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There are few sitcoms that have genuinely managed to unlock that satisfying feeling of nostalgia within me like Boy Meets World has when I have binged it in recent years. Watching Ben Savage’s 1993-2000 performance as Cory Matthews evolve from an average preteen to a collegian with childish tendencies, or Danielle Fishel’s eccentric Topanga Lawrence eventually become the sane one in her and Cory’s eventual marriage makes me wonder, where have these people been since the early days of ABC’s TGIF line-up? Allow me to clue you in on the current whereabouts of the Boy Meets World cast, starting with the titular “boy.”
Ben Savage (Cory Matthews)
As the lead on Boy Meets World, Ben Savage was able to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Fred Savage of the The Wonder Years, and into sitcom stardom. Since then, the now-40-year-old actor has taken roles in smaller films like Girl Meets Boy (ironically) in 2013 and Hallmark’s 2020 holiday romance Love, Lights, Hannukah!, in addition to various guest appearances on TV dramas like Homeland, Criminal Minds, and HBO’s The Leftovers, to name a few. Of course, his most notable and beloved effort is his return to the role of Cory, now a teacher and father of two, on Disney Channel’s Girl Meets World from 2015-2017.
Danielle Fishel (Topanga Lawrence)
Also reprising her role as Topanga Matthews (née Lawrence) on Girl Meets World was Danielle Fishel, who would continue to act after the Boy Meets World finale, but, for a while, her claim to fame was hosting the Style Network’s pop culture commentary show The Dish from 2008-2011. She has also done some work behind the camera, directing some episodes of Girl Meets World and other Disney Channel series, and some voice acting for the network as well, such as on Gravity Falls as the evil Pyronica or, more recently, on Star vs. the Forces of Evil as a librarian. In 2021, Fishel and her on-screen husband Ben Savage reunited once again for an adorable, rom-com inspired Panera commercial.
Rider Strong (Shawn Hunter)
Another who has lent his voice to Star vs. the Forces of Evil in a recurring role is Rider Strong, who has since become a bit of a Scream King after saying goodbye to the troubled Shawn Hunter - which is fitting, as he was the one explaining horror movie roles in Boy Meets World’s slasher parody episode - but mostly for his lead role in Eli Roth’s Cabin Fever from 2002. Otherwise, Strong has been a jack of all trades - writing, producing, directing, and starring in several low-budget horror films and even directing some episodes of Girl Meets World - on which he got to play Shawn again to the delight of many BMW fans. You can see him comment on his Scream King status by streaming Eli Roth’s History of Horror on Shudder and act alongside The Black Eyed Peas’ Taboo in his latest film, Cosmic Radio, which came out in February 2021.
Will Friedle (Eric Matthews)
Strong has also had a few reunions through voice acting with Will Friedle, whose evolution from playing Cory’s older brother Eric as a well-mannered, average teen to a complete nutcase has always fascinated me. While you rarely see his face anymore (outside his many appearances on Girl Meets World), you have surely heard his voice since even before Boy Meets World’s end as Terry McGinnis on Batman Beyond, bumbling teen hero sidekick Ron Stoppable on Kim Possible, Star Lord on the animated Guardians of the Galaxy series, and so on. The former BMW star has only continued to prolong his Geek Godliness, voicing Lex Luthor (among others) on DC Super Hero Girls, various roles on the series adaptation of Big Hero 6, and a role on American Dad!, most recently.
Trina McGee (Angela Moore)
The most recent acting we have seen from Trina McGee, still best known for playing Shawn Hunter’s on-and-off girlfriend Angela, is the 2016 low-budget crime thriller Sins of the Guilty, having also appeared in movies like the Friday sequel, Friday After Next, and a Girl Meets World episode in 2015. However, the 51-year-old mother of two received attention in 2020 after revealing the unintended racism she experienced on the Boy Meets World set from producers and even co-stars Will Friedle and Danielle Fishel, who have since openly apologized. McGee is currently working on her latest feature as a writer and director, called Detainment, which is set for release in late 2021.
Matthew Lawrence (Jack Hunter)
After making a name for himself as a child star in movies like Robin Williams’ Mrs. Doubtfire, Matthew Lawrence (the younger brother of another sitcom star - Blossom’s Joey Lawrence) joined the Boy Meets World cast as Shawn’s half-brother and Eric’s roommate, Jack, in Season 5. Since the finale, he led a career similar to his onscreen sibling, appearing in a few major motion pictures (namely The Hot Chick with Rob Schneider), a few low-budget thrillers, and TV guest appearances like Comedy Central’s Workaholics, the hit Hawaii Five-0 reboot on CBS, and, of course, Girl Meets World. Many of his acting efforts since Boy Meets World have seen him work with both Joey and their younger brother, Andrew, including the currently filming Mistletoe Mixup - which I cannot confirm as a Hallmark holiday movie, despite how strongly the title suggests it.
