Danielle Fishel, who played Topanga Lawrence in the coming-of-age sitcom “Boy Meets World,” has claimed that a male executive from the show told her he had a calendar photo of her at 16 years old hanging in his bedroom. The actress discussed being “an object of desire at such a young age” with her co-hosts and former castmates Rider Strong and Will Friedle on her “Pod Meets World” podcast. Fishel recalled being taken aback by the uncomfortable admission but said her “immediate thought after that was: ‘Yes, because we are peers, and this is how you relate to peers.’”
Validation From Adult Male Attention
Fishel revealed that as a child, she always wanted to be older and seen as an adult. As a result, getting adult male attention as a teenage girl felt like validation that she was mature and capable. However, in hindsight, Fishel acknowledges that this was wrong. Fishel’s experience on the show, which ran for seven seasons from 1993 to 2000, “made [her] bad at [setting] boundaries” in her romantic relationships. She revealed that she had no expectations of how she was supposed to be treated and would stick it out for the sake of it.
Processing The Experience
Fishel shared that she hadn’t unpacked all those emotions until recently and only processed how it affected her as a teenager, in her 20s, and even in her 30s in the last few years. Fishel’s experience is not unique, and many child stars have spoken out about their experiences with inappropriate behavior and the pressure to grow up too fast. Reps for ABC did not respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
Fishel’s experience sheds light on the inappropriate behavior young actors and actresses often face in the entertainment industry. It highlights the need for better protection of child stars and the importance of setting boundaries. Fishel’s story also serves as a reminder of the impact that early experiences can have on a person’s life and their relationships. It’s essential to process and address these experiences to move forward and heal.
Leave a Reply