Danielle Christine Fishel, born May 5, 1981, in Mesa, Arizona, is an American actress and director widely recognized for her role as Topanga Lawrence in the popular 1990s TV sitcom *Boy Meets World* (1993–2000). Initially a guest star, she quickly became a regular cast member, gaining significant attention and landing on the cover of *Seventeen* magazine. She was also named one of Teen People's "21 Hottest Stars Under 21" in 1999. Fishel reprised her role as Topanga in the Disney Channel sequel series *Girl Meets World* (2014–2017), where her character was now married to Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage[1][2][3][5]. Starting her acting career at age ten with roles in plays such as *The Wizard of Oz* and *Peter Pan*, Fishel also appeared in TV shows like *Full House* and *Harry and the Hendersons* before her breakthrough role. Beyond acting, she transitioned into directing in 2017, working on over 50 multi-camera television episodes, including Disney Channel’s *Raven’s Home* and *Wizards Beyond Waverly Place*, as well as ABC’s *Shifting Gears* and NBC’s *Lopez vs. Lopez*. Her directing work earned her two Emmy nominations[1][2]. Fishel co-hosts the iHeart podcast *Pod Meets World* with former *Boy Meets World* castmates, further connecting with fans of the original series. She also runs a clean and affordable hair care line called Be Free by Danielle Fishel, available online and through QVC[1]. In her personal life, Fishel graduated from California State University, Fullerton, was married to Tim Belusko (2013–2016), and married writer/producer Jensen Karp in 2018, with whom she has two children[2][4]. She remains active in entertainment, both in front of and behind the camera, maintaining relevance through directing, podcasting, and entrepreneurship.