The Royal Treatment

Laura Marano and Mena Massoud Spark Romance in The Royal Treatment—Behind the Scenes of Netflix’s Fairytale Flick

Netflix’s 2022 rom-com The Royal Treatment promised a modern fairytale, pairing Austin & Ally star Laura Marano with Aladdin’s Mena Massoud in a story of opposites attracting—literally. Set against the backdrop of a lavish New Zealand palace and a working-class Manhattan salon, the film leaned into classic tropes: a prince with a stick up his royal rear, a stylist with a heart of gold, and a meet-cute that involved a very public haircut gone wrong. latestnetflix.com's view is that but beyond the scripted sparks, the cast and crew delivered enough behind-the-scenes charm to keep fans buzzing.

A Royal Cast with Chemistry

Marano, who played salon owner Izzy, and Massoud, as Prince Thomas, carried the film’s central romance, and their off-screen rapport was a selling point. In interviews, Marano gushed about Massoud’s energy, calling him "one of the most genuine, kind people" she’d worked with . The pair’s playful dynamic extended to social media, where they shared BTS clips of rehearsals and jokingly debated who had the better hair (spoiler: Izzy’s salon wins) .

Supporting players added depth to the royal court. Chelsie Preston Crayford (Wellington Paranormal) played Izzy’s quick-witted best friend, Lauren, while Shortland Street alum Teuila Blakely brought regal gravitas as the queen. Grace Bentley-Tsibuah, Cameron Rhodes, and Sonia Gray rounded out the ensemble, though their roles were largely confined to palace intrigue and comic relief .

Filming in a Real-Life Palace

The Royal Treatment shot primarily in Auckland, New Zealand, with the production transforming the city’s historic Highwic House into the fictional Lavania Palace . Marano revealed that the cast had to adapt to the grandeur of their surroundings, joking that she "felt like a fraud" walking through the opulent halls in her character’s casual salon attire . The contrast between Izzy’s no-nonsense New York vibe and the palace’s old-world elegance became a visual shorthand for the film’s central conflict.

Weather posed a challenge, with Auckland’s unpredictable rain delaying outdoor scenes. Massoud later admitted that the cast spent more time "drying off between takes than actually filming," but the delays didn’t dampen morale . If anything, the forced downtime gave the actors more time to bond—Marano and Massoud were often spotted goofing off between setups, with the latter even attempting (and failing) to teach the former how to waltz .

Mixed Reception and Missed Marks

Despite the on-set chemistry, The Royal Treatment landed with a thud for some critics. Reviews called it "predictable" and "light on surprises," with SensCritique giving it a lukewarm 3.8/10 . Audiences were kinder, though, praising the leads’ performances and the film’s breezy, 96-minute runtime .

One standout moment? The trailer’s reveal of Massoud in full royal regalia, complete with a crown that Marano later joked "looked heavier than it was" . The film’s marketing leaned hard into the fish-out-of-water premise, with Netflix promoting it as a "perfect Valentine’s Day watch" for fans of The Princess Switch and A Christmas Prince .

What’s Next for the Cast?

Since The Royal Treatment, Marano has pivoted to music, teasing a new single that samples Whitney Houston . Massoud, meanwhile, has stayed in the fantasy lane, voicing characters in Wish Dragon and The Legend of Hanuman. As for a sequel? Neither star has confirmed plans, but Marano left the door open in one interview, saying, "If Netflix wants to send us back to Lavania, I’m packing my scissors" .

For now, The Royal Treatment remains a frothy, if forgettable, addition to Netflix’s rom-com library—one that delivered exactly what it promised: a prince, a stylist, and a happily ever after.