Though Girl Meets World helped kickstart the careers of stars Sabrina Carpenter and Rowan Blanchard, reports suggest they initially had a difficult experience on set.
As a huge fan, I always knew Girl Meets World had a really unique feel! I recently learned from producer Frank Pace that creator Michael Jacobs really pushed everyone hard right from the start. Apparently, at the very first table read â where they read through the script as a group â he gave them a lot of notes and feedback. It sounds intense, but it clearly helped shape the show we all loved on Disney Channel from 2014 to 2017!
In an interview for the documentary Doc Meets World, Michael was described as harsh by Pace, who told Danielle Fishel that he heavily criticized the younger cast members. According to Variety, Pace said Michael believed they werenât living up to the standards of the original Boy Meets World, and both Rowan and Sabrina were upset to the point of tears.
TopMob News reached out to Jacobsâ attorney for comment but has not heard back
Pace acknowledged Jacobs could be challenging, but noted that high quality work can sometimes have drawbacks as well as benefits.
I enjoyed working with Michael because he pushed me to be better, but he was also incredibly difficult for the same reason â he was always challenging me.
Rider Strong, known for his roles in Boy Meets World and Girl Meets World, also expressed complicated feelings about his experiences working with Jacobs on both shows.
He explained in the documentary that while he’s grateful for everything Michael has done for him and will always value their history, he had to end their relationship because he strongly disagrees with Michael’s actions.
Fishel, who appeared in both shows, also found it challenging to work with Jacobs, admitting she struggled to offer constructive criticism on his story ideas.
I began to challenge Michael and express my opinions more openly, but it didn’t go over well.
As a huge fan of Boy Meets World, I was thrilled when Rider Strong, Danielle Fishel, and Will Friedle started their podcast, Pod Meets World, back in 2022. It’s been amazing to hear them reminisce about their time growing up on the show and share behind-the-scenes stories!
At the premiere of the documentary on June 6th at the Tribeca Festival, Ben Savage â known for playing the main character, Cory Matthews, in the original show and its sequel â was noticeably missing.
Friedle shared with TopMob News at the premiere of Doc Meets World that he remains optimistic about the groupâs relationship with Savage. While nothing has changed, he acknowledged that everyone needs to follow their own life journey, and they respect that.
The team behind Doc Meets World is dealing with conflicts and disagreements that originated with Boy Meets World. Here’s a closer look at the behind-the-scenes feuds that have emerged from the original seriesâŠ
Though Boy Meets World was a comedy, a recent conversation on the Pod Meets World podcast revealed some drama between costars Danielle Fishel (Topanga) and Maitland Ward (Rachel).
On the February 23, 2025 episode, the two discussed a 2013 Facebook message Maitland sent congratulating Danielle on both her engagement to Tim Belusko and the Girl Meets World spin-off. Danielle explained she hadn’t seen the message at the time, and only looked for it years later after Maitland mentioned it in the press. She found it buried in old messages.
Danielle said she then asked Will Friedle (Eric), her podcast cohost, for Maitlandâs number to apologize. However, Maitland told Will she preferred to discuss it on the podcast, hoping to generate a lot of listens. Maitland later explained she didnât want to talk to Danielle privately because she felt the apology wasnât sincere.
Adding to the tension, Danielle had unfriended Maitland on Facebook, something Danielle claims she never did intentionally.
The conflict between Maitland Ward and Danielle Fishel went beyond initial disagreements. Maitland claimed she felt hurt when Danielle barely spoke to her during their 2014 reunion for Girl Meets World, especially since Maitland had invited Danielle to her wedding in 2006 and believed they were friends. Danielle explained they hadn’t communicated since the wedding and that her experience on Girl Meets World wasnât great, but wasnât directed at Maitland.
Maitland then suggested Danielle was upset about the attention Maitland received from her work in the adult entertainment industry, which Danielle denied, pointing out she had also posed for Maxim in 2014.
Maitland also accused Danielle, Will Friedle, and their podcast co-host Rider Strong of being negative on their podcast, Pod Meets World, and harboring dislike for their Boy Meets World co-star Ben Savage and series creator Michael Jacobs, though she later clarified she only meant they had disagreements. The podcast hosts insisted they didn’t hate Ben or Michael and were simply sharing their experiences.
When Maitland accused Danielle of trying to create drama for ratings, Danielle refuted this, claiming Maitland was the one seeking publicity. Danielle concluded that while she and Maitland didn’t need to be friends, she didn’t harbor any hatred towards her.
Fourteen years after Boy Meets World concluded, Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel returned as Cory and Topanga in Girl Meets World. This comedy series centered on their daughter, Riley (played by Rowan Blanchard), her friend Maya (Sabrina Carpenter), and their experiences navigating life at home and in school.
The show aired on Disney Channel from 2014 to 2017, but Danielle later described the work environment on her podcast as “very, very difficult.”
In a February 2025 episode of the Pod Meets World podcast, she explained that working on Girl Meets World wasn’t the same joyful experience as Boy Meets World. She’d hoped it would be, but it turned out to be a difficult and isolating environment. She felt criticized and out of place on set. TopMob News contacted Disney for a response, but they didn’t provide one.
