[This story contains spoilers from America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.]

The web’s newest obsession, America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, has legions of viewers trying the legendary cheer squad’s iconic “Thunderstruck” dance and, as soon as once more, speaking concerning the hot-button subject of low NFL cheerleader pay.

The seven-episode Netflix docuseries introduced viewers behind-the-scenes of the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders’ 2023-2024 squad tryouts, coaching camp and season. The Greg Whiteley-directed present has pulled the featured cheerleaders into the highlight — very like the folks featured in Whiteley’s different Netflix docuseries Cheer and Final Likelihood U.

America’s Sweethearts follows cheerleaders who have been beforehand on the crew, known as “vets” or “veterans,” whereas additionally introducing viewers to a number of rookie candidates — amongst them fan favorites Reece, Charly and Kelly.

All through the collection, whereas the crew is in coaching camp, an onscreen counter reveals viewers the present variety of rookies and veterans within the camp. The squad’s coaching camp begins with 44 girls — 28 vets and 16 rookies — earlier than ultimately being reduce right down to a ultimate roster of 36.

The Hollywood Reporter spoke with Reece, Charly and Kelly to see what they’ve been as much as for the reason that present wrapped and the place they’re on their respective journeys.

Reece

Reece, a latest graduate of the College of Alabama when the present was filmed, is launched to viewers within the first episode of the collection throughout the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders’ tryouts. The Florida native rapidly catches the eye of judges and, spoiler, ultimately makes the 2023-2024 crew.

Reece calls it “surreal” to have such a pivotal second in her life memorialized in a docuseries, including, “I really feel like all 36 of us really feel the identical manner. We all know that we’re on such an enormous platform.”

The Cowboys cheerleader tells THR that she and the remainder of the crew are grateful and lucky for the expertise, noting that for the reason that launch of America’s Sweethearts, her life is completely different. “This yr was so superb, so particular,” she says.

Reece provides: “Now with the docuseries out, my life has positively modified virtually in a single day. The Lord, this didn’t catch him without warning, so I’m simply right here making an attempt to take the seat and have Him simply information me all through all of it however tremendous grateful and excited to see all the brand new alternatives and experiences that may include this right here.”

The cheerleader’s private life is woven into the collection, together with her sturdy relationship to her religion and her engagement. Reece’s now-husband, Will, can also be featured all through the present. “The primary boy I met is now going to be my husband,” she says throughout a confessional within the present’s second episode, laughing by means of a smile.

The response to her time on the present has been largely constructive. Reece jokes that “folks know me in all probability greater than I truly know myself at this level,” however is upfront concerning the strain that comes with being the topic of a present like America’s Sweethearts.

“I’d be mendacity to you if I mentioned that it was all simply excellent,” Reece says. “This comes with numerous duty. I’ve numerous eyes now me, greater than ever earlier than, and I maintain that and maintain that. … I maintain it with numerous duty.”

“It’s positively nerve-racking, however in such a phenomenal manner as a result of it’s a blessing all on the identical time,” she provides.

By way of Reece’s present plans, after making the 2023-2024 crew, she is as soon as once more in coaching camp with hopes of becoming a member of the squad for a second yr. “Clearly, I’m making an attempt to earn these boots again once more for yr two,” she says. “Clearly, I hope that I have been to make the crew, but when not, then that’s OK.”

When requested how she felt in auditions this yr versus how she felt final yr, Reece notes that she has a greater understanding of what’s at stake. “You’ve had publicity, you’ve had expertise and also you now know what it’s prefer to be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader,” she says.

“I really feel like that expectation of coming in with excellence is simply heightened a little bit bit extra,” she provides. The cheerleader explains that being a veteran member of the crew for the primary time is “numerous duty as properly.”

“Ensuring that I’m not getting complacent and I’m retaining my head down and actually pushing and dealing onerous is certainly key proper now,” Reece says. “But additionally I cherished having final yr, however I don’t need to take that with no consideration, and I need that once more.”

As for recommendation for many who may be impressed to check out for the crew after seeing the present, Reece has a easy outlook, including that this may sound “so cliche.”

“Everybody has a seat on the desk, and I really feel like with the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, you already know, we’re America’s sweethearts, and that’s representing everybody from completely different backgrounds,” she says.

“I believe it’s extraordinarily necessary simply to stay true to your self as a result of while you go searching, you’re simply a wide range of unimaginable, lovely girls and ensuring you keep true to that’s positively one thing that’s necessary right here,” she later provides. “So my greatest piece of recommendation is simply being your self. That’s the reason you get to the place you’re as we speak.”

Charly

California native Charly stands out within the collection to viewers, and the Cowboys cheerleaders’ audition judges, as a extremely expert technical dancer — the 2023 rookie candidate shares early into the collection that she started ballet as a 2-year-old. “I simply needed to see her in a tutu,” Charly’s mother jokes on the present.

Charly makes it by means of auditions and much into coaching camp earlier than ultimately being the ultimate coaching camp candidate reduce from the crew. Portrayed within the present’s fourth episode, Cowboys cheerleader coach Kelli Finglass, a former Cowboys cheerleader herself, tells the hopeful that she blew the judges away as a dancer however felt she was “not there but” when it got here to the crew’s type. The dancer promised Finglass after being launched: “I’ll be again stronger subsequent yr.”

