He had a specific group of actors he put in almost every movie, and finding them is like a giant game of cinematic Where’s Waldo?. You can also check out Nicholle Tom’s voice work as Supergirl to see just how much her range expanded after her stint as a teen reporter.