If you were around in the ’90s, you certainly remember the popular sitcom “Boy Meets World,” which ran from 1993 to 2000. Even if you weren’t around for the show’s original run, you’ve likely caught an episode or two in reruns, or streamed the beloved series on Disney+. Or, perhaps you’ve seen its spin-off, “Girl Meets World,” which ran from 2014 to 2017.
“Boy Meets World” focuses on Cory Matthews as he grows up, but it was also a family show exploring his relationships with his parents and his siblings. In its time on the air, “Boy Meets World” was must-watch TV, airing as part of ABC’s TGIF lineup. Its characters remain beloved, even decades after the show wrapped. We were able to catch up with some of them on “Girl Meets World,” which reassured us that the characters we came to know and love are doing well, but what about the actors who played them? Here’s what the cast of “Boy Meets World” is up to today.
Ben Savage kept acting but avoided the spotlight after Boy Meets World
“Boy Meets World” couldn’t have existed without the boy in question, Cory Matthews. Cory was played by Ben Savage throughout the show’s run, and the sitcom followed him from his awkward pre-teen years through college and his marriage to his childhood sweetheart, Topanga Lawrence.
Savage kept acting after “Boy Meets World” wrapped in 2000, although none of his roles are as well known as the show that made him famous. His film and television credits include “Car Babes,” “Pal Alto, CA,” “Girl Meets Boy,” “Still the King,” and “Love, Lights, Hanukkah!” Savage also reprised the role of Cory Matthews in the “Boy Meets World” spinoff, “Girl Meets World,” from 2014 to 2017. Savage also directed ten episodes of the show.
Outside of his acting career, Savage has maintained a fairly low profile, only giving occasional interviews. While he’s on Instagram, a lot of his posts are work-related or throwbacks.
Boy Meets World star William Daniels wrote a memoir
While Cory Matthews may have been the protagonist of “Boy Meets World,” Mr. Feeny was the heart of the show. The teacher guided Cory and his friends through grade school, high school, and even college, and was the voice of wisdom on the series. The actor who played Mr. Feeny, William Daniels, already had a decades-long career when he joined the cast of “Boy Meets World,” having started his career as a child star, as noted by People. His long list of credits includes roles in “Captain Nice,” “Knight Rider,” “St. Elsewhere,” “Blades of Glory,” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” Daniels also reprised the role of Mr. Feeney in a handful of episodes of “Girl Meets World.”
Daniels is also thriving in his personal life, as he revealed in a video shared to his Instagram account. He’s been married to his wife, actress (and fellow “Boy Meets World” alum) Bonnie Bartlett, since 1951. As for his stint as Mr. Feeny, it remains one of Daniel’s most memorable roles as exhibited by the title of his 2017 memoir, “There I Go Again: How I Came to Be Mr. Feeny, John Adams, Dr. Craig, KITT & Many Others.”
Betsy Randle made several TV appearances after Boy Meets World
Perhaps no one embodied the quintessential ’90s TV mom so well as Betsy Randle as Amy Matthews in “Boy Meets World.” Mrs. Matthews was firm but loving, looking after not only her own kids but also their friends, notably taking in Cory’s best friend, Shawn Hunter, after his parents took off.
Randle had already been in some big shows before joining the cast of “Boy Meets World, including “Family Ties” and “Home Improvement.” She kept acting after “Boy Meets World” wrapped, with credits in shows and films like “Urban Mythology,” “The Beat,” “Charmed,” and “Adam Ruins Everything.” She also appeared in two episodes of “Girl Meets World.”
While Randle’s career continued after “Boy Meets World,” though, it never really exploded. There are huge gaps between her roles, notably between her 2004 arc on “Charmed” and her first “Girl Meets World” appearance a decade later. Her lack of roles, though, may simply be because she’s financially set. “I have lots of money,” she said in a 2020 interview with radio show The Five Count. Celebrity Net Worth estimates her fortune at $2 million, which is certainly enough to provide for a comfortable retirement fund.
