Danielle Fishel fell in love with Rider Strong’s “Boy Meets World”

What might have been a Boy Meets World encounter has become an unrequited love.

Danielle Fishel – best known for playing the casual, loving Topanga in “Boy Meets World” – got pissed off at the crush on co-star Rider Strong, who portrayed the lead character’s best friend Shawn at the start of filming the series, revealing her long-kept secret the newest episode of the series “Boy Meets World” podcast “Pod Meets World”.

After reading a fan question – “Were there any off-screen romances or sympathies?” Fishel did not fail to admit his past feelings.

“I’ll go first: I’m in love with Rider,” she replied.

Strong, apparently speechless for a moment, she reacted to her confession with a series of sighs, then choked out, “What ?! It’s not true, you never told me that! ” – prompting Fishel to double up on the revelation.

“You saved it for 30 years ?!” Strong continued, seemingly still incredulous.

The actress explained that the liking started “maybe later in season 1, and certainly in season 2.” The first two seasons of the series premiered in September 1993 and September 1994, respectively, and the series finale aired at the end of season seven in May 2000.

– He was so smart, and you know what? One of my favorite things about Rider – and it still exists – the Rider is very effusive. He’ll tell you how he feels. He is very free in his compliments, but he does not throw them away, whether he wants it or not, ”the 41-year-old Fiszel wondered.

“When Rider complements you, it is thoughtful, it matters – it comes from a very real place,” she said.

Fishel remembered a special moment when she passed out to a sincere compliment from her friend during an acting class.

“I remember getting a very real compliment from Rider, such as,” You, my friend, are doing an amazing job, “she recalls, suggesting that the kind words made her blush.

“And I found a diary that I was writing for about three months while we were at Boy Meets World,” she continued.

“And it was so embarrassing because I’m finishing my diary [entries] with the words “PS I love …”. And then there are four people I love. And Rider was one of them! she concluded, prompting a shy, slightly bewildered sounding Strong to repeat, “Did I make a list at some point ?!”

Former stars are happily married, with wedding actress Strong and Alexandra Barreto in 2013 and Fiszel tied the knot with producer Jensen Karp in 2018. Each couple has one child together, Strong and Barreto welcome their son Indigo in December 2014, and Fishel gives birth to her and son Karp Adler in June 2019.

“Pod Meets World” debuted in June 2022, and co-hosts former “Boy Meets World” cast members Fishel, Strong and Will Friedle – who played Cory’s older brother Eric. Episodes so far have featured interviews with various other cast members interspersed with reactions from cast members while re-watching old episodes of the ABC sitcom.