“It was actually cool to observe the whole lot again and simply type of relive all of the feelings,” Charly tells THR of what it was prefer to see her expertise onscreen. “There’s a number of tears, a number of laughter, however yeah, I completely cherished watching it again.”

Presently, Charly is again on the Dallas Cowboys cheerleading coaching camp. When the crew introduced Charly was again as a candidate on Instagram, the submit was flooded with feedback of pleasure and encouragement, one thing Charly says she shouldn’t be taking with no consideration.

“I don’t take that calmly. I simply really feel so extremely blessed. I had no concept that that might be the result to folks watching the present, and I simply really feel so, so grateful,” she says, noting that she sees “the whole lot.”

“Each time I’m feeling down or something, all through this course of in present time, I’ll take a look at all of the feedback of individuals simply being like, ‘We’re so happy with you. It’s important to make it this yr.’ It’s so, so, so candy,” Charly says. “Individuals don’t should say issues like that, and I simply really feel so extremely blessed.”

The dancer wasted no time in getting ready for the 2024 Cowboys cheerleader audition course of. “I’ve been coaching for the reason that second I bought reduce,” Charly emphasizes, noting she instructed coaches she was able to be again when she was launched.

“I do know that is precisely the place I need to be. I need to be again on this course of once more. Coaching camp is such a singular expertise that so little folks get to expertise,” she explains, including that she’s been taking each class she may all through the final yr.

Whereas she has seemingly been inspired by the present’s constructive reception, Charly says she is obstructing out the previous and specializing in the long run as she is “hyper fixated” on incomes a spot on this yr’s squad. “I do really feel prefer it’s [the show’s release] introduced nothing however extra happiness into my life whereas going by means of this journey,” Charly says, emphasizing as soon as once more that her focus stays on making the crew.

Charly provides that she stays grateful to all of the individuals who have been supporting her for the reason that present’s launch. “It’s one thing I’ve by no means skilled earlier than and all of it type of occurred in a single day,” she says.

Charly later provides: “If I may hug everyone I might in a heartbeat.”

Kelly

Rutgers College alum Kelly, usually known as “Kelly V.” all through the collection, is one other standout rookie candidate in America’s Sweethearts. The Weehawken, New Jersey native declares a number of instances all through the collection that she has been dreaming of creating the crew since she was a toddler.

Kelly is launched from coaching camp within the present’s third episode in what is without doubt one of the extra emotional coaching camp cuts. The dancer has an open dialog with Finglass and the crew’s head choreographer Judy Trammell, one other former Cowboys cheerleader, about her expertise within the camp and what her prospects appear like sooner or later. Kelly says she desires to make the crew and take a look at once more.

“Watching the present again positively brings again numerous feelings as a result of not solely am I reliving what transpired final yr, however I’m additionally reliving it in actual time now in coaching camp,” Kelly tells THR.

Like Charly, Kelly auditioned once more this yr and is at the moment in coaching camp, hoping to make the 2024-2025 squad. “It was positively tremendous emotional however superb to see my journey documented, and it made me much more excited that I’m again right here,” she says.

Kelly, describing the sensation as “so unusual,” says she knew she can be coming again to check out once more the moment she was launched. “I’ve by no means felt like that in my life, the place you confronted rejection and instantly you’re motivated. It was the craziest factor, however that’s how I knew that is what I need to do,” she provides.

All through the final yr, the Cowboys cheerleader hopeful has been coaching each day in a dance studio. “I might fly out to Dallas — as a result of I used to be again at residence in Jersey — however I might fly to Dallas as a lot as I may and practice as a lot as I can,” Kelly explains.

“I used to be with Charly so much,” Kelly shares. “She’s helped me so much by means of this course of as a result of we’re in it collectively, so we lean on one another for help.”

Kelly later notes that many Cowboys cheerleaders saved in contact with and checked in on her.

“There’s so many ladies on the crew who don’t make it their first time, they usually have been in a position to share their recommendation and the way they got here again and the way their mentality modified,” she provides.

Kelly, who started the present as a blonde, has a considerably drastic onscreen hair transformation that happened throughout final yr’s coaching camp when crew management suggests she ought to strive going brunette. The dancer remains to be a brunette, saying of her look, “I adore it and I can not imagine I didn’t do it sooner as a result of now I can’t even think about being a blonde, which is loopy.” The dancer notes that she sees the blonde model of herself on display screen as “a special Kelly.”

The Cowboys cheerleader hopeful additionally looks like she’s grown “tremendously” as an individual since she was launched from final yr’s coaching camp. “To have that documented and to have the ability to watch again and see the willpower and the dedication that I’ve to chasing a dream, I believe it’s tremendous surreal and the reactions from everybody and the help means absolutely the world to me,” Kelly says.

The dancer additionally has recommendation for these seeking to observe her path: “by no means giving up in your dream, and also you’ll by no means understand how far you’ll make it when you don’t strive.”

“I, by means of this course of, realized that preventing in your dream shouldn’t be a straightforward factor, however you are able to do it,” Kelly says, reiterating making the crew has been a lifelong dream.

“I auditioned final yr not understanding if I might make it previous the primary spherical. I really didn’t. I had no expectation in any respect of what was going to occur. I simply thought I might put my finest foot ahead and see what occurs. And I made it up to now final yr and I had by no means anticipated that,” Kelly says. “Not solely am I so happy with myself, however I’m happy with myself for taking that danger.”