Will Friedle Opens Up About Heartbreaking Estrangement from Ben Savage

Not all friends are forever.

Actor Will Friedle, known for his role in “Boy Meets World,” recently discussed the longstanding estrangement from his on-screen brother Ben Savage. This is years after Ben, who played Cory Matthews, ended his real-life friendships with several of his cast members, including Will, Rider Strong, and Danielle Fishel.

Ben is among the most significant individuals I’ve encountered throughout my life, and it’s truly bothersome that we can’t communicate with him,” stated the actor on the February 24 episode of the ‘Pod Meets World’ podcast he co-hosts with Rider and Danielle. “And this is the crux of the matter: He refuses to engage with us.

Later on, he observed that the reason behind Ben abruptly ending their long-term relationship still puzzles him.

For the past three years, I’ve got all our messages, right in the midst of talking to Ben, he suddenly stopped responding,” the 48-year-old explained. “One day, out of the blue, Ben decided he didn’t want to be friends with me anymore without giving a reason.

TopMob News has reached out to Will and Ben’s reps for comment but has not heard back.

During a heated discussion on the podcast, an update about Will’s estrangement was shared, with co-host Danielle and special guest Maitland Ward, known for her role as Rachel, delving into over a decade’s worth of conflicts.

She mentioned that there seems to be a rift in their friendships due to the apparent dislike towards Ben and Michael Jacobs, who is the creator, among Danielle, Will, and Rider.

In response to the discussion, Will opened up about the emotional turmoil he experienced due to his friendship’s end with Ben. On the other hand, Rider preferred to bring up less than pleasant memories from their shared work experiences.

2023 saw Will refer to the estrangement as a “touchy topic” while he shared his initial efforts at reaching out again following Ben’s, age 44, unexpected absence.

He once expressed, “After all these years, I’ve grown concerned. Can you explain yourself?” he shared with Variety. “I vowed to call you daily until you ask me to stop, which lasted roughly three weeks to a month, without fail.

Eventually, Will reluctantly decided to ease up his efforts.

As a devoted fan since his early days at eleven, I’ve been part of his journey, and our connection runs deep. For what seemed like an eternity, I persisted, month after month, only to find my wife asking me, “Why put yourself through this? It’s clear he doesn’t want you in his world.

Keep reading to see where the Boy Meets World cast is now…

Savage played Cory Matthews on Boy Meets World, which anchored ABC’s TGIF lineup from 1993 to 2000.

After completing his political science degree from Stanford in 2004, he started appearing on TV shows like “Party of Five,” “Chuck,” and occasional independent films. Later, he joined forces with former TV sweetheart Danielle Fishel to reprise their roles in the 2014 Disney Channel spin-off “Girl Meets World.

Following the conclusion of that series in 2017, Savage (whose elder brother is famous for his role as Kevin Arnold in “The Wonder Years” alongside Fred Savage) has been featured on various shows such as “The Leftovers”, “Speechless”, a younger version of Jason Gideon in “Criminal Minds”, and “Homeland” where he portrayed young Saul, a character that required him to act as a younger man twice, mimicking Mandy Patinkin’s role. Although he hasn’t joined his co-stars on the “Pod Meets World” podcast, Savage and Fishel reconnected in 2021 for a humorous take on a romantic comedy promoting Panera Bread as an ideal date spot.

For quite some time, his Instagram posts hinted at a serious relationship, one that seemed suitable for a wedding date. However, he managed to keep her identity hidden most of the time. That was until March 2023 when he announced that he had married Tessa Angermeier, his longtime partner.

In 2022 and again in 2024, I ambitiously pursued the opportunity to serve on the West Hollywood City Council and in the U.S. Congress respectively, but unfortunately, these bids did not yield the desired results. Nevertheless, my passion for shaping positive change in our community remains undeterred.

From portraying Topanga Lawrence (and later Matthews) on “Boy Meets World” and its spinoff “Girl Meets World,” Fishel, who shared a first kiss on screen with Ben Savage, predominantly showcased herself on television. This included stints as a correspondent on “The Tyra Banks Show” and hosting Style Network’s “The Dish.” At the age of 27, she returned to college and graduated in 2012.

