Danielle Fishel Says “Girl Meets World” Costar Sabrina Carpenter Is “Her Baby Forever”
Even though Sabrina Carpenter has long moved on from her days on Girl Meets World as she rises in the pop music scene, her bond with her former castmates remains strong. One of her biggest supporters? Danielle Fishel, who played the iconic Topanga Matthews on Girl Meets World and its predecessor Boy Meets World.
At the Wizards Beyond Waverly Place premiere on October 28, in Hollywood, Danielle opened up to PEOPLE about her relationship with Sabrina, ten years after Girl Meets World first aired. Danielle, now 43, revealed that she still feels a motherly connection to Sabrina, even though the two haven’t shared a set in years.
“I still consider her to be my daughter and I think of myself very much as a surrogate mother. She has a mother who’s wonderful, who I’m very close to. I’m definitely an older friend who gives her advice more like a mom would than just a pal. I probably annoy her sometimes with my mom advice, but I can’t help it! She’s my baby forever,” she stated.
Danielle, who directed several episodes of the Wizards of Waverly Place spinoff, went on to say that she and Sabrina, now 25, keep in touch “all the time.” And it’s clear Jenna has been keeping up with Sabrina’s flourishing music career too. The director is a big fan of Sabrina’s Short n’ Sweet album, which dropped earlier this year.
“It’s too hard to choose one, but I’m obsessed with ‘Juno,’” Danielle admitted, adding, “I love ‘Bed Chem.’ ‘Taste’ is obviously amazing. ‘Juno”s been the one I’ve been rocking the most, I think.”
Danielle isn’t the only former castmate showing love for Sabrina. August Maturo and Ava Kolker, who played Auggie Matthews and Ava Morgenstern on Girl Meets World, recently shared a playful TikTok that celebrated their friendship with Sabrina. In the video, they lip-synced to her song Espresso, reminding everyone that they’ve been day-one fans.
As for the possibility of a Girl Meets World reunion, Danielle seemed surprised by the idea. “Who’s asking? Is anybody asking for a Girl Meets World reunion?” she asked with a laugh. While there doesn’t seem to be any plans for a reunion right now, it’s clear that the cast still holds each other close, even years after the show wrapped.
In addition to reflecting on her bond with Sabrina, Danielle opened up about a personal health challenge. Earlier this year, the actress shared that she had been diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), an early form of breast cancer. Speaking candidly, she explained how her diagnosis has changed her daily life.
“My life has become many doctor’s appointments and constantly checking up. And it’ll be monitoring side effects. It’s not fun, but it is what it is. And with all that said, I’m very fortunate and I’m going to live, which is the most important thing,” she shared.
