Cheetah Girls: County Down girl has ‘life changed overnight’

Things are about to get a lot more Cheetahlicious.

For millions of Disney fans, that phrase instantly conjures up memories of one of the biggest musical franchises of the 2000s.

Now, more than 20 years after The Cheetah Girls first burst onto screens, the much-loved musical film is making a comeback with a new generation getting ready to strut like they mean it.

Among the fresh cast is a teenager whose biggest worry just a few weeks ago, was sitting her GCSE exams.

Sophie Lennon, from Mayobridge, County Down said her “life has changed overnight” since receiving the news she “always dreamed of”.

But landing the role wasn’t easy.

She managed to see off 300,000 other teenagers who auditioned during a global casting search, to secure just one of the four coveted roles.

Her self-tape had to showcase all three of her talents – singing, dancing and acting.

Luckily the 16-year-old is no stranger to the spotlight, having appeared on both Britain’s Got Talent and America’s Got Talent, performed on the West End, and represented Ireland at the 2022 Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

But coming from Northern Ireland, Sophie knew she was an unexpected choice for a role so closely linked with American performers.

“I genuinely thought I had no chance,” she said.

“So when I got the callback about a week later, I was completely shocked.”