In my personal journey, I crossed paths with my first spouse, Tim Belusko, within the hallowed walls of our alma mater. We walked down the aisle together for two years before parting ways amicably in 2016, opting for a private dissolution. Fast forward to 2018, I tied the knot with the charming host of ‘Drop the Mic’, Jensen Karp. The wedding ceremony was graced by my cherished former co-stars Savage, who warmly congratulated his beloved TV spouse on this new milestone, and Will Friedle, among others.

In June 2019, Fishel and Karp became parents to their son Adler, while their second child, Keaton, joined the family in August 2021. The stylish actress, fittingly, introduced her own hair care line, Be Free by Danielle Fishel. After directing multiple episodes of ‘Girl Meets World’, she continued to work behind the camera, taking charge of episodes for Disney Channel’s ‘Sydney to the Max’, ‘Raven’s Home’, and ‘Lopez vs. Lopez’.

Apart from that, she additionally co-hosts the podcast “Pod Meets World” alongside Friedle and Rider Strong. In an August 2024 episode of this show, Fishel disclosed her diagnosis with DCIS, a type of breast cancer which is classified as “essentially stage zero.

As a die-hard enthusiast, I’m confidently expressing that all shall be well with me. I’m about to undergo a procedure to get rid of this issue. Post-surgery, you’ll find me following up with the necessary treatments.

Following his role as Shawn Hunter on “Boy Meets World”, Strong became particularly known for appearing in Eli Roth’s 2002 horror sleeper hit, “Cabin Fever”, and its sequel from 2009. He was also a main cast member of the brief-running series “Pepper Dennis” and lent his voice to Brick Flagg in the animated show “Kim Possible”. Later, he reprised his role as Shawn in seven episodes of “Girl Meets World”.

Apart from his acting roles, Strong has ventured behind the scenes as well, penning, directing, and producing several shorts and the 2017 TV movie titled “Micah the Jerk Ghost“. In this production, his brother, Shiloh Strong, was initially considered for the part of Eric Matthews. More recently, one of his directorial projects, “Typhoon—We’re In It,” won the Best Music Video award at the Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Film Festival in October 2022.

In 2013, Strong married Alexandra Barreto and their son, Indigo, was born in December 2014.

In recent times, Friedle reprised his role as Eric Matthews on “Girl Meets World,” but during that period, his voice has become a common presence in various animated series such as “Kim Possible,” “Teen Titans Go!,” “DC Super Hero Girls,” Disney XD’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” (as Star Lord Peter Quill), and “The Legend of Vox Machina.

Prior to attending Fishel and Karp’s wedding, he had already served as best man at the 2004 wedding of “Step by Step” actor Jason Marsden, a memorable event in the TGIF cross-over programming era. In late 2019, he could be seen wearing a T-shirt bearing the likeness of Topanga, a nod to his future podcast collaborator’s hair care line.

Friedle married Susan Martens in 2016.

Daniel, who has won two Emmys for his work in St. Elsewhere, and was also a cast member in the musical 1776 and the voice behind K.I.T.T. on Knight Rider, gained a new wave of admirers by playing Mr. Feeny on Boy Meets World.

Following his tenure as Screen Actors Guild president from 1999 to 2001, Daniels went on to appear as a guest star in shows like Scrubs, Boston Legal, The Closer, and had a long-running arc on Grey’s Anatomy in 2012. Now at the age of 97, Daniels last performed physically as Mr. Feeny on Girl Meets World. He still attends fan conventions, but his most recent acting work has been providing the voice for K.I.T.T. in the 2020 movie Superintelligence.

A New York-born individual has been wedded to actress Bonnie Bartlett since 1951, and together they have raised two sons.

Following her role in “Boy Meets World”, the Chicago-born actress is well-known for portraying Mrs. Winterbourne on “Charmed” and made a few appearances on “Girl Meets World” as Amy Matthews, Cory and Eric’s mom.

In real life she’s mom to daughter Jessica and son Aaron with editor husband John Randle.

Russ, renowned for his work in films like “The Right Stuff” and “American History X”, has continued to maintain a bustling acting career following his role as Alan Matthews on “Boy Meets World”. He’s since been seen on shows such as “Boston Legal”, “The Young and the Restless”, “90210”, “Colony”, “NCIS: Los Angeles”, “Bosch”, “9-1-1” and “Animal Kingdom”. More recently, he reappeared on “Girl Meets World” alongside his TV wife Betsy Randle.