Maitland Ward (Rachel McGuire)
Jack and Eric would often compete the for affections of their beautiful third roommate, Rachel, played by Maitland Ward - who started on The Bold and the Beautiful in the mid-1990s before joining the Boy Meets World cast in 1998. She would later play one of the two titular White Chicks whom Shawn and Marlon Wayans disguise themselves as in the 2004 comedy, and make a few TV guest appearances (such as on CBS’ Rules of Engagement) up until 2007. Ward is actually one of the few BMW vets to not appear on Girl Meets World, which probably does not have anything to do with her adult film career and success on OnlyFans, since that would not take off until 2019, two years after the Disney Channel series ended.
William Russ (Alan Matthews)
However, William Russ was sure to reprise his role as Cory Matthews’ father, Alan, on two episodes of Girl Meets World. This is in addition to the steady flow of TV guest appearances (such as HBO’s Deadwood, the Amazon Prime original series Bosch, or 9-1-1 on Fox) he has had since his career defining stint on Boy Meets World, during which he also directed a few episodes. He would also assume directorial on a GMW episode, and even a Lizzie McGuire episode in 2003. The American History X actor’s latest acting effort is the 2021 comedic thriller Keeping Company.
Betsy Randle (Amy Matthews)
For both of William Russ’s Girl Meets World appearances, Betsy Randle was there to once again play his wife, Amy Matthews. Her Boy Meets World character is still the 65 year old's best-known role despite a recurring role on the supernatural drama Charmed in 2004 and a couple of appearances on the revealing series Adam Ruins Everything for truTV. Randle’s most recent role as a manipulative art dealer in the psychosexual thriller Painter will force you to never look at Cory’s mother the same way again.
Lindsay Ridgeway (Morgan Matthews)
Of course, Lindsay Ridgeway was sure to reprise her role as Cory and Eric’s younger sister, Morgan, on the Girl Meets World finale, which would also be her last (and only) acting effort outside of a guest voice role on the cult animated series Totally Spies! since Boy Meets World. These days, the theater-trained actress (who served as the singing voice for Darla Dimple in 1997’s Cats Don’t Dance) makes a living as substitute teacher and fitness instructor.
Lily Gibson (Morgan Matthews)
Hardcore Boy Meets World fans will recall that there were actually two actresses who played Morgan, the first being Lily Gibson (née Nicksay) for the first two seasons. The actress (also trained in theater) has had a more consistent screen career than her successor, appearing in movies like The Negotiator in 1998, and various TV shows like The Mentalist, and the Girl Meets World finale, on which she and Lindsay Ridgeway appeared together to poke fun at the role they once shared. Gibson most recently appeared in the horror anthology series Etheria, and her next film, Four Cousins and a Christmas, recently wrapped.
Lee Norris (Stuart Minkus)
Another actor whose legacy on Boy Meets World ended a bit prematurely before he showed up again on Girl Meets World as Farkle’s dad is Lee Norris, who played Cory’s brainy classmate Minkus for a total of 23 episodes. He would later become known as a series regular on One Tree Hill, appeared in two David Fincher movies (Zodiac and Gone Girl), and had a recurring role on AMC’s horror hit The Walking Dead in 2017. Norris is one of several BMW vets to star in a Hallmark holiday movie (A Christmas Wish in 2019) and shared the screen with Tom Hanks in Greyhound, most recently.
Anthony Tyler Quinn (Jonathan Turner)
Speaking of premature endings to a character arc coming full circle on Girl Meets World, Anthony Tyler Quinn played Jonathan Turner (the “cool teacher” on Boy Meets World from Seasons 2-4), which became his last regular role on a series before, essentially, becoming a television “that guy” with guest spots on the likes of Dexter or Cold Case. Quinn also did ADR work for films like The Bourne Supremacy and the Russo Brothers’ You, Me and Dupree, and you can also be sure, as a BMW alum, that he has appeared in a straight-to-video holiday movie, too (2010’s A Christmas Snow). He most recently reprised the role of Det. Johnny Gamble in 2021’s The Man from Nowhere, a feature-length spin-off of a film-noir inspired short he led in 2018 called A Hard Gamble.
William Daniels (George Feeny)
While Mr. Turner was the “cool teacher,” the most inspirational was easily Mr. Feeny, played to perfection by veteran actor William Daniels. Audiences likely remembered him from his Emmy-winning role on hit medical drama St. Elsewhere and from the original Knight Rider TV show, as the voice of KITT. The now 94-year-old actor has returned to what he is best known for a number of times since Boy Meets World’s end, including playing a doctor on Grey’s Anatomy, voicing KITT in several things (most recently the HBO Max original Superintelligence), and appearing in a handful of Girl Meets World episodes as George Feeny.
I cannot imagine what Girl Meets World would have been without William Daniels as George Feeny, or anyone else from the Boy Meets World cast listed above. That being said, if another spin-off were to come out one day, I would be intrigued to see Maitland Ward get a part.
