Many Disney Channel kids growing up in the 2000s probably watched the Suite Life of Zack and Cody, and hands down, the character with the most iconic lines was Brenda Song's London Tipton. Somewhat inspired by Paris Hilton, the character was a ditzy rich girl whose father owned the hotel Zack and Cody lived in. While London wasn’t always the smartest crayon in the box, her abundant confidence made it hard to dismiss all her hot takes, and the Dollface actress still stands behind one in particular.
One of London’s most iconic lines happened when Mr. Moseby, the exasperated yet caring hotel manager (and somewhat father figure to London), tried to teach her how to drive. She famously called it a PRNDL (pronounced prin-dull), and for the impressionable young audience, it stuck. The New Girl actress recently told MTV that fans still quote it back to her, and I can’t get over her response.
The PRNDL! I cannot believe it that I, to this day, get that all the time, randomly everywhere. And in that moment I–you know, you just don’t realize what you’re doing. But also, why isn’t it called the PRNDL? Why do they call it the gearshift? It should be called the PRNDL. London Tipton was right.
I can’t stop laughing at her reply. She really channeled her inner London Tipton for that one. You know what, though, London was onto something. Her character was made extremely naive for the purpose of silly comedic relief, but sometimes the simplest thought process is the most relatable. Driving is one of those instances where it is easy to “make someone nervous with all the technical talk,” as London expressed to Mr. Moseby.
While her line of thinking didn’t always make sense in the show, this one certainly did, if the top comment on the Tik Tok video is any evidence:
A generation literally only knows it as a PRNDL. -@unodostres10011
I wonder how many Gen Zers may have passed their drivers test because of the Social Network actress. I can’t imagine anyone else playing the iconic spoiled yet kind hearted teenage heiress, so if Suite Life is next in line to be rebooted during this wave of nuDisney nostalgia, Brenda Song just HAS to sign on to reprise her role, even if just for a brief cameo.
@disneychannel ♬ original sound - Disney Channel
An original cast revival is not so likely, though, as co-star Cole Sprouse (Cody) has openly talked about the trauma child actors are left with, and how he can only watch Suite Life when he's “drunk or feeling really narcissistic.” The Riverdale actor has stated he doesn’t see himself ever returning to his Disney days, and I honestly don’t blame him.
I can only imagine his twin brother Dylan Sprouse feels similarly. While we probably won’t see the brothers reprise their role, they still have love for their Suite Life family, as they had a lighthearted reunion with a fellow co-star on the red carpet last year.
The Secret Obsession actress is one of the many actors to get their start on Disney, and her husband Macaulay Culkin was also a famous child star, best known for Home Alone. Song has previously said it’s one of the experiences that bonded them so closely together. I’m glad they have each other to relate to, and it seems it has created such a wholesome and loving relationship.
Like the Sprouse brothers, it seems the Last Showgirl actress also looks back on her Disney days with some fondness now, especially when it comes to the PRNDL. I hope when her kids are old enough to start driving, she teaches them how to shift gears, London Tipton style.
