Danielle Fishel

Name: Danielle Christine Fishel

Introduction: Danielle Fishel is an American actress and director. She is most famously known for her iconic role as Topanga Lawrence in the beloved 1990s sitcom “Boy Meets World” and its Disney Channel spin-off “Girl Meets World.” Beyond acting, she has expanded her career into directing and podcasting.

Date of birth: May 5, 1981

Height: Approximately 5 feet 1 inch (1.55 m)

Place of birth: Mesa, Arizona, U.S.

Family:

Parents’ names: Jennifer Fishel (mother, personal manager) and Rick Fishel (father, former president of Masimo Corporation).
Siblings: Christopher Fishel (brother).
Spouse:
- Tim Belusko (m. 2013; div. 2016)
- Jensen Karp (m. 2018)
Children:
- Adler Lawrence Karp (son, born June 24, 2019)
- Keaton Joseph Karp (son, born August 29, 2021)
Relatives: Not widely publicized beyond her immediate family.

Profession: Actress, director, podcast host, entrepreneur.

Nationality: American

Religion: She was raised in a Jewish family.

College or university attended: California State University, Fullerton (graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Psychology in 2013). She returned to college at age 27.

Biography and What Famous For:

Danielle Fishel began her professional acting career at a young age, starting around six years old in community theater productions. She made guest appearances on popular shows like “Full House” and “Harry and the Hendersons.”

Her career-defining role came in 1993 when she was cast as Topanga Lawrence on the ABC sitcom “Boy Meets World.” Originally a recurring character, Topanga’s intelligence, quirky personality, and evolving relationship with Cory Matthews (played by Ben Savage) quickly made her a fan favorite, leading to her becoming a main character. The show ran for seven successful seasons, from 1993 to 2000, and Topanga became an iconic figure for a generation of viewers.

After “Boy Meets World” concluded, Fishel explored other ventures. She hosted “Say What? Karaoke” on MTV for a season and later hosted “The Dish” on the Style Network (2008–2011), a comedy show that satirized pop culture. She also appeared in films like “National Lampoon’s Dorm Daze” (2003) and its sequel.

In 2014, Fishel reprised her beloved role as Topanga Lawrence-Matthews in the Disney Channel spin-off series “Girl Meets World,” which followed Cory and Topanga as adults raising their own children. She not only starred in the series but also began directing episodes, marking a new phase in her career.

Since “Girl Meets World,” Danielle Fishel has focused heavily on directing, helming over 50 episodes of multi-camera sitcoms for Disney Channel and other networks, including “Sydney to the Max,” “Raven’s Home,” “Lopez vs Lopez” (for NBC), and “Shifting Gears” (for ABC).

In 2022, she launched the highly popular podcast “Pod Meets World” with her former “Boy Meets World” co-stars Rider Strong (Shawn Hunter) and Will Friedle (Eric Matthews), where they rewatch and recap episodes of their classic show, sharing behind-the-scenes stories and insights.

Fishel has also delved into entrepreneurship, notably creating a hair care line called “Be Free by Danielle Fishel.” She is currently developing a movie called “Girl Meets Boy Band,” reportedly based on her real-life high school prom experience with Lance Bass of *NSYNC.

Have participated (Selected Filmography, Television, and Other Ventures):

Television (Actress):