Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Original Topanga From 'Boy Meets World' Reveals The Heartbreaking Reason She Was Fired

Bonnie Morgan
Paul Archuleta/Getty Images

On the 'Pod Meets World' podcast, Bonnie Morgan recounted how she was just 12 years old when she was cast as Topanga on the hit series—and was fired after just one day on set.

Make us preferred on Google

An image of teenage Danielle Fishel immediately appears in one's mind at just the mere mention of the name "Topanga."

The Boy Meets World star appeared in all seven seasons of the hit show, but another actor was originally hired to play Cory's long-time love interest.


Originally cast as Topanga, actor Bonnie Morgan was fired after just one day on set. Fishel, on the other hand, was on set to play a minor character—a classmate—and was asked to audition later for the part that launched her career.

Regardless of her success, though, Fishel always wondered about Morgan and was finally able to get in touch with her.

Morgan appeared on Monday's Pod Meets World podcast and revealed what went down... a story she's never publicly shared with anyone.

You can watch the moment here:

The actor revealed the role of Topanga was brought to her by showrunner Michael Jacobs after she auditioned for one of his other shows, The Torkelsons.

She explained:

"I had three callbacks, they kept bringing me back."
"Every time I'd audition we'd talk a lot, and every time I'd come, the script would change slightly, it seemed, to things that we had talked about."

Morgan shared their were some disagreements about her casting, but ultimately "Michael [Jacobs] won" and she was cast as Topanga.

But it seemed as if the debate was still in the air.

"I didn't know that you could get fired."
"It was the weirdest day of my life."
"Even as a kid I was like, 'What's going on here?'"
"I came in and all the adults were very short with me."

She continued:

"The table read was great fun, it was all there."
"It couldn't have gone better with everyone around."
"The minute I was separated out, it was another story."

As filming started, things just got worse.

Morgan shared Ben Savage, aka Cory, was joking around with her and trying to get her to break character during rehearsal.

"At this point I was becoming a nervous wreck. I couldn't get his name—the opening line, 'Cory.'"
"I would guffaw 'Cory' and David [Trainer] was just like, 'Get it together!'"
"I'm trying to pull it together and hold it together in sheer fear, and Ben kept doing this thing to crack me up and I was breaking and giggling."

Then there was a moment involving the way Morgan said the word "peace," a moment even Fishel distinctly remembered.

Morgan wasn't saying the word "sweet" enough.

"So I said it sweeter and he went, 'No, I want you to say it...' and he got really close to me, '...like you're saying happy birthday'."
"I was so tiny at that moment and I just said, 'Okay, I will'."
"And he goes, 'Do it'."
"And I said, 'I thought you meant during the take,' and he goes, 'Do it now, wish me a happy birthday'."

Morgan didn't find out she was fired from the show until the next day when her agent called her father.

She was rightfully "shattered."

"I had been with my agent for a very long time, I'd been working with her a very long time."
"The director said that I couldn't take direction, which was one thing I'd never been accused of."

But when her agent called them out on that inaccuracy, they shared another reason.

"My agent immediately fought back on that one."
"It came out very quickly to my agent that the director didn't think I was pretty enough. Literally did not think I was pretty enough."
"So that meant that a grown man, a boss, could lie and tell me I was untalented because the fact was he didn't think I was pretty."
"I'm taking away the thing you want most in the world, that was all but written for you, it's because you're not talented."
"Sorry, I lied, it's just because you're not pretty."

Listeners of the podcast applauded Morgan for opening up about her experience.

They also expressed their disgust over the reason behind her early exit from the show.

@podmeetsworldshow/Instagram

@podmeetsworldshow/Instagram

@podmeetsworldshow/Instagram

@podmeetsworldshow/Instagram

@podmeetsworldshow/Instagram

@podmeetsworldshow/Instagram

@podmeetsworldshow/Instagram

On the podcast, Rider Strong—who played Shawn Hunter on the series—thinks the decision was made before the more uncomfortable moments.

"My theory is that they made the decision at the table read."
"The reason you felt so awkward is that whoever was pushing against you - whether that was David Trainer alone or someone at the network - decided after that table read, and then you were dead man walking the entire day."

But Morgan wasn't so sure.

"I truly believe that David Trainer decided the minute the phone call was made that he was going to get rid of that kid come hell or high water, and what a thing to do to somebody."

Both Fishel and Morgan could agree, though, that the deeper issue lied within the adults dueling for power.

Fishel said:

"It was another storyline that was playing out behind the scenes and were just characters in the play."
"And we never would have known that had we not talked."

Fortunately, Morgan is a woman of many talents.

Aside from being a talented actor, which earned her multiple TV and film roles, she is also a professional contortionist.

Those powers combined landed her the role of the one and only Samara from The Ring.

More from Entertainment/tv-and-movies

Screenshot of Donald Trump
@Acyn/X

Trump Blasted After Sharing Unhinged Story About Anonymous 'Very Obese' Friend Who Is Taking 'Fat Drugs' In Bonkers Clip

President Donald Trump was criticized after he, in a bizarre moment while discussing the high cost of GLP-1 drugs in the United States, shared a story about a "very obese" friend of his who is on "fat drugs" that don't appear to be working.

Trump's administration has previously taken credit for a decline in prices, citing deals with drugmakers and the launch of the direct-to-consumer platform TrumpRx.

Keep ReadingShow less
Barack, Michelle, Malia, and Sasha Obama
Win McNamee/Getty Images

Michelle Obama's Candid Comments About Why She Doesn't 'Miss' Her Kids Has Moms Everywhere Applauding

The stereotype of the weeping mother unable to cope with her children beginning preschool, or kindergarten, or graduating from high school, or going off to college was shattered by former First Lady Michelle Obama during a recent appearance by Jon Stewart on her IMO (In My Opinion) with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson podcast.

While pop culture has reinforced the trope of empty nester moms unable to cope when their children gain independence, the former FLOTUS told Stewart she feels free now that her daughters Malia and Sasha Obama, now 28 and 25 years old respectively, have moved out on their own.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @nikolcosmetics's TikTok
@nikolcosmetics/TikTok

Former Waitress Sparks Debate After Explaining Why Tipping Isn't About 'Entitlement' In Viral TikTok Video

You can tell a lot about a person based on how they treat people who work in the service industry or in retail.

That includes not only one-on-one interactions with employees and restaurant servers, but also how someone speaks about tipping after a dining experience.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @spicycokezero's TikTok
@spicycokezero/TikTok

Woman Shares Nightmare First Date After 'Condescending' Guy Bizarrely Insulted Her Height And Intelligence

While dating can be fun, there are inevitably going to be some disappointing experiences thrown into the mix, simply because we're not meant to match with every other single person out there.

But there are some people who ignore dating etiquette entirely, from how they portray themselves to how they treat their dates, and take the date from something lackluster to something better suited for a TV drama or to be told around a campfire.

Keep ReadingShow less
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates defeating Jaime Faria of Portugal in the Men's Singles Second Round.
Julian Finney/Getty Images

Tennis Star Carlos Alcaraz Had A Hilarious Wardrobe Malfunction At The US Open—And Fans Are Cracking Up

Tennis fans came for the action at the U.S. Open, but Carlos Alcaraz’s wardrobe ended up stealing some of the spotlight.

The defending champion and World No. 3 returned to competitive singles last Monday after a four-month layoff due to a right wrist injury, facing Roman Safiullin in the opening round at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Keep ReadingShow less