Boy Meets World's Will Friedle has done a lot of voice acting
The brotherly bond between Cory and his older brother, Eric, was a big part of “Boy Meets World.” Eric was the popular — but not too bright — sibling of the Matthews family, and his character was often at the center of comedic hijinks on the show. Eric was played by actor Will Friedle on both “Boy Meets World and its spin-off, “Girl Meets World,” but even if you aren’t familiar with his face you’ve likely heard his voice before.
That’s because, in addition to his live-action roles in shows and films such as “Gold Diggers,” “Less Than Perfect,” and “Love Surreal,” Friedle’s career since his “Boy Meets World” days has mostly consisted of voice work. His dozens of credits include voicing roles in shows and films such as “Kim Possible,” “Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” “Thundercats,” “Transformers: Robots in Disguise,” “DC Super Hero Girls.”
Most of Friedle’s roles have been for younger audiences, which he told My New Orleans he enjoys. “I don’t know what it is, but I always seem to get cast to entertain kids and I’ve been loving it,” he revealed.
Boy Meets World star Rider Strong has left his sitcom days behind him
Rider Strong played bad boy Shawn Hunter on “Boy Meets World.” His troubled family life and his rebellious attitude served as a sharp contrast to his goody-two-shoes BFF Cory. While Shawn often got Cory into trouble, Cory also balanced out his friend and had a stabilizing influence.
Strong appeared in several shows and films after “Boy Meets World.” He was, of course, on “Girl Meets World,” but also branched out from sitcoms with roles in “Veronica Mars,” “Tooth and Nail,” “Too Late,” and more. Like his co-star Will Friedle, Strong has also done a lot of voice acting, notably on the show “Kim Possible.”
“Boy Meets World” played a big role in Strong’s life, but the actor isn’t one to be pigeonholed. He’s a director now, having directed several episodes of “Girl Meets World” in addition to other projects including the shorts “The Irish Twin” and “Method.” He’s also worked as a producer and a writer, and has no interest in returning to his “Boy Meets World” character. “I wouldn’t do a sitcom again,” he told Vice. “I hate to say it, but it was really hard going back and doing ‘Girl Meets World.'”
Danielle Fishel from Boy Meets World launched a haircare line
Nineties kids everywhere envied Topanga Lawrence’s gorgeous blonde mane on “Boy Meets World,” but they were even more jealous of her storybook romance with her childhood sweetheart Cory. After playing the love of Cory’s life on the show, actress Danielle Fishel went on to appear in a handful of films and movies including “Long Shot,” “Dorm Daze,” and “Boiling Pot,” but her biggest role was reprising the role of Topanga in “Girl Meets World.”
These days, Fishel still has amazing hair, and even launched her own haircare line, Be Free by Danielle Fishel. Per the Daily Mail, Fishel is also happily married to radio personality Jensen Karp, with whom she has one child.
Fishel still stays in touch with her “Boy Meets World” castmates, and made headlines in 2019 when she introduced her firstborn to her on-screen husband, Ben Savage. She also lives down the street from co-star Will Friedle, telling TV Insider that she walks by his house daily.
Boy Meets World's Lindsay Ridgeway has quit acting
While most of the stars of “Boy Meets World” went on to continue successful careers after the show wrapped, some of them faded out of the spotlight. That’s what happened with Lindsay Ridgeway, who was one of two actresses to play the youngest Matthews sibling, Morgan Matthews. Ridgeway portrayed the character from 1996 to 2000. After that, she voiced a role in one episode of “Totally Spies” in 2004 and reprised the role of Morgan in an episode of “Girl Meets World” in 2017.
After that, Ridgeway’s acting resume dries up and she seems to have left acting behind completely — but not show business. According to her LinkedIn profile, Ridgeway is still connected to the acting world as the Development Manager at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. Before that, she worked as a fitness instructor, for a counseling center, as a therapist, and as a substitute teacher. Ridgeway has a master’s degree in counseling and a bachelor’s degree in political science.
