Will Friedle and Sabrina Bryan talk nostalgia and 'Magical Rewind'

Disney Channel nostalgia has reached a new era. Disney Channel celebs have started creating their own Disney Channel Rewatch podcasts.in magical rewindformer Disney Channel star Will Friedle (boy meets world, kim possible) and Sabrina Bryan (The Cheetah Girls series) dive into Disney's vast catalog of made-for-TV movies, including Disney Channel original movies and movies made for ABC. the wonderful world of disney. The co-hosts are seen smiling from their theater seats in promotional photos wearing matching jammies and holding popcorn, showing fans they're in for a cozy, nostalgic treat.

Since the show began in mid-January, Brian and Friedl have presented new recaps every week, balancing important takes with nostalgia and an appreciation for decades of Disney magic. They have a motto that agrees with his DCOM norms. magical rewind, a show that will make you want to grab your friends, your pajamas, and your popcorn and go back to the days when every house was smart, every wave was a tsunami, and there was High School Musical. ” The duo's weekly walkthroughs feature plots, characters, filming locations, trivia, and, of course, their real reviews and reactions. Brian's hope is that her avid DCOM fans will see the films she and Friedl discuss and perhaps attend rewatch parties in the future.

Both have a rich history with Disney, making them ideal for this type of podcast venture. Brian has been a popular Disney Channel star since his first appearance in the movie Dorinda Thomas. Cheetah Girls. The 2003 film was just the beginning of her DCOM fame. The Cheetahs filmed her two sequels, recorded numerous Disney music projects, and became a real touring Girls group. Brian then dance with the stars My favorite guy is also a professional dance coach and choreographer.

Friedl was a Nickelodeon star in the '80s who rapped on children's talk shows and interviewed “weirdo” Al Yankovic. don't just sit there. But he is best known to an entire Disney Channel generation for his boy meets world (a rerun of the ABC TGIF comedy that aired on Disney) and the voice of Ron Stoppable kim possibleFriedl is a veteran podcaster and co-host. I hear a voice Christy Carlson Romano and (even stevens, kim possible, cadet kelly), he is currently reviewing the fourth season of boy meets world With co-stars Danielle Fishel and Rider Strong Pod meets the world.

With so many credits on the same network, it's surprising that Friedl and Bryan didn't know about each other before working on the show. “Actually, iHeart and he got a call from Will,” Brian said in an interview with The Daily Beast's Obsessed. “They were the ones who brought this idea to me. I literally grew up on Disney, so I've been watching Disney all my life.”

However, she and Friedl quickly developed a good relationship. “When it comes to all classic movies, 'Will' is like a giant book of knowledge,” says Brian. “We hit it off right away,” Friedl added. “And what we liked about this whole idea was the fact that for some of her DCOMs that we were watching, they were going to miss her. For other, slightly older ones, I It will be nostalgic for everyone.”

Now is a great time for the co-hosts to revisit their old strongholds. Disney TV movies still tend to make waves both big and small in pop culture. in 2023 Jimmy Kimmel Live! exterior, successor's Nicholas Braun talks about giving the movie to Quentin Tarantino. tiger beat His 2008 DCOM ad; minutemen. Kiki Palmer paid tribute to Tyra Banks Life-size A performance that perfectly recreates a shopping mall try-on montage.Fans visiting Barcelona sometimes film themselves playing. cheetah girls 2 “Strut” number.

Disney Channel/Courtesy of Everett Collection

“Even though we can go back and forth on some things, [the movies] And the message may not always be on point…the main message is always inspirational and very warm,” says Brian. Friedl calls DCOM “the film equivalent of a warm blanket or slippers.” “You're 4 years old and you like warm blankets. You're 40 and you like warm blankets. That's never going to change,” he says.

magical rewind It starts in particularly familiar territory for Friedl. A date with the president's daughter”.this beloved Wonderful World of Disney The film and its eponymous theme song aren't legally available to stream, and anyone who's ever fangirled over Harry's (Elizabeth Harnois) pink velvet dress will be disappointed. Although not a DCOM, the 1998 film speaks to her DCOM generation just as much as her 2000s. Model behavior and Life-size I always have it.these Wonderful World of Disney The film was rebroadcast on the Disney Channel and merged with the then-current tween entertainment spectacle.

Brian and Friedl blend criticism with behind-the-scenes details that only the actors in the film can reveal. Friedl tells a story about how he met Dave Chappelle, who was working near the Toronto set and he was using Friedl's bathroom at 3 a.m. “It was one of the weirdest Hollywood moments of my life,” he said with a laugh on the pod.

Walt Disney Company/Courtesy of Everett Collection

The second episode is all about the first episode cheetah girls The film gave Brian a “Cheetah-ish” story floor in between scene analysis. She talked about how she felt when she received her flowers and note from Whitney Houston, one of the film's executive producers. It's especially cute to hear Friedle embrace the movie's “cheetah babble” (nicknames like “Ziggy Jungle” and “Chuchie” and “Bubbles”).

