Pod Meets World: The Cheetah Girls: One World
iHeartPodcasts | Aired: January 6, 2026
Hosts: Will Friedle, Sabrina Bryan
Special Guests/Recurring Voices: Danny Shapiro
Episode Overview
In this “Magical Rewind” episode of Pod Meets World, the hosts look back on the 2008 Disney Channel Original Movie, The Cheetah Girls: One World, with special insight from Sabrina Bryan, who played Dorinda in the trilogy and was part of the real-life girl group. Will and Sabrina offer behind-the-scenes stories, reflections on filming in India, the evolution of the Cheetah Girls as a group, and plenty of humorous commentary as they recap the film’s plot—song by song, walk by walk, and elephant by elephant. The hosts also discuss lasting memories, production quirks, rating the franchise, and more.
Main Themes & Purpose
- Nostalgic Rewatch: A deep dive into the third and final Cheetah Girls film, reflecting on both the story and on-the-ground memories.
- Behind-the-Scenes Stories: Sabrina brings her personal experiences, sharing what it was like to film in India, work with local crew, and say goodbye to an era.
- Friendship & Change: Discussions on the film’s plot, which explores friendship and competing dreams, and how those themes echoed real-life changes for the group.
- Production & Franchise Evolution: Observations on how the third film differed in budget, location, cast chemistry, music, and emotional content.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Costuming & On-Set Stories
[02:20-04:59]
- Sabrina reveals she brought her own jumpsuit to India, as she couldn’t find one like it for filming.
“I just brought this to India and we wore it. But they did have to put, you know, cover the logo and things like that, which now, over the years, you can still see where the seam was.” — Sabrina [02:43] - Working with costume designer Mona May was “the dream.”
“There's only one outfit that I just, like, cringe over, but… working with [Mona] was incredible.” — Sabrina [03:17]
2. Emotional Weight of the Final Movie
[04:04-05:16]
- This film marked the end of an era for Cheetah Girls, stirring up mixed emotions.
“This was sort of the last, like, big memories that I have. You know, it was our last movie… I got a little emotional here and there.” — Sabrina [04:04] - The group toured relentlessly, beat records (Houston Rodeo, Rolling Stones’ merch), and felt the weight of closing a chapter.
“These were kind of the last of our, like, really cool adventures.” — Sabrina [04:59]
3. Ranking the Trilogy
[06:17-08:10]
- Sabrina’s definitive favorite: The second movie in Barcelona, hands down.
- The third and first are tied for her, each holding a different kind of nostalgia.
- Will’s take: “The second one is the best…this last one...you kind of took over, like, the lead role.” — Will [08:10]
4. Filming in India: Expectations vs. Reality
[08:40-11:31]
- Contrasting images of India due to proximity of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ (realistic) and the film’s own “magical Bollywood” take.
- Sabrina had little knowledge of Bollywood beforehand.
- Filming locations: Main time in Mumbai, but also Udaipur and a rural village.
“There was a village that we went out to... we shot there for, like, six or seven days.” — Sabrina [10:39] - Hotel had a water taxi: “That water...with the amazing castle in the back...was a water taxi we could get on from our hotel.” — Sabrina [11:31]
5. Production Value and Personal Viewing Habits
[12:02-13:53]
- The movie cost $25 million—substantially more than the prior ones, and it shows.
- Sabrina hadn’t fully rewatched the movie since its original premiere, except for showing her daughter the elephant scene:
“I think the only thing I've watched since, probably, let's call it, like, a year or two after it premiered, was watching, like, Dance Me if you can…” — Sabrina [12:09]
6. The Music
[13:11-14:38]
- The soundtrack reached #13 on the Billboard Top 200, blending Cheetah Girls’ pop with Bollywood influence.
- Each Cheetah Girl got a solo track, a new development.
“Did you like having your own song finally?” — Will
“I don't think I necessarily needed it… I love the aspect of a team.” — Sabrina [13:53-14:16]
7. Working with Local Indian Crew & Dancers
[24:35-26:24]
- Praises for the Indian crew’s work ethic and spirit:
“Our filming areas, wherever we were filming, were packed…They worked so hard and made our job so easy…” — Sabrina [25:13] - Shooting in India felt massive—more people on sets, and a special bond with local talent.
8. The Plot in Review: Friendship, Competition & Bollywood
[18:58-44:49 Interwoven]
- Will and Sabrina recap the movie in detail, highlighting the core tension: the three Cheetah Girls must compete for one role in a Bollywood movie, threatening their friendship.
- Multiple musical numbers and iconic dance moments recounted.
