Entertainment

Danielle Fishel Discusses the Impact of Boy Meets World on Her Directing Career

Danielle Fishel was raised in the limelight as a young actress on Boy Meets World, where her experience imparted valuable lessons on directing young talents, similar to those seen in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

“One aspect I make an effort to avoid that was prevalent on Boy Meets World is the rapid-fire dialogue,” Fishel, 43, revealed in an exclusive interview with Us Weekly regarding her directorial debut on Wizards Beyond Waverly Place’s first season. “There were numerous scenes where conversations were happening at breakneck speed. While that timing can enhance the humor, it can also imply that the characters aren’t really paying attention to one another.”

According to Fishel, effective acting hinges on “listening to your scene partner” and allowing their words to influence your performance—something she believes wasn’t consistently achieved on her beloved ‘90s sitcom. As a director now, she strives to move away from that style.

“I want my actors to feel as if they are immersed in a reality,” she explained. “Even when that reality includes magic, it’s their character’s reality. Therefore, I aim to anchor them as much as I can.”

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Fishel established herself as the beloved Topanga Lawrence, appearing in all seven seasons of Boy Meets World, which aired from 1993 to 2000. While her formative years on the ABC series taught her many “don’ts” of making successful television, they allowed her to learn the essential “dos” as well.

“I certainly aim to incorporate more movement. It can be somewhat challenging in a show featuring many characters within a single set who need to interact,” she stated, noting that “discovering natural and organic moments for characters to move and interact” is also a hurdle.

“One of the things I believe we excelled at on Boy Meets World was ensuring that our actors’ movements felt organic,” she added. “They never came across as, ‘Why did they just do that?’”

Fishel prepares for movement integration by visualizing the episodes in her “mind” before filming, subsequently walking her cast through the process. Regardless, she considers that each actor knows their character best—and she remains receptive to their input.

“If what I’m suggesting doesn’t feel right for you or seems unnatural, please let me know, and we can brainstorm alternatives,” she told Us. “Feel free to propose ideas: ‘Let’s experiment. This is a safe space, and we’ll find the best direction together.’ And so far, this approach has been quite successful.”

This culture of open dialogue extends to interacting with younger cast members, particularly concerning feedback. Fishel is acutely aware of the pressure that comes with “all eyes” being on her and strives to prevent that pressure from affecting the performers she directs.

“It’s crucial to have private conversations with each child, away from the group,” she explained. “During rehearsals, the set is typically crowded with crew members and parents or guardians watching closely. When giving feedback, it’s easy to feel like, ‘Everyone is watching me after receiving feedback.’ I ensure they understand that any note I provide isn’t a correction of their performance.”

Danielle Fishel Discusses Lessons Learned from Boy Meets World for Directing Wizards
Disney/Lara Solanki

Fishel emphasized that there is “no right or wrong” way to approach acting; rather, there are simply “different methods” regarding what should be explored and what risks might be worthwhile. “When I sense that an actor seems a bit unsure or could use a boost of confidence, I will suggest to their parent or guardian that we take a moment to speak privately,” she noted, “and I’ll ask them, ‘What’s going on for you?’”

Fishel began her directing journey in 2014 with the revival series Girl Meets World. While she returned as Topanga in the Disney series, it was her first opportunity to direct. During that time, she recognized her strong “maternal instincts”—noting that stars Rowan Blanchard and Sabrina Carpenter felt akin to her own children—though it wasn’t until welcoming her own sons, Adler, 5, and Keaton, 3, with husband Jensen Karp, that her directing approach evolved significantly.

“Having observed my own children and their sensitivities, I understand that every kid, even one with their own TV show, experiences insecurities and self-doubt,” she shared. “If I can step in as someone who encourages them, helping them learn something during the week or grasp the purpose behind their roles while ensuring they enjoy themselves and want to return, then I feel like I’ve achieved my goal.”

Danielle Fishel Discusses Lessons Learned from Boy Meets World for Directing Wizards

Fishel has since directed numerous episodes of popular shows such as Raven’s Home, Sydney to the Max, and Lopez vs. Lopez. Her debut episode for Wizards Beyond Waverly Place—a revival of the celebrated series from the early 2000s—premieres this month on Disney Channel. The episode, titled “Potions Eleven,” follows teen wizard Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown) as she enters mentor Justin Russo’s (David Henrie) mind to investigate the circumstances behind his dismissal from WizTech years ago.

This storyline builds on the original series’ finale, which featured Henry alongside Selena Gomez, who also returns as Alex Russo, revealing a secret fans have been curious about since the pilot. Fishel felt the weight of this responsibility.

“The toughest part was overcoming my own fears of disappointing anyone,” she reflected, acknowledging that the Wizards franchise holds immense significance for its fans. “The unicorn incident is a substantial story—it’s a pivotal episode—and having that responsibility felt a bit intimidating.”

Fortunately, Fishel felt “at ease” on set—especially with fellow former child actor Henry, 35, who also serves as a producer on the show.

“David Henrie is incredible, and the moment I stepped on set with him, I witnessed his range, from sincere, emotional scenes to exuberant slapstick comedy. He truly embodies versatility,” she said enthusiastically. “Once I recognized the full potential of the entire cast, I thought, ‘Failure is not an option. Success is inevitable.’”

New episodes of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place air on Disney Channel on Fridays at 8 p.m. ET.

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