10 years. A decade. For many, it’s a significant chunk of time, a period long enough for memories to soften, for details to blur, and for past experiences to fade into the realm of cherished, yet distant, accomplishments. But for the cast of Star Wars Rebels, 10 years isn’t just a marker of time; it became an invitation to return. Not just to the beloved animated series that captured the hearts of millions, but to each other, to the shared experience, and to the fans who never stopped believing in the Ghost crew. This reunion, far from a one-off convention appearance, is Pod of Rebellion — a rewatch podcast that brings fans on an intimate, humorous, and deeply nostalgic journey back to Lothal and beyond.
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ComicBook recently had the distinct pleasure of speaking with the cast of Pod of Rebellion: actors Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla), Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren), and Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), alongside moderator Jon Lee Brody and producer/keeper of all Star Wars knowledge, JC Reifenberg. The conversation was less a formal interview and more a warm, genuine gathering of friends, a testament to the bonds forged in the recording booth and strengthened over the ensuing decade. And in true Ghost crew fashion, we were welcomed with open arms, given a call code (Spectre 7), and made to feel like one of their own. You know what they say about art imitating life.
Pod of Rebellion Was Born Out of the Desire to Reconnect With Fans in a Meaningful Way
The creation of Pod of Rebellion itself speaks volumes about the cast’s connection and their appreciation for the enduring legacy of Star Wars Rebels. Vanessa Marshall vividly recalled the moment the idea took root. While at a convention with fellow actor Dante Basco (Avatar: The Last Airbender), he asked her why the Rebels cast hadn’t explored the possibility of a rewatch podcast.
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“We looked at each other and we didn’t have a good answer,” Marshall explained. “We realized it’s also going to be the 10-year anniversary [of Rebels]. It was at that time. And we thought, what better way to celebrate something like that than to put together something where we could go back and really, just enjoy all the episodes in a rewatch and get to hang out with each other and bond with the fans even more?”
This desire to connect with fans on a deeper, more accessible level lit the fire that would ultimately lead to Pod of Rebellion. Though the actors make appearances at conventions, they were all acutely aware of the fact that not everyone has an opportunity to attend a convention.
Speaking to this, Marshall said, “We noticed that when we go to conventions — we do panels, and we just love hanging out with everybody so much — that we wanted to bring that to people who are unable to get to conventions. [The podcast] is just a way for us to all be together, outside of that context. So, it all just worked out.”
Pod of Rebellion serves as an open invitation — a virtual gathering space where the Rebels family, both cast and audience, can reunite weekly and share their love for the show.
The Rewatch Experience Offers New Perspectives for Fans and Deepened Bonds for the Cast
For Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren), the rewatch experience for Pod of Rebellion has been an entirely new experience compared to her initial viewing of the episodes.
“I watched all the other episodes as they aired and then have never seen them since,” she revealed. “So when we started [Pod of Rebellion], it had been 10 years.” Her initial watch through, she admitted, was colored by the self-critical lens of an actor watching her own performance. “Of course, the first time around I was sort of watching with bated breath, because I’m weird about watching my own performances. So I think I watched [Rebels] the first time around far more critical of myself and unsure of what was happening.”
Now, over a decade later, with the benefit of hindsight and the tight bond with her fellow castmates, the rewatch has changed Tiya’s entire relationship with the episodes.
“Now getting to watch it, it’s like a whole new experience,” Sircar explained. “There are episodes that I don’t really remember and I’m like, ‘Oh, this! Oh, yeah.’ So it’s like a walk down memory lane, but also my rewatch is infused with so much more emotion and nostalgia. Also, I know these people so, so intimately. All of that informs my rewatching of these episodes. So it’s like a whole different experience than when I first watched them when they first came out.”
Taylor Gray’s (Ezra Bridger) experience mirrors Sircar’s in many ways, though with a unique twist.
“I’ve been open about this. I had seen episodes that Disney showed us, but I didn’t see the show fully,” he confessed. His initial dive into voice acting with Rebels was a blank slate of opportunity, something can be as exhilarating as it is daunting. “I’d never done voiceover before, so I didn’t really know how. I didn’t have a real gauge on how my performance was. A lot of the references were kind of missing me.”
Like Sircar, Gray also struggled with watching his performances back once completed, leaving his experiences with Ezra in the recording booth. However, the Pod of Rebellion rewatch has been nothing short of a revelation for Gray.
“Getting to watch this. Now I’m on there, I’m rating them and I’m like, ‘Yeah, this is five out of five. This is great, I love it.” There is no doubt about the sincerity behind his words, as Gray’s enthusiasm and utter joy for Rebels shine through in his every smile and excited recounted stories. “It’s such a fun show. It’s been really sweet to talk about with everyone as well.”
Beyond the show itself, the rewatch has allowed Gray to recall the subtle echoes of his castmates, and even himself, from over a decade ago.
“Like [Sircar] said, we all know each other so well. I can hear parts of them that I’ve seen in the past that I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, I remember that sort of essence,’” he explained, the fondness for the days spent recording with his fellow actors reflected by that same fondness in his voice. “And even with myself, because you are sort of, shedding your skin all the time, I’m like, ‘Oh, that was.’ In that way, I can feel the instincts there. And it’s sweet and nostalgic and yeah — I love the show. I’m a big fan.”
For Jon Lee Brody, the podcast’s moderator and one of the driving factors behind getting the podcast off the ground, Pod of Rebellion allowed him a glimpse behind the curtain.
“For me as a fan, I want to know behind the scenes stories, what was going on in the booth,” he explained. While Brody knows the cast members personally and enjoys discussing topics outside of Star Wars, the podcast allows for a dedicated space to get those insights. “When we go to do the show, I get to hear those behind the scenes stories. I just think it’s so cool because I think the audiences — they only get to see the finished product. They don’t know the work that went into it. They don’t know the camaraderie.”
For Brody, all these factors add up to create a new layer of appreciation for the series. He confessed, “For me, it’s been really cool to hear those stories and it gets me to look at the show even differently. Just knowing the behind the scenes stuff.”
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JC Reifenberg, the producer and Star Wars lore master behind the scenes, echoed Brody’s sentiments, particularly appreciating the nuggets of direction and performance choices the actors share. But for Reifenberg, who didn’t know the cast prior to the podcast, the most striking revelation has been the genuine, familial bond they share.
“The thing that I think I’m most taken with is how they genuinely are their characters in real life. Like, they genuinely care about each other. It’s a real family. They look out for each other, spend time together outside of that,” he detailed.
Reifenberg drew an insightful and fitting parallel between the Ghost crew’s dynamic and the atmosphere of the Pod of Rebellion itself.
“In the same way that the Ghost crew was doing that and then brought Ezra into that, I feel like I kind of got brought into the Pod of Rebellion. I don’t want to say I’m part of the Ghost crew, because I’m definitely not,” he confessed. “But I feel like whatever the next ship was, the Pod of Rebellion ship, they definitely welcomed me in the same way they welcomed Ezra in the show.”
Reifenberg’s sentiment perfectly captures the essence of Pod of Rebellion. It’s more than just a rewatch; it’s a continuation of a family, a celebration of enduring friendships, and a generous invitation for fans to join them on this nostalgic, insightful, and often hilarious journey. More than 10 years later, the Star Wars Rebels cast proves that some bonds, like the Force itself, only grow stronger with time.
Pod of Rebellion is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard.
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