William Russ has been busy since Boy Meets World
Who didn’t want a dad like Alan Matthews from “Boy Meets World?” Played by TV veteran William Russ, Mr. Matthews was kind, caring, and forgiving, and had the sweetest relationship with his wife. Naturally, Russ reprised the role on “Girl Meets World,” but only appeared in two episodes. That makes sense when you consider just how busy he’s been since “Boy Meets World” wrapped.
Russ’ resume since 2000 is bursting with credits, with notable standouts being “Ally McBeal,” “Boston Legal,” “The Young and the Restless,” “Home at Last,” “Scandal,” “The Maestro,” and “Bosch.”
Russ’ career has remained steady and he has well over 100 credits on his resume, but outside of his career, he maintains a pretty low profile. He doesn’t give many interviews and doesn’t seem to have any public social media accounts. According to his bio at Amazon Prime Video, he has two children with his wife, Clare Wren. Wren also keeps a low profile, so it seems this Hollywood couple is deliberately staying out of the limelight.
Boy Meets World's Matthew Lawrence is married to this DWTS pro
Matthew Lawrence joined the cast of “Boy Meets World” in Season 5 as Jack Hunter, the half-brother Shawn never knew he had. Jack quickly became an unforgettable character on the show, striking up a friendship with Cory’s older brother, Eric. Lawrence was at the height of his fame when he joined the show, having risen to popularity alongside his brothers, Joey and Andy Lawrence, on the sitcom “Brotherly Love.”
Lawrence continued acting after “Boy Meets World” wrapped, notably in films and shows like “The Hot Chick,” “The Comebacks,” “Melissa & Joey,” and “Better Than Love.” He also appeared in one episode of “Girl Meets World.”
Lawrence is married to Cheryl Burke of “Dancing with the Stars” fame. The couple have a lot of reptiles, as he revealed on the “Pretty Messed Up” podcast. “[I love] nature in general,” he said.
Trina McGee doesn't have the best memories of her Boy Meets World days
Trina McGee joined the cast of “Boy Meets World” when the gang was in college. She played Shawn Hunter’s girlfriend, Angela Moore, on the series, and their interracial romance was quite the groundbreaking affair for ’90s TV, as noted by Hypable.
McGee’s experience on the “Boy Meets World” set wasn’t a good one, though, and she opened up about the discrimination she faced in 2020. McGee revealed on Twitter (via Yahoo!) that many members of the cast made inappropriate remarks, such as calling her “Aunt Jemima.”
McGee’s post-“Boy Meets World” credits include roles in “Friday After Next,” “Sins of the Guilty,” and “LAPD African Cops.” She also appeared in one episode of “Girl Meets World,” but hasn’t had a screen role since 2016. McGee maintains an active Twitter and Instagram presence but, for the most part, seems to be living her life under the radar.
Anthony Tyler Quinn followed his Boy Meets World role with appearances on some big shows
For two seasons of “Boy Meets World,” Jonathan Turner provided a stabilizing influence in Shawn’s life. The teacher served as a surrogate father to the rebellious teen, until he was unceremoniously written off the show after his character was in a terrible motorcycle accident. He survived, but didn’t make another appearance on the show, although the character did turn up in three episodes of “Girl Meets World.” Actor Anthony Tyler Quinn still isn’t sure why his character was written off, tweeting in 2013, “Sometimes they make changes, and can’t figure out how to explain them” (via Yahoo!).
Quinn’s career was quite busy after he was written off “Boy Meets World” with roles in shows and films like “Melrose Place,” “Party of Five,” “Caroline in the City,” “Days of Our Lives,” and “The Man From Nowhere.”
Turner is also still in touch with many of his “Boy Meets World” co-stars, telling HuffPost he’s proud of everything the kids on the show went on to accomplish. “From what I see and what I know, they’ve become the wonderful adults I always knew they could be,” he gushed.