- Scenes of walking—lots and lots of walking—are a recurring source of humor:
“This movie has so much walking in it. Did you ever realize until you watch it again how much walking is actually in the film?” — Will [56:51]
9. Missing Raven-Symoné
[20:48-21:26]
- The absence of Raven’s Galleria is deeply felt, both in character balance and comedic timing. “I can’t lie, I miss Raven’s crazy out of this world humor in it…It's hard to go, gosh, I wonder what it would have been if it was the four of us.” — Sabrina
10. On Location: Security & Safety
[37:58-39:57]
- Safety was a priority in India; unlike Barcelona, the girls were not allowed to wander unescorted.
- “In India, we each had a driver and an assistant…We weren't allowed to leave our resort by ourselves unless…[for] safety.” — Sabrina [38:07]
11. Production Quirks & Stand-Out Moments
- Dancing on “terrifying” stairs and on mountainsides [94:14–95:03]
- On the elephant:
“You looked like you did not feel safe whatsoever.” — Will [82:17]
“I mean, you're just like…it's just…” — Sabrina [83:25] - Comedic takes on countless walking scenes:
“It should be called Cheetah Girls 3: The Ballad of Walking.” — Will [75:36] - Hilarious “worst movie kiss” critique:
“If you’re not gonna go for it, then shake his hand and walk away again.” — Will [77:41]
12. Culture Clashes & Real-Life Reflections
- Sabrina details how the chaos and beauty of Mumbai’s streets, the Holi festival, and local customs made filming memorable—and sometimes overwhelming.
- Differences in freedom, safety, and daily life between filming locations drew strong contrast.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “These were kind of the last of our, like, really cool adventures…this was kind of the start of The Last.” — Sabrina [04:59]
- “We beat Elvis’s [Houston Rodeo] record. We beat the Rolling Stones merch record…we were just like…it was just huge.” — Sabrina [07:18]
- “I felt like Beyonce. So it was a. Okay.” — Sabrina [29:30]
- “This movie has so much walking in it…A crazy amount of walking.” — Will [56:51]
- On working with Mona May: “The dream of working with her. She’s just so incredible.” — Sabrina [03:34]
- On missing Raven: “There was an aspect of her comedy that she brings…just so vibrant and so good…” — Sabrina [20:48]
- On the intimidating elephant:
“Once we were on it, until it was done…You're holding on for dear life.” — Sabrina [81:44–82:28]
Timestamps: Key Segments
- 02:20 — Show proper starts, Sabrina’s jumpsuit & costuming
- 04:04 — Emotional reflections: Last Cheetah adventure
- 06:17 — Ranking the trilogy, favorite movies
- 08:44 — India expectations and first impressions
- 12:02 — Higher production value, first thoughts on the rewatch
- 13:11 — The soundtrack: Billboard success, solo tracks
- 18:58 — Plot recap starts: “Only one can be a star” Bollywood
- 25:13 — Working with Indian crew and dancers
- 31:02 — Cheetah Girls’ career timeline clarified
- 37:58 — Filming in Mumbai/India; contrast with Barcelona
- 47:31 — Rehearsal, Geeta’s dance battle, on the big set
- 56:25 — Walking jokes and on-set logistics
- 66:33 — How the elephant “spray” scene was filmed
- 74:04 — Ballads on ballads, musical pacing critique
- 77:00 — The infamous “worst kiss” in DCOM history
- 81:44 — Final musical number, riding the elephant
- 87:46 — Reading one-star and five-star Amazon reviews
- 89:20 — Indian food game, Sabrina can’t eat Indian food after the shoot
- 93:13 — “Sabrina Sees” segment: stock New York footage, costuming, dancing on dangerous stairs
- 100:37 — Rating the film: “non stop walks,” nostalgia, and production value
Ratings & Reflections
- Sabrina Bryan: 8 out of 10 “Non Stop Walks”
“There were more holes…could have eliminated some walking…but I did like Dorinda’s storyline a lot. This was just a really good watch to be nostalgic.” [102:02] - Will Friedle: Soft 8, Hard 7.5
“If I was like an 11 or 12 year old girl when this came out…this would’ve been the coolest thing in the world…definitely enjoyed it.” [103:07]
In the Cheetah Spirit: Final Takeaways
- Visuals and Music: Universally praised—India’s scenery and Bollywood-style choreography made the film beautiful to watch.
- Emotional Ending: Marked the close of the Cheetah Girl’s story and a coming-of-age for the cast.
- Fun, But Flawed: Plot had holes (even acknowledged in their own Amazon review segment), an overabundance of walking, and some narrative oddities, but fans will find it an emotionally satisfying final performance.
For Cheetah Girls & DCOM Fans
Whether you’re old-school Cheetah Girls Nation or discovering the trilogy for the first time, this rewatch episode delivers an honest, heartfelt, and humorous tribute to a girl power classic. The trio wraps the franchise with laughter, nostalgia, and a touch of “cheetah-licious” sparkle.
“These movies for me…bring back so many amazing memories…just so appreciative of everything I got through the Cheetah Time.”
— Sabrina Bryan [101:04]