Skip to main content

‘Boy Meets World’ star Danielle Fishel shares the family rules that saved her from dark side of Hollywood


NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Danielle Fishel knows the importance of family.

After her performance on "Dancing with the Stars," the actress spoke candidly about how her loved ones kept her grounded in Hollywood, despite her childhood fame.

"My family is the thing that keeps me grounded," the "Boy Meets World" star told Fox News Digital, while standing next to her dance partner Pasha Pashkov.

"My family didn't need me to have a job, but they allowed me to have a job because I wanted it. And because of that, they then made sure I still came home from work and picked up the dog poop in the backyard," the actress said. 

DANIELLE FISHEL SAYS SHE WAS ALMOST FIRED AT 12 YEARS OLD AFTER HER FIRST DAY OF "BOY MEES WORLD"

Danielle Fishel explains how she stayed grounded in Hollywood as a child star. (Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images)

"Every morning I still had to make my bed, and they never let me go to like, you know, teen nightclubs," Fishel explained.

Fishel became a household name on the hit series "Boy Meets World," starring as Topanga Lawrence-Matthews.

WATCH: DANIELLE FISHEL EXPLAINS HOW HER CONFIDENCE HAS GROWN EACH WEEK ON 'DANCING WITH THE STARS'

She landed the role at age 12, starring in the show for seven years.

Fishel added that her core friend group, whom she has known since high school, was also what kept her grounded while navigating stardom at such a young age.

Danielle Fishel pictured with Rider Strong and Ben Savage. (Craig Sjodin/Disney Gener al Entertainment Content via Getty Images)

The star said her mom told her, "'If you don't want to do this anymore, you just say the word and I will whip this car around so fast your head will spin.'"

Fishel explained that her mom's advice would always come to mind when she started taking things for granted.

"My mom would remind me that like this was, at one time, a dream for me. And if it no longer becomes a dream, then let it go. And then I would think to myself, 'Is this still a dream? No, it's still a dream.' And you just keep going," the actress said.

Danielle Fishel pictured with her dance partner Pasha Pashkov during their performance on Oct. 21, 2025. (Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

The actress and dancing pro most recently performed to "No Good Deed" from Wicked, earning a score of 36 out of 40.

Fishel credited Pasha with helping her grow her confidence on the dance floor, noting that he "continues to really challenge me, which I appreciate."

The former child star also said she has been feeling "comfortable in my body, more like I kind of know what I'm doing, more familiar with just the space and what the days and nights are like."

Danielle Fishel pictured with co-star Ben Savage on an episode of "Boy Meets World." (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)

"My confidence has definitely grown each week," despite how difficult the choreography can be.

WATCH: DANIELLE FISHEL EXPLAINS HOW HER CONFIDENCE HAS GROWN EACH WEEK ON 'DANCING WITH THE STARS'

"He could have been like, 'Well, I don't know if she's capable of it. Let's just make it easier.' And he didn't. He said, 'Look, this is what I want to do. Let's see if we're capable of it.' And I just wanted to rise to that challenge."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The former "Full House" star said they rehearse every day of the week for four hours at a time.

Sarah Sotoodeh is an associate entertainment editor for Fox News Digital. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Katie Holmes enrolls Suri Cruise at pricey Manhattan private school Avenues ... - New York Daily News

James Devaney/WireImage Suri Cruise leaves Chelsea Piers. Katie Holmes reportedly enrolled her in a pricey private school near their Chelsea apartment. Suri Cruise is set to start first grade in style at a pricey new Manhattan private school this year. Katie Holmes enrolled 6-year-old Suri at Avenues, a nearly $40,000-a-year school set to open this fall, Life & Style reported. “Katie has eagerly been telling Suri all about the lunchrooms, basketball courts and different activities Avenues offers. Suri’s really excited about it,” a source told the magazine. The Chelsea school, which overlooks the High Line and isn’t far from Holmes’ apartment in the same neighborhood, boasts a rooftop playground and a fitness center, plus a gym with full-sized basketball and volleyball courts. The for-profit Tenth Ave. school stresses bilingual education, so Suri will learn in Mandarin or Spanish in addition to English. The so-called “world school” plans to open bran...

From 'The Rock' to Martha Stewart, celebrity gossip and sightings in and around CT, January 2024

Joe Tucci is a digital producer from Hearst Connecticut Media whose focus is writing feature and trending stories as well as managing homepages. He holds a bachelor's in digital journalism and a master's in media and communications from Pace University. Daniel Figueroa IV is an award-winning multimedia journalist and the Associate Editor for CT Insider's Trending and Features team. Daniel joined Hearst in 2022 as a trending reporter covering arts and culture in the Nutmeg State, touching on the  history of neighborhoods through the lens of local photographers and local food ; issues facing the state's LGBTQ+ community and extensive reporting on the state's rental industry .  He documented Connecticut's famous Warren family , made famous by the "Conjur ing" and "Annabelle" films, through both written word and video . He also facilitated the reunion of actors Chris and Susan Sarandon 45 years after their divorce, ahead of th...

John Edwards' Mug Shot -- SAY CHEESE!

Filed under: John Edwards , Celebrity Justice , Politix Former Presidential hopeful John Edwards flashed a big, toothy smile during his mug shot earlier this month -- after he was indicted for allegedly soliciting nearly $1 mil in campaign funds to cover up his mistress and love child. Edwards was charged with conspiracy, four counts of illegal campaign contributions, and one count of false statements. Edwards pled "not guilty." Permalink