The Stumble Cast on Combining Comedy with Cheerleading, Cast Friendships and Making a Mockumentary
I stepped onto the set of Stumble — a new NBC mockumentary centered on competitive junior college cheerleading — and it was definitely an exciting experience. On a Brooklyn soundstage, the production recreated a full-size junior college gym.
Creative Team and Production Details
- Words: Lauren O’Neill
- Photography and Creative Direction: Lewis Vorn
- Videographer: Marie Koury
- Makeup: Anissa, Arianna (Mikey Clifton, Georgie, Taylor), Erin Acker
- Hair: Taylor (Michael Zambrano), Anissa and Georgie (Beth Rolon), Arianna (Gayette Williams)
- Styling: Georgie solos (Zoe Gofman), Arianna solos (Venetia Kidd), Anissa solos (Marissa Pelly), Cheer costumes (Leah Katznelson and Angel Peart)
Cheerleading's Rise to Mainstream
By 2025, a show like Stumble was overdue. Over recent years, the spotlight has firmly shifted to competitive and professional cheerleading. Since 2020, when Netflix’s Cheer premiered and became a global sensation — inspiring viewers that back handsprings could be done at home — cheer culture has steadily entered the mainstream.
Netflix further capitalized on the craze with their Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders documentary, America’s Sweethearts. Both programs showcased the real people behind the glamor, revealing cheerleaders beyond the typical high school stereotypes.
Cheer culture has gradually inched its way into the mainstream — Netflix followed up Cheer’s enormous success with another behemoth, their Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders documentary America’s Sweethearts.
Author's summary: Stumble arrives amid growing interest in cheerleading, blending humor and heart to portray the real lives behind the sport’s glamorous image.