Maitland Ward has made a surprising career transition since Boy Meets World
Maitland Ward’s career took a surprising trajectory after her “Boy Meets World” days. The actress played Jack and Eric’s college roommate, Rachel McGuire, on the hit sitcom, as well as their love interest. Rachel didn’t make an appearance in “Girl Meets World,” but Ward did keep acting after “Boy Meets World” wrapped. Notable film and television credits include “White Chicks” and “Rules of Engagement.”
Most of Ward’s work, however, has been a big departure from the family-friendly sitcom that was “Boy Meets World.” The actress has made a name for herself in the world of adult entertainment. If you’re surprised by the career change, you’re not the only one. Maitland told the Daily Beast that this wasn’t how she expected to follow up her two seasons on “Boy Meets World,” but she couldn’t be happier. “It’s been way easier and I’ve enjoyed it so much more than I’d expected,” she revealed. “And I’m good at it. It feels natural to me.”
Maitland told the New York Post that she’s even gotten a lot of messages from fans thanking her for helping them explore their own sexuality. “A lot of people tell me that my content is a happy place for them,” she shared.
Lily Gibson has done a lot of acting on stage since Boy Meets World
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Who could forget the cute-as-a-button Lily Gibson? Gibson was the first actress to play the youngest Matthews sibling Morgan Matthews on “Boy Meets World,” and she was quite the scene stealer before departing from the show in 1995.
“Boy Meets World” was Gibson’s first role (credited as Lily Nicksay), but it wasn’t her last. She went on to appear in shows and films like “The Christmas Box,” “Up Close & Personal,” “The Guardian,” “8 Simple Rules,” and “NCIS.” She also appeared in an episode of “Girl Meets World,” reprising the role of Morgan Matthews.
Gibson regularly appears at fan events, but keeps a relatively low profile outside of that. She’s still acting here and there, but a lot of her work is on stage. According to her website, she also does voiceover work as well as audiobook narration.
Lee Norris starred on this iconic show after Boy Meets World
The fact that Lee Norris didn’t star as Stuart Minkus throughout the entire run of “Boy Meets World” is nothing short of a travesty. The character was written off the show when Cory and the gang moved on to high school, although he did briefly appear in the “Graduation” episode in 1998. Thankfully, we got to see more of Norris in the spin-off, “Girl Meets World,” as he played the father of one of the show’s main characters, Farkle Minkus.
Norris did quite well for himself after he appeared on “Boy Meets World,” notably portraying Marvin “Mouth” McFadden on the 2000s teen drama “One Tree Hill.” While fans of both shows might cry “typecasting” at Norris playing a nerd on both series, Norris told Skybound that he considers himself to have “been really lucky to work on cool shows” like the two hit series.
Norris’ other film and television credits include roles in “Gone Girl” and “The Walking Dead,” so you could say that he’s done pretty well for himself.
Boy Meets World star Ethan Suplee is now a family man
Ethan Suplee played the bully with a heart of gold, Frankie Stechino, on “Boy Meets World.” Suplee only appeared in 19 episodes, but they were memorable ones — although not as memorable as the roles that Suplee landed after his time on the sitcom. The actor starred in some pretty big titles, including “Remember the Titans,” “Without a Paddle,” “The Year Without a Santa Claus,” “My Name Is Earl,” “Santa Clarita Diet,” “The Ranch,” and “Good Girls.”
Suplee also underwent quite the makeover. While he was known early in his career for his heavyset built, he has lost 250 pounds since his “Boy Meets World” days. The actor told People that his wife, Brandy Lewis, is largely responsible for his weight loss as she inspired him to be “kind of interested in the future and having experiences with her.” Suplee also explained that he wanted to be able to do things he “just wasn’t physically able to do” before his weight loss, such as going on hikes and wandering around a museum. “I’m at my absolute pinnacle,” he told Men’s Health of achieving his goal of nine percent body fat.
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