As Mr. Feeny famously said, true friendship is a selfless gift. However, Danielle, Rider, and Will recently revealed they haven’t spoken to their former close friend, Ben, in three years. Danielle described it simply as him “ghosting” them.
Will explained they have no idea why Ben cut off contact, saying he just disappeared without a reason. He admitted he still wishes he knew, adding that there wasn’t a fight or any bad feelings â Ben simply decided he no longer wanted them in his life. Will tried reaching out, even texting and calling daily for weeks, but received no response.
Danielle expressed her continued affection for Ben, saying she wants the best for him despite their current estrangement. She hopes they can reconnect, but acknowledges that only time will tell. Ben hasn’t publicly addressed the situation, nor responded to requests for comment.
In a February 2025 episode of Pod Meets World, Will shared how much Ben means to him, and how deeply he feels the loss of their friendship due to Benâs silence. He and the others still hope to hear from him.
In January 2020, Trina McGee, who played Angela on Boy Meets World, shared that she had experienced disrespectful treatment on set, including a comment referencing the Aunt Jemima stereotype. She later revealed that Will Smith had made the remark and apologized to her both 22 years ago and again recently, in a three-page letter.
In an April 2020 Instagram post, McGee explained that Smith acknowledged he hadnât fully understood the impact of his words when he was younger. She hoped the situation could serve as a learning opportunity for others. They eventually resolved the issue, with both apologizing â McGee for publicly sharing the story, and Smith for the initial joke, which he said came from a lack of awareness, not malice.
On his podcast Pod Meets World in 2022, Smith recalled the incident. He remembered seeing McGee wearing a red headscarf and not recognizing any cultural significance to it. He thought he was playfully teasing her, as he did with other cast members, so he made a comment about âsyrup.â He admitted his comment was insensitive and that he didn’t understand the harm it caused.
McGee told Smith his joke was unacceptable, and he was deeply embarrassed. He said the experience was a turning point for him, teaching him that humor shouldn’t come at the expense of others and that words have power.
On a recent podcast, Trina and her former costars finally discussed the reasons behind her exit from Boy Meets World. Trina’s last episode aired in 2000, but she wasn’t included in the series finale. She had always believed the other cast members asked the show’s creator, Michael Jacobs, to exclude her, claiming they felt she was overshadowing them.
Trina shared that she was told this in a casual, dismissive way. However, Danielle, Will, and Rider strongly denied ever having that conversation, with both Danielle and Will making serious promises â Danielle swearing on her children, and Will on his marriage â that it never happened.
Will was particularly upset by the suggestion, calling it not competitiveness, but âsociopathic.â Trina ultimately believed her costars, and they were able to resolve the misunderstanding. She explained that once the idea took root in her mind, it grew into something much larger than reality. She expressed her relief, saying, âI like trusting you. It feels really good.â
Danielle Fishel has apologized for being unkind to Trina McGee while filming Girl Meets World. In a 2020 post on X (formerly Twitter), Fishel acknowledged McGeeâs tweet about receiving cold treatment on set, admitting it was directed at her. She explained they had spoken and McGee had accepted her apology.
They discussed how they were made to feel competitive, especially regarding rumors about McGeeâs departure from the original Boy Meets World. On the Pod Meets World podcast in 2022, Fishel explained that McGee came onto Girl Meets World believing they had intentionally kept her out of Boy Meets Worldâs finale, and that Fishelâs coldness only confirmed that belief. This led McGee to feel they were always in competition.
After talking privately, both women realized they should have addressed the issues sooner. Fishel expressed regret that they hadn’t supported each other, as they had during other difficult times. She emphasized the importance of open communication and working together to grow as individuals.
When Danielle Fishel replaced the original actress who played Topanga, she faced a tough first impression with director Michael Jacobs. During her initial run-through, Michael told her he would save all his notes for her until the end, explaining that giving feedback on her performance would take hours and delay everyone else. This happened in front of the entire cast and crew, and Danielle was visibly upset. Michael then went through each of her lines with her and her mother, detailing what needed to be changed, such as speaking slower, and even referencing the actress she had replaced, implying her job was also on the line. Danielle and her mom practiced late into the night, determined to meet Michaelâs expectations. The next day, after a network run-through, Michael gave Danielle a standing ovation. While Danielle felt her job was threatened, Michael later explained on a podcast that he was actually trying to save her performance, and that she ultimately succeeded. He emphasized that he always believed in her, and still does.
The 2024 documentary Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV revealed that Will and Rider were among those who wrote letters supporting Brian Peck, a dialogue coach who was arrested in 2003 and accused of sexually abusing a child. Drake Bell later confirmed he was the victim. Court documents show Peck pleaded no contest to charges of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor and was sentenced to 16 months in prison.
Both Will and Rider described how Peck immediately deflected blame onto the victim. They also admitted they didn’t fully understand the severity of his crimes when they appeared in court to support him. Will recalled a particularly jarring moment in court when the victimâs mother pointed out the number of celebrities present, emphasizing that their support didnât change what Peck had done.
Drake Bell has since spoken with both Will and Rider, offering them forgiveness. He reportedly told Will, “Before you say a word, I want you to know I love you and I forgive you.”
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2026-06-10 23:50