‘Boy Meets World’ Star Danielle Fishel Shares Details of Being Sexualized as a Child Star
Published on June 20th, 2023 | Updated on June 20th, 2023 | By FanFest
Danielle Fishel Recalls Alarming Interactions With Adults on ‘Boy Meets World’ Set
Danielle Fishel, who starred as Topanga on the beloved ’90s sitcom “Boy Meets World,” has opened up about some alarming interactions she had with adults while on the show.
Fishel, who was just 12 years old when she started on the show, said that she often received attention from adult men who would tell her that they had her 18th birthday on their calendar or that they had photos of her in their bedroom.
“As a kid, I always wanted to be older. I always wanted to be an adult, I wanted to be seen as an adult and so getting adult male attention as a teenage girl… I didn’t think of it as being creepy or weird,” she said on her podcast “Pod Meets World.”
“It felt like it was validation that I was mature and I was an adult and I was capable and that they were seeing me the way I was, not for the number on a page. And in hindsight, that is absolutely wrong.”
Fishel said that she didn’t think much of it at the time, but that she now realizes that these interactions were inappropriate. She also said that she struggled with forming proper boundaries in relationships in the years after “Boy Meets World” ended because of these experiences.
“It wasn’t until my late 30s – I’m now 42 – that I realized there was a connection between those strange experiences from ‘Boy Meets World’ and how I related to people in the years after the show ended,” she said.
Fishel’s comments come as the entertainment industry is reckoning with its history of sexual misconduct. In recent years, there have been numerous allegations of sexual harassment and assault against powerful figures in Hollywood, including Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, and Louis C.K.
Fishel’s story is a reminder that these issues can affect people of all ages, even those who are just starting out in their careers. It is important to create safe and respectful workplaces for everyone, regardless of age or gender.
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