In playing the quirky Topanga on the popular coming-of-age comedy Boy Meets World, Danielle Fishel would solidify her spot in pop culture history. For seven years, she portrayed the childhood sweetheart of main character Cory Matthews (played by Ben Savage) until the show ended in 2000. The actress continued to appear in TV shows and movies, and even went on to appear in shorts, working alongside future rap superstars Donald Glover and Chance the Rapper.
14 years after Boy Meets World wrapped, Danielle reprised her role as Topanga Matthews in the spinoff Girl Meets World, re-teaming her with Savage. This time around, the show centered on their daughter and her journey through adolescence. When Disney pulled the plug on the series, Danielle focused on TV directing. Now she and former co-executive producer of Boy Meets World and Girl Meets World Marc Blutman are developing a middle-school comedy. Danielle also announced plans to launch a podcast with her former Boy Meets World where they revisit past episodes and discuss their experiences on the show. After recently becoming a mother, she is busier than ever.
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From Actor to Disney TV Director: Fishel Directs Girl Meets World
Disney International HD
In the years following Boy Meets World, Danielle held guest spots on a couple of TV series, including Nikki and Yes, Dear. She took roles in several movies, one being Longshot, which featured pop stars N’SYNC and Britney Spears. In 2013, Daniel starred in a short film called Clapping for the Wrong Reasons with Donald Glover and Chance the Rapper. The story centered on the day in the life of a rich rapper while in his mansion. She also dabbled in voiceover acting, appearing in a couple of Disney cartoons.
When Girl Meets World aired, it received positive feedback from critics, placing Danielle back into the spotlight. This time the actor also served as a co-producer. Eventually she used the Disney show as a springboard for a directing career and got behind the camera for a handful of episodes. After the spinoff ended, Danielle added other Disney shows under her directing belt,
In an interview with USA Today she addressed her career shift stating, “I wouldn’t say I look forward to change. But when it comes to every major milestone in my life, whether it looks like it’s the best or not, I know that life is telling me it’s exactly what I need, and I need to run full force toward it. That’s how I’ve entered into the world of directing, pregnancy and eventually motherhood.”
Fishel is Developing a Comedy About Middle-School and Social Media
Buena Vista Television
In Fishel’s new project with Blutman, titled I’m With Her, she wanted to create a show for kids that discussed hot-button topics using a comedy format. The story involves a pair of middle schoolers who team up on the in-world show 3 Minutes With Ali because each has something the other values. The popular Ali has a social platform for her show, but her content is pure fluff. However, her counterpart Atlas has material with substance but no platform. They strike a deal where Atlas would provide the content as long as Ali lets him experience popularity. Fishel hopes the show encourages children to engage in healthy dialogues regarding important issues.
Pod Meets World: Fishel’s Podcast With Rider Strong and Will Friedle
Recently, Fishel and her former Boy Meets World cast members, Rider Strong and Will Friedle, launched a podcast entitled Pod Meets World for iHeartRadio. The three hosts rewatch past episodes of Boy Meets World and discuss their experiences on the show. Other cast members come as guests and address a full range of topics. One question in particular that had confused many viewers was finally answered: why did season two have a different Morgan Matthews? Fishel also opens up about her body image insecurities and how it led to her starving herself until she collapsed on set. The actor believes that the show failed in promoting body positivity and recalls a specific episode where they poorly handled the topic.
Fishel told Insider, “We’ve had enough time away from the show that we can actually honestly look back at it and have adult eyes and 2022 eyes, and see how Boy Meets World affected what ended up being the rest of our lives.”
While many child stars fade after appearing in iconic shows, Fishel managed to make a comeback over 20 years later. While she continues to stay in the family comedy space, she is using the platform to add positive messaging into the mix. Actors typically want to shed the role that made them famous, but she embraces it. In her podcast, Fishel and her former costars happily invite listeners to take a trip down memory lane with them. This new mom has clearly been busy since starring as Topanga in her Boy Meets World debut. She successfully reinvented herself and is now making an impact in a much different capacity.
