The Boy Meets World cast has spoken out about their years-long rift with former costar Ben Savage.
The actor played Cory Matthews on the beloved ABC sitcom, which ran from 1993 to 2000. Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong and Will Friedle have discussed being estranged from Savage for years, stemming from the creation of their “Pod Meets World” podcast.
The trio launched their rewatch podcast in 2022 and have continued reuniting with other castmates, but Savage has notably distanced himself from the group — and no one seems to know exactly why.
Keep scrolling for everything to know about the drama:
Ben Savage Declined to Join the ‘Pod Meets World’ Podcast
When Strong first pitched the idea of a rewatch podcast back in 2019, the four leads talked through the possibilities together. Ultimately, Savage decided it was not an opportunity that he wanted to pursue..
“We talked about all the different ways we could do it. And at the end of our conversations, Ben said, ‘I just don’t think it’s for me.’ And we get it. So we’re respecting his decision,” Fishel exclusively told Us Weekly in July 2022. “And if he eventually wants to come on, we’ll leave that door open.”
Friedle added, “I hope he wants to come on.”
Ben Savage and Will Friedle Haven’t Spoken in Years
In June 2023, Friedle revealed to Variety
that he hadn’t spoken to Savage — who played his onscreen little brother — in three years.
“He disappeared — I wish I knew why, to this day,” Friedle said. “We didn’t have a fight. There’s no falling out. There was no animosity. He just woke up one day, and decided ‘I don’t want this person in my life anymore.’”
Friedle revealed he made repeated attempts to reach out, including a text that read, “I’ve known you for 30 years, what’s going on? I’m gonna call you every day until you tell me not to call you anymore.”
After a month with no response, he gave up.
“I’ve known him since he was 11 years old, and we have a shared history,” Friedle continued, calling the estrangement a “sore subject.”
He continued, “I tried and tried and tried for months, until finally my wife was like, ‘Why are you doing this to yourself? He obviously doesn’t want you in his life.’”
Danielle Fishel Will ‘Always Love’ Ben Savage
Fishel, who played Cory’s longtime love Topanga, said Savage was a major presence in her life — particularly when her first son was born prematurely and spent time in the NICU in June 2019.
“We were just so, so close, especially during that time. He was checking in with me regularly,” she told Variety. Fishel claimed Savage “ghosted” the group after that period but she remains hopeful.
“Ben and I may be estranged right now and we may have our complaints about each other, but I will always love Ben and want what’s best for him. I don’t think this is the end of our story — but time will tell,” she said.
Ben Savage Skipped Danielle Fishel’s ‘DWTS’ Dedication Night
When Fishel competed on Dancing With the Stars in 2025, eight of her Boy Meets World castmates — including Friedle, Lawrence, Betsy Randle, William Russ, Trina McGee, Bonnie Bartlett and Alex Désert — showed up to cheer her on as she dedicated her jive to William Daniels. Savage was not among them.
Will Friedle and Danielle Fishel Still Hold Out Hope
Speaking to People in June 2026, Friedle and Fishel reflected on the ongoing estrangement.
“It’s been hard,” Friedle said. “I know I’m shouting into the void, but I’m going to keep doing it. I haven’t given up on my friend.”
Fishel has been thinking about Savage — who welcomed a daughter with wife Tessa Angermeier in November 2025 — in his new role as a father.
“I love imagining him in this new chapter of his life as a dad,” she said. “We talked a lot about how he looked forward to being a dad someday.”
Savage, for his part, has never publicly addressed the rumored rift.
This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.
