Feud between 'Boys Meet World' alums Maitland Ward and Danielle Fishel reaches boiling point on podcast

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: What was meant to be a nostalgic reunion quickly turned into an intense showdown when 'Boy Meets World' alums Maitland Ward and Danielle Fishel sat down for an episode of 'Pod Meets World'.

The conversation, which started with reminiscing about their time on the beloved '90s show, quickly spiraled into unresolved tensions and accusations, marking one of the most heated moments in the podcast’s history, reported by TooFab.

Maitland Ward and Danielle Fishel’s podcast clash escalates decade-long feud

Ward, who played Rachel McGuire in 'Boy Meets World’s later seasons, didn’t hold back when Fishel bluntly asked, “Do you hate us?”

Ward responded that while she doesn’t harbor hate, she does believe Fishel had an issue with her during their brief 'Girl Meets World' reunion in 2015. 'Girls Meet World' was a spin-off of the beloved show from the nineties.

"No, I do not hate you," Ward said, according to Variety. "I think that you hate me because you wouldn’t speak to me on Girl Meets World, and that was hurtful," Ward said, accusing Fishel of treating her with an “attitude” on set.

"There was some beef between us, and I didn't get it," she admitted. "I didn't know if you thought I was trying to steal attention."

Feeling uncertain about the rift, she said she found Fishel’s attempt to reconnect nearly ten years later to be "disingenuous."

Fishel, in turn, denied any personal animosity but admitted that 'Girl Meets World' was a difficult work environment.

“It was a rather tumultuous place. I felt very ostracized. I felt very criticized,” she revealed. Ward, however, stood firm in her belief that Fishel resented the attention she was getting at the time. “I was going off in my own space and taking away that attention,” she said.

The complicated history of their uncertain dynamic dates back to 2013 when Ward sent Fishel a message on Facebook, only to discover later that they were no longer connected on the platform.

Fishel, however, remained unaware of the message for years, as she rarely used Facebook. It wasn’t until 2022 that Friedle mentioned he had spoken to Ward about possibly featuring her on their new podcast.

On the latest episode of their podcast, Fishel addressed the situation directly, speaking to Ward.

Podcast drama: Accusations of exploitation and bad blood

Just when things seemed to settle, Fishel reignited the tension by asking Ward why she often appears in TMZ headlines criticizing the 'Boy Meets World' cast.

Ward fired back, questioning whether Fishel was accusing her of using the show for attention. “Are you trying to accuse me of something?” she asked.

The discussion took another turn when Ward suggested the podcast hosts have been unfairly harsh toward co-star Ben Savage and show creator Michael Jacobs.

“I think there’s a divide too because you hate Ben and you guys hate Michael,” she said, a claim all three hosts quickly denied.

Will Friedle passionately defended his past friendship with Savage, lamenting that Savage had inexplicably cut ties with him.

“Ben absolutely one day woke up and said, ‘I don’t want Will in my life,’ and never told me why,” he said.

Ward, however, argued that without Jacobs, none of them would have careers. Fishel responded sharply, “So is the price we pay for that... silence?”

Ward accused the podcast of fueling drama for ratings, while Fishel countered that sharing real experiences isn’t the same as being negative.

“I just wanted to remember the good times,” Ward concluded.