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

Rob Schneider
Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

Rob Schneider Rages At Texas GOP For Allowing 'Islamic And Marxist Threat' To Infiltrate The State In Unhinged Rant

MAGA actor Rob Schneider was criticized after he condemned Texas Republicans for allowing what he referred to as an "Islamic and Marxist threat" to infiltrate the state.

Schneider, a notorious conspiracy theorist, published a thread on X titled "THE CONQUEST OF TEXAS" in which he alleged Republicans have allowed a hostile takeover.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Donald Trump
@atrupar/X

Trump Offers Bizarre Reaction To Heckler Shouting 'Pedophile Protector' At Him During Rally

President Donald Trump was criticized after calling a heckler a "communist" after they shouted "pedophile protector" at him while he was speaking in Milford, Michigan, on Monday.

Trump was talking about "placing tariffs on foreign producers" when the heckler yelled "pedophile protector" at him multiple times. His followers attempted to drown out the heckler by chanting "USA! USA! USA!"

Keep ReadingShow less
Zanny Minton Beddoes; Elon Musk
The Economist

Elon Musk Dragged For Throwing Childish Tantrum After Interviewer Tells Him That Lots Of People 'Loathe' Him

Uh-oh, another mean journalist lady hurt poor wittle Elon Musk's feewings!

At this point, unless you are a very specific type of deeply weird far-right dudebro who's been lobotomized by X, pretty much everyone has a distaste for Elon Musk.

Keep ReadingShow less
Karoline Leavitt; Joe Biden
Fox News; Earl Gibson III/Deadline via Getty Images

Karoline Leavitt Just Tried To Blame Biden For The Affordability Crisis—And People Are Having None Of It

MAGA Republican President Donald Trump's White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, is back from maternity leave. For her first major performance, she appeared on Fox News to be interviewed by the POTUS's daughter-in-law Lara Trump.

While the interview was full of the usual misdirection, obfuscation, and blatant lies Leavitt is known for, one of her comments particularly set viewers off.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hannah Waddingham
Michael Buckner/Variety/Getty Images

Hannah Waddingham's New Show Is Sparking A Debate After Fans Notice How Much 'Skin Softening' Has Been Applied To Her

It's empowering to see middle-aged (or older) actors continuing to portray incredible characters, and it's especially powerful when they age gracefully without excessive procedures or filters used.

Hannah Waddingham, well-known for her incredible performance in Ted Lasso, is a lovely example of this, performing strong and independent female characters and seeming to put that into practice in her life, as well.

Keep ReadingShow less