These weekly recaps are supplemented by “Park Hopper” episodes in which Friedl and Brian interview the stars of the films in question. The first three guests are Elisabeth Harnois (who co-starred in Friedl); A date with the president's daughter), Keeley Williams (Brian's fellow Cheetah Girl), Christina Vidal ( brink!); The episode featuring Williams, who was part of the girl group 3LW before joining the Cheetah Girls, is a highlight. Brian and Williams fondly remember the late Stephen “Tucci” Boss, who attended Chapman University with Brian and choreographed the group's first live performance. disney mania 3 Performance of “I Won't Say (I'm in Love)”. They're even toying with the idea of ​​a full-on Cheetah reunion, but millennials may not be able to handle that much nostalgia. magical rewindHowever, it is the next best option.

Brian is among those fans who still remember the good old days of watching tween TV. She has been a fan since childhood, as her family subscribed to the Disney Channel from the 80's to the 90's when it was a premium cable channel.she remembers watching it All-New Mickey Mouse Club and Kids Co., Ltd.And even before I started dance lessons, I was fascinated by the music and movement. “I was definitely dancing in my living room, just imitating what kids do. I would watch it on TV, rewind it, try to imitate the moves, or find some great music that was playing. Kids Co., Ltd.,” she says. It makes perfect sense that Brian continued to make Disney music himself.

Although he didn't grow up watching DCOM like Brian, she said she had a special love for the 1998 film. brink! and in 1999 Johnny Tsunami—Friedl likens the experience of reviewing films with his girlfriend to revisiting his beloved '80s films. BMX bandit and rad. Without a nostalgic element, a person watching that particular movie for the first time may not find it appealing.

“But they were very important to my childhood, so they're very important and they're the best movies of all time,” Friedl said, adding, “You can't just watch them.” [DCOMs] It's like an independent movie. You have to look at it with the mindset of a child experiencing it for the first time. That said, Brian is still getting the hang of approaching movies from a child-like perspective, although Brian says, “I can instantly go back to being 13 years old with my friends watching these movies.” ” he says.

Now a mother of two, Brian swaps out friends and involves her family in the viewing (or rewatching) process on her behalf. She observes that other millennial parents are doing the same. And while they're the generation driving nostalgia for the Disney Channel, they're also passing that love on to their children.

“As the Cheetah Girls continue to perform, our fan base seems to be multigenerational,” Brian says. “So the girls who started when we came out now have daughters and children of their own and love the message and are being seen.”

As Friedl learned while producing the podcast, classic DCOM has a timeless appeal. “We've seen couples who were like, 'Okay, let's forget the nostalgia. Forget about the Disney Channel. That's just a good movie.' And then, 'Well, that's what it is.' There are some things you have to think about. But you are there. You are rooting for them. You are enjoying what is happening now. ”

While the millennial fans checking out the show may be coming for the DCOM from their childhood; magical rewind We also offer a deeper Disney TV movie catalog. Friedl and Brian are fascinated by Disney Channel premiere movies from the 80s and his 90s. Wonderful World of Disney The brand (and its predecessor, TV Anthology, started in the days of Walt Disney and had several other names) as far back as possible.Starring Kurt Russell and Steve Guttenberg willy and yank (1967) and tower of terror (1997) are both invited to join the pod to talk about their Disney TV projects.

But the obstacles magical rewind Phases is Disney Channel's history buff's lament: Not everything is available for streaming. “I hope these films aren't lost to thin air,” Friedl says. “These are amazing time capsules of filmmaking, Disney, and storytelling, and they shouldn't be lost.” tiger townthe first movie in Disney Channel history to top the list.

Still, Brian and Friedl have fun jumping around the timeline of Disney Channel movie releases, even jumping over millennial favorites to tackle more recent DCOM titles.Both co-hosts said they were fascinated by the 2015 work. descendantsThat's the subject of the show's latest episode, and we're looking forward to the rest of director Kenny Ortega's trilogy, which was a huge hit on the Disney Channel.it's a kind of high school musicalBringing unique experiences to the next generation.

However, Disney will no longer use Disney Channel Original Movie branding on new movies starting in fall 2022, due to the 2021 sequel. underlap reboot. “Disney Original Movies” is a term used to refer to recent and upcoming projects (similar to 2023 movies) prom agreement, rated TV-14). While it's sad to accept that this may be the end of an era, it wouldn't be too surprising to see Disney move to more fluid packaging either. Some new movies still feature Disney Channel talent, premiering on the channel and potentially making it available on Disney+ the next day.

Friedl found that while the “Disney magic” hasn't diminished, the “camaraderie” around ratings has. “It changes the whole atmosphere around Magic because it's on whenever you want to be on, instead of at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, April 7th.” magical rewindTherefore, it fits a niche of listeners who still prefer DCOM to be an ongoing part of their lives. “I hope that the Rewatch podcast brings back monoculture, in a very small way, and frankly, I miss it,” Friedl says.

Brian likens the experience to a trip to Disneyland. Similar to the podcast, this day is all about “reminiscing about my childhood and checking out what's new in the parks, but I always love riding Dumbo and the classic rides.”