Former “Boy Meets World” costars Danielle Fishel and Maitland Ward delivered a lesson in awkward tension when things came to a head during the latest episode of the “Pod Meets World” podcast.
For the podcast’s Feb. 24 episode, Fishel, Rider Strong and Will Friedle brought Ward on as the show’s latest guest. Ward joined the cast of “Boy Meets World” as Rachel McGuire in 1998 during the show’s sixth season as a student who becomes a roommate to Eric Matthews (Friedle) and Jack Hunter (Matthew Lawrence). At the top of the episode, the former cast members spoke about how she has since become an adult film star and a model for OnlyFans.
However, it was Fishel’s direct question to Ward, part way into the episode, that set the tone for the rest of the conversation: “Do you hate us?”
“No, I don’t hate you,” Ward replied, not mincing words. “There’s some beef between us. And maybe I picked up the wrong signals, but definitely, there was some sort of weirdness there.”
“And so what did you think it was?” Fishel confronted.
The conversation escalated when Ward suggested that Fishel harbored jealous feelings towards her when they reunited years later for “Girl Meets World,” the Disney Channel sequel to “Boy Meets World.”
“You didn’t like the fact that I was getting a lot of attention at that time and going off in my own space and taking away, like that attention,” Ward replied, a claim Fishel swiftly shut down.
“I was on the cover of Maxim in 2014,” she countered. “I wasn’t in any way upset.”
While talking over one another, the two actors hashed out lingering grievances, including Ward’s claim that Fishel had unfriended her on Facebook and Fishel’s accusation that Ward was seeking attention on the podcast. The more they dug in, the more the unease grew, with Fishel accusing Ward of speaking regularly and critically to TMZ about the podcast.
“It seems like almost any time the podcast is in the news, in the press, there’s a quickly followed-up TMZ interview with you,” Fishel replied. “How do those happen, by the way?”
“They come and get me; they find me on the streets,” Ward replied. “Are you trying to accuse me of something?”
“I was just curious because it seems as though every time we’ve been in the news, shortly thereafter, there’s an interview with you on TMZ,” Fishel replied.
When Fishel continued asking about her TMZ interviews, Ward replied, “I don’t understand why this is like a grilling session right now?”
More friction arose when Ward addressed the group, saying, “I think there’s a divide too because you guys hate Ben (Savage), and you guys hate (‘Boy Meets World’ creator) Michael (Jacobs).”
“Ben is one of the most important people I’ve ever met in my life, and I can’t stand the fact that he won’t speak to us,” Friedle cut in, later adding, “And that’s what it is: He won’t speak to us.”
When Ward accused Fishel of inviting her on the show for rating, Fishel, in turn, replied, “I’m not the one who wanted to go after ratings.”
At one point, Ward’s connection was lost and exited the interview. A producer asked Friedle to text her and make sure it wasn’t intentional and shortly after, Ward logged back on.
By the end, the podcasters and Ward wrapped up with a friendly to tepid farewell, with the hosts suggesting that Ward join them again.
“Thank you for joining us, Maitland,” Fishel said. “It was nice to talk to you. Share some good times, share not-so-good times.”
Ward signed off, replying, “Thanks.”
Still, when Ward was gone, and only the three hosts remained for a recap, Friedle replied, “I don’t like when things are tense.”
“I know,” Fishel replied, before saying again that Ward was using the conflict as an opportunity for publicity.