Behind the scenes he’s dad to a son and daughter with wife Clare Wren.

According to Looper, Strong asserted at Wizard World Comic Con that Minkus’ character was removed from Boy Meets World due to the immense popularity of Steve Urkel on Family Matters. The creators of Boy Meets World chose not to further emphasize comic nerdiness as it already existed in abundance with Steve Urkel.

In a career that began with his role as young Chuckie Lee on The Torkelsons, Norris later graduated from Wake Forest and took on the part of Marvin “Mouth” McFadden in the long-running drama One Tree Hill on The CW. He also reprised his character Minkus for a few episodes of Girl Meets World. Since then, he has appeared in several episodes of The Walking Dead, worked under the direction of David Fincher in Zodiac and Gone Girl, and starred alongside Tom Hanks in the 2020 WWII action drama Greyhound.

He’s been married to wife Andrea since 2011.

Ever since he debuted as Shawn’s older half-brother Jack Hunter, the star of Mrs. Doubtfire has also appeared on the sitcom Brotherly Love alongside his real-life siblings Andrew and Joey Lawrence. He has also featured in many independent films and made appearances on shows such as Boston Public, CSI: Miami, Workaholics, Melissa and Joey, and Hawaii 5-0. Furthermore, he’s embraced the festive season by starring in Mistletoe Mixup and Christmas on Repeat.

On May 23, 2019, Lawrence tied the knot with professional dancer Cheryl Burke, who starred on “Dancing With the Stars.” This happened 13 years after their initial encounter and brief romance, which was interrupted by a ten-year gap. The couple had met when she was partnered with his brother Joey on the show. However, they parted ways in 2022, and currently, Lawrence is in a relationship with TLC singer Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas.

McGee has appeared in several TV movies and short-lived TV shows, and also returned to play Shawn’s girlfriend Angela in an episode of Girl Meets World. This was the case despite the not-so-favorable circumstances that led to her departure from Boy Meets World.

In 2022 on the podcast “Pod Meets World”, McGee disclosed to Fishel, Strong and Friedle that she had been informed that they, the showrunners, were instructed not to include her in the 2000 series finale. This decision led to Angela’s unexpected departure for Europe while the rest of the cast were wrapping up storylines.

Friedel firmly stated that there was no such incident, while McGee expressed regret over any past tension between them and Fishel on the show, pointing out they should have worked together more effectively. Fishel concurred, stating they had a chance to assist one another.

I, McGee, have re-entered the thrilling world of fan conventions once more, joining forces with my cherished trio to celebrate Daniels’ momentous 96th birthday on March 31, 2023. Beyond this, I am a devoted singer, artist, and a loving mother to Ramia, Langston, and Ezra.

2024 saw McGee announcing her fourth pregnancy at the age of 54. However, later in the same year, she revealed that she had experienced a miscarriage.

McGee admitted during an episode of The Tamron Hall Show in September that he had unfortunately miscarried. This happened earlier than anticipated, around the end of the first trimester. Unfortunately, there are no clear explanations for why this occurred.

Following her role as Rachel McGuire in ‘Boy Meets World’, Ward later starred alongside Marlon and Shawn Wayans in the 2004 comedy ‘White Chicks’. However, she subsequently garnered three AVN awards after making her debut in the adult film industry with ‘Drive’ in 2019.

In April 2021, she shared with The Daily Beast that she discovered her passion for acting in intimate scenes. She likened it to dancing or skating in a duet, expressing that it feels like they are creating a beautiful work of art, which she truly enjoys.

Furthermore, this strategy has proven successful for her, given that she is not only a 2023 AVN Best Actress award recipient but also an author who penned the memoir titled “Rated X.

She’s been married to Terry Baxter since 2006, and as she shared with In Touch Weekly in January 2020, not only is he her real estate agent husband, but he also happens to be a talented photographer. He’s captured photos of her throughout their journey together.

Initially, between 1993 and 1994, Morgan Matthews’ character Nicksay portrayed Cory and Eric’s younger sister on screen. Subsequently, she landed a part in the romantic drama “Up Close and Personal,” which starred Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert Redford.

Throughout her childhood, this actress made guest appearances on various TV series such as “The Mentalist,” “8 Simple Rules,” and “Judging Amy.” Later in 2017, she reprised her role as Morgan in the final episode of “Girl Meets World.

