Sabrina Bryan still believes in magic.
As a teenager, she’d sprint home from school on Fridays to watch whichever Disney Channel movie was premiering that night. Within a few years, she would land her big break as Dorinda Thomas in “The Cheetah Girls,” which spawned three films and still remains among Disney Channel’s most successful franchises. It’s the kind of stroke of fate that does conjure sorcery.
By Kelsey Garcia
Photography By Anna Koblish
Sabrina Bryan
Is Reclaiming the Magic of the 2000s
Sabrina Bryan and partner Mark Ballas perform on “Dancing with the Stars,” 2007; getty images/Carol Kaelson
Sabrina Bryan, Kiely Williams, and Adrienne Bailon of The Cheetah Girls at the premiere of “The Cheetah Girls One World,” 2008; getty images/Alberto E. Rodriguez
Sabrina Bryan and Kiely Williams of The Cheetah Girls perform in concert at Nassau Coliseum, 2006; getty images/Kevin Kane
Sabrina Bryan at the New York Premiere of “The Cheetah Girls,” 2003; Getty images/Johnny Nunez
These days, the triple threat and mom of two is revisiting all those movies for her rewatch podcast, “Magical Rewind,” with “Boy Meets World” star Will Friedle. “It’s silly to say, but it’s been so magical,” Bryan says, reflecting on watching her favorite Disney Channel Originals as an adult.
In the same way “The Cheetah Girls” helped shape many millennial childhoods, Bryan excitedly rattles off a list of titles that shaped her own, from “The Color of Friendship” to “Brink!” and “Halloweentown.” That goes on for a few minutes before Bryan finally pauses for air. “I love my job right now,” she adds. “I hope you can hear that.”
As much as Bryan appreciates this new chapter of her career, she also isn’t afraid to look back. In fact, Bryan will soon be revisiting her breakout role for a newly announced fourth installment in the Cheetah Girls franchise, “The Cheetah Girls: Next Gen.” Bryan says she “can’t wait to see what this next chapter will bring,” adding that she’s “so excited to step back into my cheetah shoes and play the role of Dorinda again.”
The reboot comes when Y2K nostalgia is at an all-time high, and Bryan is relishing the moment as someone who loved — and played a role — in that decade of pop culture. Even the clothes for our Popsugar shoot flood back memories. On set, Bryan is sporting Juicy Couture velour tracksuit pants and a heart charm necklace. “I’m literally wearing an outfit that feels like it was pulled straight from my actual closet,” she says. “This was me on a basic Tuesday.”
Photos: anna koblish; Sabrina wears Los Angeles Apparel blue top, vintage Fendi blue leopard print cardigan via Gabriel Held Vintage, Juicy Couture pants, Amazon necklace, Laura Lombardi large silver hoop earrings, and Paris Texas shoes
Bryan has a strong affection for that time in her life. In 2006, “The Cheetah Girls 2” had just come out and Bryan, along with Raven-Symoné, Adrienne Bailon, and Kiely Williams, embarked on The Party’s Just Begun Tour. (Miley Cyrus and Vanessa Hudgens were opening acts, by the way.) “What a time,” Bryan says. “It’ll bring me to tears thinking about it too hard because it’s like all of my dreams, within that year of 2006, were coming true.” The tour sounds like one big slumber party; Bryan reminisces about “hitting all the malls” throughout the country with her “very best friends.” But she also looks back at that period with a certain reverence: “We weren’t just a girl group. It wasn’t just plastic fashion, hair, dance moves. Our movies allowed us to have a direct mission and inspire our fans to do anything they want.” She adds, “There was such power in that.” Bryan doesn’t take the opportunity for granted. Following the Cheetah Girls craze, she had a stream of sitcom guest appearances and two stints on “Dancing with the Stars.” She also developed her dance apparel line, Sabri. But then she gave herself a “gap era.” She got married to Jordan Lundberg in 2018. They welcomed a daughter, Comillia Monroe, in 2020, and a son, Ledger Grey, in 2023. “That’s obviously always a gamble,” Bryan says of taking a break from entertainment. “You don’t know what’s gonna be there when you get back. But I was really lucky that it was.”
When I ask if her early days as a role model have shaped who she is as a mom, Bryan, who normally speaks at a fast clip, pauses. “I might have to check back in with you on that,” she says. “I’m just like any other mom struggling through the day-to-day, trying to parent as best as I can.” Bryan says she’s always been careful not to influence her daughter’s passions. In fact, when Comillia wanted to take up dance, Bryan made sure that was of her own volition, and not just “because mommy dances.” Bryan says, “My greatest fear is that she does it because that’s what mommy wants. I want her to do it because she loves it as much as I did.” This is also why Bryan was hesitant to let Comillia watch “The Cheetah Girls.” Despite her best efforts, however, the family did sit down together to watch the movies. Comillia had a strong first reaction after seeing Dorinda kiss love interest Joaquín in Barcelona — “Mommy, that is not daddy,” she scolded — but that was soon after followed up with, “Mommy, I wanna be a Cheetah Girl. How can I be a Cheetah Girl? When do I get to be a Cheetah Girl?”
Comillia’s sixth birthday is approaching, and while she originally wanted her party to have a “Gabby’s Dollhouse” theme, she’s since changed her mind. (I bet you can guess her request.) “I’m like, ‘Oh, hell,’” Bryan says, contending with her daughter’s request for a Cheetah Girls party. “I can’t post any pictures because it’s gonna look like I’m pushing this on her.“ As much as Bryan winces at what the public might think, she also knows something special is taking place, something magical. “It’s so awesome to be able to experience this now through her eyes.”
Photo: anna koblish
Creative Credits Photographer: Anna Koblish
Videographer: Mike Dalton
Associate Creative Director: Emily Zirimis
Senior Visuals Designer: Summer Bockart
Social Media Design Coordinator: Sara Abdelbarry
Animation Designer: Luke Irwin
Stylist: Ali Claire Marino
Makeup Artist: Amy Galibut
Makeup Assistant: Romana “Romie” Macedo
HairStylist: Berenz Castro
Hair Assistant: Jasmine Bagley
Groomer: Colleen Dominique
Lighting Director: Byron Nickleberry
1st Photo Assistant: Morganne Boulden
2nd Photo Assistant: Layla Williams
Digitech: Tara Raine
Photo Retoucher: Alberto Maro
Stylist Assistant: Kassidy Taylor
Tailor: Egle Paulauskaite
Production: Dunwell Production
Executive Producer: Caroline Santee Hughes
Producer & prop stylist: Andre Shahjanian
Assistant Director of production: Becca Weston
Production Assistant: Kurtis Scott
Production Assistant: Francesca Ferraro
Editorial Credits Editor-in-Chief: Kelsey Castañon
Senior Director of Special Projects: Lena Felton
Cover Story Writer: Kelsey Garcia
Senior Style Director: Jessica Andrews
Director of Audience Development: Kaitlin Hatton
Managing Editor: Karen Snyder Duke
Supervising Producer: Jordan Shalhoub
Audience Development Manager: Charisandra Perez
Associate Social Talent Manager: Mia Marquez
Editorial Operations Coordinator: Caitlin Oates
Photo: Anna koblish
20th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
READ MORE OF The AUGHTS EFFECT
