Danielle Fishel, known for her role as Topanga Lawrence on the iconic ’90s sitcom “Boy Meets World,” has opened up about a painful experience related to her weight gain during the show’s run. On a recent episode of her podcast, “Pod Meets World,” Fishel shared how the show’s producers and writers used her real-life weight gain as material for a storyline, leaving her feeling deeply uncomfortable and exploited.
Fishel, who played Topanga Lawrence from 1993 to 2000, was told by the show’s creators that they planned to write an episode about her weight gain. “It wasn’t really like they asked,” she revealed. The episode focused on body image, and Fishel was taken aback by the lack of options given to her. “They said, ‘We’re gonna write an episode about it. And here’s what it’s gonna be. It’s gonna be really funny,’” she recounted.
At the time, Fishel was a size 4 and felt that the episode’s focus on her weight gain was excessive. Her co-star, Will Friedle, who also experienced weight gain, was similarly used for comedic purposes. “Will very much was like, ‘Oh, yeah. I’m totally fine with it,’” Fishel said. Despite his seemingly easygoing attitude, she now understands that Friedle’s acceptance was a facade masking his own insecurities.
The episode, titled “She’s Having My Baby Back Ribs,” aired in 2000 and featured scenes where Topanga’s weight was a central joke. In one scene, Topanga directly asks Eric Matthews, “Do you think I’m fat?” to which he replies cheerfully, “Yeah.” The episode concludes with a cringe-worthy moment where Topanga has to clarify to her husband Cory and others that she’s not pregnant, just “fat.”
Although the episode attempted to address unrealistic beauty standards, it was criticized for perpetuating fatphobia with continuous jokes about weight. The character Mr. Feeny, played by William Daniels, offers a lecture on societal pressures, only for the episode to end with more weight-related humor.
Fishel has previously spoken about how the pressures and expectations around her weight affected her, including a period of disordered eating during her time on the show. In a 2010 interview, she revealed her struggles with laxative use, restrictive eating, and fear of consuming food.
Representatives for ABC Entertainment and Walt Disney Studios have not commented on Fishel’s recent revelations, and attempts to reach Michael Jacobs, co-creator of “Boy Meets World,” were unsuccessful.