Since her marriage to songwriter Dave Gibson in 2015, she has been known as Lily Gibson. This name was used for her in an episode of NCIS in 2019 and in the movie Four Cousins & a Christmas in 2021.

Following what seemed like the longest sleep imaginable, Morgan emerged from a different part of the house, appearing noticeably older and transformed into a completely new version of herself after a year’s time.

From 1996 until the series ended in 2000, Ridgeway assumed the role of Morgan. After completing her undergraduate studies at UC Riverside in June 2007, she went on to obtain a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Redlands in 2010. In addition to her acting career, she is also a talented singer and has performed the national anthem at various sports events across Los Angeles. Part-time, she worked for the Los Angeles Kings hockey team as part of the Kings Ice Crew.

She also came back as Morgan for the Girl Meets World finale.

Lauren got between Cory and Topanga for a mercifully brief four-episode arc.

From “Boy Meets World”, Cardellini moved on to the regrettably brief “Freaks and Geeks”, followed by roles in “Scooby-Doo”, “ER”, “Brokeback Mountain”, “Mad Men” (where she received an Emmy nomination for guest actress in a drama series), “New Girl”, Netflix’s “Bloodline”, and the Marvel Universe as Clint/Hawkeye’s wife. She was also part of the 2019 Best Picture Oscar winner, “Green Book”, and co-starred and produced the Netflix dark comedy “Dead to Me”, earning 2020 Emmy nominations for Best Comedy Series and Best Actress in a Comedy.

The actress is mom to daughter Lilah-Rose with longtime partner Steven Rodriguez.

Among Suplee’s notable roles, he played Frankie “The Enforcer” Stechino, appearing in films such as American History X, Remember the Titans, Unstoppable, and starring in all four seasons of My Name Is Earl. Additionally, he worked with Martin Scorsese in The Wolf of Wall Street, was featured on Netflix’s comedy series The Ranch, collaborated with Edward Norton on Motherless Brooklyn, and acted in the controversial horror-satire film The Hunt.

Suplee is ready for several upcoming ventures, one being a revisit to the Kevin Smith universe within the confirmed project titled “Twilight of the Mallrights“.

Since the year 2006, Suplee has been happily married to Brandy Lewis, and together they have welcomed two beautiful children into their lives. Additionally, in January 2020, a photo he shared of his transformed physique, achieved after a rigorous journey to shed weight and improve his health, gained immense popularity online. Ever since then, Suplee has become an avid promoter of fitness and nutrition.

Following his stint as a stand-in bully, Griff Hawkins, Scott transformed into an all-round charming and humorous individual. Occasionally, he’d show a bit of sarcasm, and at times, he’d exhibit the characteristics of a moody man going through a midlife crisis, married to boot.

As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but marvel at the incredible work of this visionary. From the gripping intensity of HBO’s “Tell Me You Love Me” to the side-splitting humor in “Step Brothers,” his portfolio is nothing short of breathtaking. The revival of “Party Down” on Starz, 13 years post its cancellation, was a gift to fans like me. His work on “Parks and Recreation” is legendary, and who can forget the sporadic yet hilarious “The Greatest Event in Television History” on Adult Swim?

His creations continue to captivate with gems like “Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later,” “The Good Place,” and “Big Little Lies.” His first Golden Globe and Emmy nominations came for his spellbinding portrayal of a mournful widower… or was he? In Apple TV+’s “Severance,” he delved into the uncharted territory of an unhinged workplace drama, leaving us all in awe.

In real life Scott has two kids with Naomi Sablan, his wife since 2005.

In 2011, when the sitcom Friends became popular, they cast Jonathan Turner, portrayed by Quinn, as a cool teacher due to the demand for twentysomethings on all shows, even one primarily watched by teenagers, according to Strong. ABC made this decision because they felt every show needed that demographic.

Nevertheless, Shawn experienced profound sadness when Mr. Turner was involved in a motorcycle mishap towards the end of season four – an incident that Turner overcame without screen presence and reappeared only on Girl Meets World, having married a nurse he encountered at the hospital following the crash.

During that time, Quinn appeared on Melrose Place for a span of four years, graced the screens on Pretty Little Liars in 2012, and made an appearance on Feud: Betty and Joan in 2017.

Betty and Joan in 2017.

He’s been married to Margaret Quinn since 1985 and they have two children.

2025-02-24 23:18

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